・Keno-shiru
Keno-shiru is a traditional dish from the Tsugaru region of Aomori. it was born out of a difficult and often painful history, created by people who had to survive harsh winters and limited resources. Using whatever vegetables were available, they developed this dish through wisdom, patience, and resilience.
Keno-jiru is the result of generations of ancestors who transformed hardship into a way of living.
Onigiri (Rice Balls)
At BASAMA’s Kitchen, we use rice that I personally helped plant and harvest in the Tsugaru region. The rice is naturally sweet and carefully grown. You are free to choose your own fillings, creating an onigiri that reflects your own taste and experience. This simple dish allows you to connect with the everyday rice culture of Japan in a very personal way.
・Seasonal Fruits
We serve fresh seasonal fruits that are available in Tsugaru at that time of year. The fruits change with the seasons and reflect the natural rhythm of local life. This is a simple way to enjoy the flavors of the region as they are.
・Seasonal Natural Juice
Depending on the season, we prepare natural juice made from local fruits. No artificial flavors are added, allowing you to taste the pure sweetness and acidity of the fruit itself. This drink is enjoyed slowly, just like at home.
・Japanese Green Tea
Japanese green tea is commonly enjoyed in everyday life. We serve green tea in a relaxed, home-style manner, as it is usually enjoyed in rural Japanese households. It is a calm and gentle way to finish the meal and spend time together.
・Dietary Considerations
All dishes at BASAMA’s Kitchen are plant-based. This means the experience can be enjoyed by vegetarians and vegans, as well as guests who follow Halal, Kosher, or Hindu dietary practices. Our goal is to create a table where people from different cultures and backgrounds can share the same meal with peace of mind.
Onigiri is a Japanese comfort food made from steamed rice formed into the typical triangular, ball, or cylinder shapes and usually wrapped with nori(dried seaweed). Stuffed with a a variety of fillings and flavors, these rice balls make an ideal quick snack and are a fun alternative to sandwitches for lunch.
Rice is a staple food in Japan. In all most every family, there is a rice cooker. There is variety of Japanese rice brands such as Koshihikari and Hitomebore.
The astringent constituent in Japanese tea is a type of polyphenol called catechin. Japan has done a great deal with the humble tea leaf. For example some benefits of the catechin in the tea leaf can lower cholesterol in some cases. Roasted over charcoal at a high temperature and grown under shade for at least 20 days are one of the examples. The most popular Japanese tea might be ryokucha. Depending on the timing of picking the leaves, the grade, the price can be noticeably different.
In this cooking experience, we will prepare traditional home-style dishes from the Tsugaru region of Aomori together. We will start by preparing seasonal vegetables. You will wash, peel, and carefully cut vegetables such as daikon radish, carrots, and local mountain vegetables into very small cubes (about 5 millimeters). This cutting process is an essential step in making Keno-jiru, a traditional vegetable soup from Tsugaru.
Next, we slowly cook the vegetables together in a pot. You can see how simple ingredients change as they are cooked with care and time, and learn why this dish has been made in local homes for generations, especially to survive long and cold winters.
After that, we will make Onigiri (Japanese rice balls). The rice is locally grown in Tsugaru and was planted and harvested with my own hands. You will choose your favorite fillings and gently shape the rice by hand, just like Japanese families do in everyday life.
While cooking, we will talk, share stories, and enjoy the quiet atmosphere of a real countryside home surrounded by rice fields. This experience takes place in an ordinary family house, not in a restaurant or cooking studio.
To finish, we will enjoy the meal together with seasonal fruits, natural fruit juice, or Japanese green tea, depending on the season. Through cooking, eating, and spending time together, you can experience a relaxed and authentic moment of everyday Japanese life.
Hiromasa
Hi, my name is Hiro. I run BASAMA’s Kitchen, a home-style cooking experience in the rural Tsugaru region of Aomori, northern Japan. The reason I started this experience is simple: I wanted travelers to feel what everyday life in a Japanese countryside home is really like — not as a performance, but as something shared naturally. At BASAMA’s Kitchen, you will cook together with a local grandmother using seasonal ingredients and traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations. The dishes are simple, warm, and deeply connected to the land and climate of Tsugaru. The experience takes place in a real family home, surrounded by rice fields and quiet village scenery. It is not a restaurant or a studio — it is an ordinary home where people live, cook, and gather. I enjoy traveling, learning about different cultures, and having meaningful conversations over food. Through this experience, I hope you can relax, slow down, and feel at home, even if it’s your first time in Japan. Whether you are traveling alone, with friends, or with family, you are very welcome here. I look forward to cooking together and sharing a special moment of everyday Japanese life with you.
The closest station
Mutu-tsuruda Station
How to get to the station?
From Aomori Station: 50mins
Free pick up service
This host can pick up you for free from the closest station!
Exact location provided after booking.
Please go to Mutu-tsuruda Station which takes 50 mins from Aomori Station. Then Hiromasa (host) will pick you up there!
It costs 12000 per person.
Up to 5 people can join Hiromasa's cooking class.
Yes, Plant-based Traditional Home Cooking with Grandmothers in Aomori has a vegan option.
Duration of this cooking class is 3 hours.
Yes, Plant-based Traditional Home Cooking with Grandmothers in Aomori has a vegetarian option.
You will receive the confirmation within 24 hours.
We accepts these cards on airKitchen.
Cancellations up to 48 hours prior to the class begins will be fully refunded by the airKitchen cancellation policy.
