Arrive at a casual sushi restaurant in Yokohama, a port city in Kanagawa Prefecture with deep ties to Japanese culinary culture. Unlike formal high-end sushi counters, this setting is approachable and relaxed, making it a comfortable environment to engage directly with the craft.

As you settle in, the atmosphere connects you to the everyday sushi culture that locals actually enjoy, rather than a polished tourist-facing performance. The sushi chef stands before you and demonstrates nigiri technique step by step, showing how to shape rice and place fish with precision.

Replicate each motion yourself, pressing, forming, and assembling nigiri under the chef’s guidance. A guide translates and facilitates throughout the 90-minute session, so you can ask the chef questions directly about technique, ingredients, or anything that comes up as you work through each piece.

By the end of the session, shape your own nigiri with your hands, following the same foundational method the chef uses daily. Leave with a practical understanding of how nigiri is constructed, having completed the process from rice to finished piece yourself.