How it all started

Hello, I’m Mayuko, and I am your main hostess. I grew up in Choshi city, which has one of the biggest harvests of fresh fish in Japan. I have been strongly influenced by my mother, who was a professional cooking teacher, and as an entrepreneur, by my father, grandparents, and great grandfather, who have been running a construction business for over 110 years for the country and community.

"I used to work in a cosmetics company called LUSH. I was a sub manager at that time and I was hoping to become a manager. When I was working at a retail shop, a Finnish couple came in to buy some products and we chatted for a while. It was in 2011."

"The next year, the same couple came to our shop again. I thought they must live in Tokyo since Finland is located almost half way around the world from Japan. But they said they came to Japan again since they fell in love with Japan. That made me very happy and we exchanged our Facebook addresses. Unfortunately, due to misspellings, we were not able to communicate with each other. I thought I would never see them again, since I also moved to another branch."

"Another year passed, and I was working in the new branch. Suddenly, I saw two familiar faces. They were the Finnish couple! They found my new branch by asking my old shop where I was. I was so impressed and we exchanged our Facebook addresses correctly this time."

"While they were staying in Japan for one month, I guided them all around Tokyo, especially going to good restaurants and inviting them to my home for dinner. We met almost every other day. I really enjoyed telling them about Japanese culture through food. I even guided them in my dreams!"

"After they left, the idea suddenly popped into my mind: Why not offer my own Japanese cooking classes? I love talking and teaching about Japanese culture though food, and besides, my Mom used to be a cooking teacher, and I love meeting new people."

"So I decided to offer my own Japanese cooking classes. My mission would be to introduce Japanese culture though authentic food to foreign visitors. To prepare, I went to cooking courses, and, in January 2015, I opened Mayuko's Little Kitchen. Since then I have been teaching visitors to Japan from all over the world (more than 3,500 people from 35 different countries) about Japanese culture through the preparation of authentic Japanese home cuisine."

Philosophy

Have you ever tried authentic cuisine cooked by locals while staying or traveling overseas?

Food in restaurants and what people eat at home are different in terms of menu, preparation, atmosphere, etc. Both have good aspects, but eating what the locals really make at home is an experience you will never have in restaurants.

As a result of our experience of traveling overseas and sampling many home cooked meals, we have decided to teach what Japanese locals really eat at home, and to do so in a very friendly atmosphere.

My kitchen is not big (it's Tokyo size), but I offer you authentic Japanese homestyle cooking.

Following my beliefs in sustainability and a better tomorrow, I use only renewable electricity (solar powered) in the house, provided by Minden.

My Credentials

3rd Class Decorative Sushi Certificate (JSIA Sushi Instructor Association)
Spice Coordinator Certificate
Food Sanitation Supervisor
1st Class Aromathérapie Certificate (Aroma Environment Association Japan)

Awards

Japanese Government MAFF the Food Project Judges’ Award 2020

Chosen as 1 of the TOP 10 activities in all of Japan (2018)

A Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice for each of the past 6 years (awarded to only the top 10% of service providers).