Zen Buddhist Vegetarian(Shojin Ryori): Cooking Experience

Tokyo, Japan

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Japan is famous for its delicious cuisine, but top dishes are often meat and seafood-heavy. Ideal for vegetarians, this small-group cooking workshop explores the art of “shojin ryori,” an ancient cuisine associated with Zen Buddhism. Learn how to prepare staples like sesame tofu, dashi broth soup, vegetable tempura, and more with an instructor's help. Then, sit down to enjoy your freshly prepared meal, paired with tea as an optional upgrade.

Learn about the ancient and cruelty-free philosophies behind “shojin ryori"
Enjoy a personalized experience in a group limited to eight people
Master time-tested vegetarian recipes you can recreate at home
Upgrade to include pairings of Japanese tea while you eat

Sample Menu

Main

Sesame Tofu

Main

Flavored Japanese Mustard Spinach with Nori Seaweed

Main

Kyoto-style Teriyaki Vegetables (broiled in a sweet soy sauce marinade)

Main

Vegetable Tempura

Main

Rice with Assorted Grains

Main

Japanese-style Dashi Broth Soup

Main

Sweet Tofu Dumplings

What's Included

Nationally accredited tour guide-interpreter
Vegetarian cooking lesson
Ingredients

Transportation to the venue

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Kikai Shinkō Kaikan
3-chōme-5-8 Shibakōen, Minato City, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
Please meet your instructor at the main entrance of the Kikai Shinko Kaikan building on the 1st floor. (The building is right opposite side of Tokyo Tower.) In case you cannot find the instructor, please visit True Japan Tour (Room# B208) on the B2 floor of the building.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.11:00 am

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or requests in advance of the program.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0

based on 9 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Authentic Japanese cuisine experience!

David_L, Dec 2025

If you can spare two hours of your trip learning how to make authentic Japanese cuisine beyond sushi or ramen, this is the real deal. The wife and I aren't experts in Japanese cooking by any standard, but we do our share of Japanese style cooking at home and we were looking for a chance to learn more specifically about "shojin ryori" or vegan Zen Buddhist cooking. This session delivered! We learned what kind of ingredients are used in shojin ryori, like vegetarian dashi stock for soups, flavorful Japanese vegetables like burdock root, "tofu" from arrowroot powder and freshly ground sesame seeds. The kind and patient instructors helped us through the recipes, and even though we only spoke a little Japanese their instructions and cheerfulness shone through! Thank you for a wonderful experience and for recipes and techniques we will take home! And as a plus, you can visit Tokyo Tower right afterward!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed learning about shojin ryori and that the experience became a memorable part of your trip.

Delicious and fun cooking class experience!

Nan_H, Nov 2025

This was a very special part of our Tokyo visit. We had the best time cooking and learning about shojin zen vegetarian food. This class, the instructor, and meal prepare were all delightful and it was nice to slow down and do a quiet activity away from the hustle of most tourist destinations. I'm glad that true Japan tours listed this class on viator or we never would have found such a cool experience. They have many class options available and I would love to return and try another class. Thank you so much!

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you very much for joining the Zen Buddhist Vegetarian (Shojin Ryori) Cooking Experience. We are truly delighted to hear that you enjoyed the class. We also offer other cultural activities such as sushi making, origami, and tea ceremony, so we would be very happy to welcome you again on a future visit.

Fun time and beautiful meal.

Colette_T, Apr 2025

Fantastic lesson in how to cook vegetarian food in Japan, and interesting insight into the diet of Buddhist monks and eating culture.

Fun and unique experience

Hui_N, Jun 2023

We had great fun at the cooking class! Masue and Hiro were friendly, patient and kind instructors. With their detailed instructions and clear demonstrations, even those with limited cooking experience were able to make a delicious meal. It was not a tiring or difficult class - most of the ingredients had been prepared. Yet, we were able to experience traditional aspects of preparation, such as stirring the sesame tofu paste (which was explained as the process of 'shojin', improving one's soul) and grinding sesame seeds using a traditional grinder. They explained to us the details of all the Japanese ingredients used (so we could replicate the dishes at home). The final meal was delicious and well-seasoned despite being vegan. I especially enjoyed the tempura, which was lovely and crispy, and even came with a novel seaweed-flavoured option. There was also a gorgeous photogenic table setting with traditional origami which we could take home as a nice gift. Now we are home and will be giving it another try with the recipes they kindly emailed to us! Highly recommended!!