Top 10 Culinary Schools in Japan Attending culinary schools in Japan, or any other culinary school, is a great investment, according to culinary school graduates, if you want to polish your culinary talents and seek a career in the restaurant and hotel business.

There are numerous advantages to attending a culinary school, but the most important is that cooking school degrees or diplomas lead to numerous chances and greater salaries. In the same way that cooking school isn’t essential for an entry-level position in the sector. According to a poll, 70 percent of businesses in Japan demand cooks with culinary or pastry arts degrees to be considered for general manager and executive chef roles. Top culinary schools can be pricey, but they also have a lot to offer. They have a lot of weight in the food industry and may open a lot of doors for you. They offer you vital skills such as menu planning, facility design, cost control, legal knowledge, and management practices that will come in handy when you open your own restaurant. The top ten cooking schools in Japan are listed below.

1. Shizuoka’s Japan Culinary Institute
Shizuoka's Japan Culinary Institute
Shizuoka’s Japan Culinary Institute
In Atami, Shizuoka, Japan, the Japan Culinary Institute is a culinary school. Its main goal is to deliver true Washoku to people all over the world by providing comprehensive education on Japanese food culture.

They provide short and intensive cooking classes for both professional and personal development. Japanese Chef Training for Home Cooking, Sushi Training, Yakitori Basic Course, Fast Food Course, Japanese dishes and cutlery classes, and restaurant preparation workshops are all available.

2. Tsuji Culinary Institute
Tsuji Culinary Institute
Tsuji Culinary Institute
Tsuji Culinary Institute is a prestigious cooking school in Japan. They attract students from all across the country and the globe. The Tsuji Culinary Institute and the Tsuji Institute of Pâtisserie are the two professional schools that make up the institution. More than 140,000 graduates have graduated from the school, and many of them are employed both in Japan and abroad.

They have specialised instructors who are experts in their unique cuisine and can guide you through the world’s major food cultures, including Western, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines. You will gain high-level practical skills, an intellectual breadth of knowledge, and a depth of creative strength through studying foreign cuisines and their civilizations.

3. Sushi Academy in Tokyo
Sushi Academy in Tokyo
Sushi Academy in Tokyo
Tokyo Sushi Academy is a private school in Tokyo, Japan, having two locations in Tsukiji and Shinjuku. This academy was established in 2002 as Japan’s first sushi school. They can teach students the fundamentals of Edomae-style sushi in as little as one to two months.

More than 4,400 students have graduated as of 2022, with 400 of them being foreign cooks who have gone on to work in nearly 50 countries. They started offering English classes in 2015 and have proceeded to enroll more and more international cooks since then.

4.Tokyo’s Le Cordon Bleu
Tokyo's Le Cordon Bleu
Tokyo’s Le Cordon Bleu
This is one of Japan’s culinary schools, which was created in Paris in 1895. It’s in Tokyo, Japan, at 28-13 Sarugaku-Cho Shibuya-ku. With more than 35 institutes in roughly 20 countries throughout the world, this institution is now considered one of the schools with the greatest network of culinary and hospitality colleges in the world.

5.Miyajima Ramen School
Miyajima Ramen School
Miyajima Ramen School
Miyajima Ramen School is a private school in Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka, at 1-9-2 Kowakae. This is one of Japan’s culinary schools, which opened in 2001 and now has over 1,000 students from over 50 nations enrolled.

Both professional and inexperienced chefs are welcome in the school. They primarily offer one-on-one instruction. There are no additives or MSG in any of the recipes taught at the school. You can make delicious Japanese ramen with materials that are readily available in your country. This cooking school also offers complimentary lodging.

6. Ramen School International
Ramen School International
Ramen School International
International Ramen School is a culinary school for foreigners in Japan that was launched in 2012. 1-1 Yamanouchi-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, and Inside Yokohama City Central Wholesale Market are some of its sites.

The institution is well-known for its program, which includes on-the-job training at a real restaurant as well as excellent student assistance. The majority of their courses are aimed at people who want to start a ramen restaurant with an item of low initial expenditure.

7. Sushi Lesson Private
Sushi Lesson (Private)
Sushi Lesson (Private)
Sushi Private Lesson provides private sushi lessons that can be scheduled at your convenience. It’s also one of Japan’s culinary schools, where students learn how to make real sushi. They may be found at 4-7-5 Tsukiji Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, and 8-2-5 Nishi-Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened its doors in 2002 and has since graduated over 4,000 students from this well-known sushi school in Japan. Before enrolling, make contact with the school at least 2-3 months ahead of time. Taking a private class during the months of August and late December, when regular sessions are not in session, is highly suggested.

8. Sushi Making Workshop 90 min
Sushi Making Workshop 90 min
Sushi Making Workshop 90 min
Sushi Making Workshop is a private cooking school in Japan with expert sushi chefs that will teach you all you need to know about sushi and how to prepare it in just 90 minutes. They have programs where you may learn how to make nigiri sushi in the classic Tokyo style.

The session is hosted on the second floor of Tsukiji Sushi Omakase, a sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The workshop is held twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, prior to the restaurant’s opening. Over the last four years, the sushi chefs and management team have trained over 3,000 foreigners. For 90 minutes, visitors can make their own nigiri sushi and enjoy the hands-on experience with all five senses.

9. Hattori Nutrition College
Hattori Nutrition College
Hattori Nutrition College
Hattori Nutrition College is a cooking school in Tokyo, Japan, located in Yoyogi, Shibuya. Hattori Nutrition College offers culinary arts and dietetics certification courses as well as full degree programs. Healthy, “body-friendly” culinary approaches are emphasised in particular.

Hattori’s cooking facilities, which include state-of-the-art chef demonstration arenas, are on par with those seen at Kitchen Stadium. Hattori students receive up-to-date instruction in stainless steel commercial kitchens with the newest professional equipment. To get the most out of your experience in the college kitchens, you need to have a solid understanding of Japanese culture and language.

10. Yamato Noodle School
Yamato Noodle School
Yamato Noodle School
Yamato Noodle School offers short but rigorous courses that will teach you everything you need to know about running a successful noodle store. Ramen, Udon, and Soba are all covered in their noodle training classes.

They provide intensive 3- and 5-day English classes in Singapore, as well as Japanese courses in Kagawa and Tokyo, Japan, including English translation services. They also sell a variety of artisan noodle-making devices to restaurants.

Through its certificates, diplomas, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees, this institution mixes innovation and creativity with tradition. Not to mention the gastronomy online degree. Le Cordon Bleu Tokyo offers a comprehensive range of culinary arts, wine, management, and hospitality studies in addition to Japanese cuisine.

Requirements, visas, and expenses
Why will you make more money if you go to culinary school?
Degrees and diplomas, as previously said, typically lead to additional work opportunities and greater wages. Employers tend to pay more for culinary school graduates for the reasons listed below.

Reduced training time
Attending a culinary school decreases your training time, which simply means that the time it takes to become a professional is considerably shorter when compared to learning the skill of cooking on your own.

Employers want their new staff to have some understanding of how the kitchen works.

Chefs who have attended culinary school are conversant with kitchen terminology and know how to navigate a kitchen.

As a result, in commercial kitchens where time is of the essence, chefs who are well-trained and skilled may accomplish a lot in a short period of time.

Diverse skillset
Because students learn from a variety of chef instructors rather than a single executive chef, culinary schools in Japan expose pupils to a wide range of skills.

Culinary school graduates, on the other hand, arrive at any new employment with better skills and a broader knowledge base.

Dedication and passion
One of the most appealing aspects of culinary school alumni is the way they display their commitment to the field.

Most of the time, this is due to the fact that they have invested so much time and money in their education, and as a result, they work with a new degree of enthusiasm to recoup their investment.

Employees that are enthusiastic about their jobs are more likely to stay in their jobs for a longer period of time. So, even if the employee is paid more, he or she can save money in the long run because loyal personnel lower turnover.

Professionalism has improved
Graduates of culinary schools are noted for their degree of professionalism. They also have a better understanding of kitchen manners.

Chefs that have completed rigorous training in culinary schools and succeeded in the real-world cooking environment are known as “real-world chefs.”

In Japan, there are two types of cooking schools.
Cooking schools in Japan are divided into two categories: private culinary schools and recognised culinary training colleges. The majority of these private culinary schools in Japan admit students who do not speak Japanese, whereas professional institutions need a certain level of Japanese reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills.

If you don’t speak Japanese and want to learn for a short period of time, these private cooking schools in Japan may be the ideal alternative for you.

Also, if you speak Japanese fluently and are willing to study for more than a year, these accredited training institutes may be the ideal option for you.

The distinction between private culinary schools and recognised training colleges in Japan
Japan’s private cooking schools include:
The number of years ranges from one day to three months.

Fees start at 40,000 JPY per year.

Proficiency in Japanese is not required.

Housing: The availability of housing varies by school.

Working part-time is usually not permitted (A visa for employment is required for that)

Working full-time is usually not permitted ( A visa for employment is required)

Certificate: A certificate from school.

Japan’s authorized training colleges
Years of service: 1 to 2 years

Fees start at 814,000 JPY per year.

Proficiency in Japanese is required.

Housing is available at the majority of schools.

Part-time work: With a student visa, you can work up to 28 hours per week (permission needed)

Full-time employment: This is dependent on your major.

Diplomate certificate

What can you expect to study in these Japanese cooking schools?
Any private cooking school in Japan will most likely teach you the following:
Sushi

Cuisine from Japan

kaiseki cuisine is a Japanese cuisine (traditional multi-course meal)

Tempura

Yakitori is a Japanese dish that consists of (grilled skewered chicken)

Soba is a Japanese noodles dish (buckwheat noodle)

Ramen

Udon is a city in Thailand (thick wheat noodle)

Japanese sweets, among other things

In Japan’s public cooking schools, you will learn the following:
Cuisine from Japan

sushi

Chinese cuisine

Western cuisine and confectionaries.

What is the duration of the course? Licensed technical culinary colleges vs. private schools
Many schools accept students for a range of classes all year.

Private culinary schools in Japan provide courses ranging from a one-day private class to a three-month program.

Most courses at technical culinary colleges last a year or two and begin in April.

What is the tuition range? Technical colleges vs. private schools
Depending on the course term, private school tuition ranges from 40,000JPY (363USD) to 1,000,000JPY (9,090USD) (one day to 3 months).

The tuition at technical colleges varies depending on the school, however it typically ranges from 814,000JPY (7,400USD) to 1,724,000JPY (1,724,000USD) (15,672USD). (It can be used for a two-year course.)

What is the makeup of the student body at these Japanese private culinary schools?
Students from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Oceania, and Africa visit Japan from their teens to their fifties.

Chefs, private chefs, restaurant owners, non-experienced students, and business professionals, all seeking a career shift, as well as those who cook as a pastime, are among the pupils.

In 2018, between 1000 and 2000 people travelled to Japan solely to enroll in private cooking schools.

What is the teaching language?
In Japan, most private cooking schools do not require fluency in Japanese. If their professors do not speak English, an interpreter will be provided.

As a result, you don’t have to be concerned about language barriers.

You must be able to read, listen, write, and speak Japanese in order to enroll in an accredited technical culinary college.

Admissions and qualifications
To learn more about the prerequisites and eligibility, go to any of the private culinary schools’ websites and look at their requirements.

In some circumstances, these schools provide professional degrees that need prior work experience as a chef.

You needed to have completed 12 years of formal schooling outside of Japan or equivalent to the high school curriculum in Japan to enroll in the technical culinary colleges.

The Japan Educational Exchanges and Services and the Japan Foundation conduct the Japanese proficiency test, which is required in accredited technical culinary colleges.

You will take a Japanese test and have an interview after submitting the required documentation.

Students in Japan’s private culinary schools have career prospects.
Work options are dependent on your visa, although you may not be able to work in Japan if you have a tourist or other short-term stay visa.

Apart from that, finding restaurants that provide an unpaid apprenticeship or stage for people from other nations is challenging.

The main reason for this is language problems.

Students who persist in their efforts and demonstrate their dedication may be offered the opportunity to work as interns for a limited period of time.

Students enrolled in accredited technical culinary colleges have the opportunity to work.
You can work part-time for up to 28 hours per week on a student visa.

Restaurant servers and kitchen employees are the most frequent part-time jobs.

The hourly salary ranges from 800JPY (7.2USD) to 1,200JPY (10.9USD). (Wages differ depending on whether you work in Tokyo or the countryside.) On average, these students earn between 80,000JPY (727USD) and 120,000JPY (1,090USD) per month.

What are the requirements for a Visa?
Because most private school courses are three months or fewer, you will not require a visa if you hold a passport issued by a country that has visa exemption agreements with Japan.

If not, you will need a short-term stay visa, such as a tourist visa, when applying for a visa.

To enroll in a one- or two-year course, you’ll require a student visa. Each institution provides assistance with getting a student visa.

To find out if you require a visa to enter Japan, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s website or contact the Japanese Embassy in your country.

Accommodations
Because most of these private colleges do not have dorms, you will almost certainly be staying in a hotel or an apartment near the school.

In central Tokyo, a single hotel room costs around 8,000JPY (73USD) per night, while a short-term lease for a studio apartment is over 100,000JPY (910USD) per month.

However, you can locate more affordable housing in the suburbs or in a shared house.

Students from other countries can stay in dorms at public culinary schools or accredited technical culinary institutes. The monthly fee starts at roughly 50,000JPY (454USD).

Certificates
A school certificate is usually provided by private schools. Although a school certificate differs from a diploma, a certificate from a Japanese cooking school should provide you with an advantage in your future job. Students who complete two years or more at professional training colleges for culinary arts obtain a diploma while attending public culinary schools or authorised technical culinary schools.

You can also earn a cooking license a national license granted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, without taking an exam provided you finish one year or more of the school’s curriculum.

The technical college diploma or the cooking license you receive can assist you in finding work in Japan or internationally.

After graduation, you can pursue a career.
Most students who graduate from Japan’s private culinary schools leave the nation after graduation to put their newly acquired abilities to use in their own country or in other countries.

Students from other countries who have finished their professional training and earned a cooking license can work full-time in domestic Japanese restaurants with a specific visa for designated activities or for one to five years. This website has information on work permits.

Final Thoughts
Japan is a very safe country, and even walking alone at night will not put you in danger. Even if you lose your wallet, it is usually returned to the police station by whoever finds it. However, there have been instances of rip-offs aimed at persons who do not speak the local language. Do not trust anyone who approaches you on the street late at night to sell you anything or provide a service. Regardless, taking a look at these Japanese culinary schools is a good idea.