Three Amazing Days of Full Houses and Standing Crowds – Fantasy Basel 2026 Matcha & Mochi Magie

Matcha tea ceremony demo at Fantasy Basel

Drei wunderbare Tage mit vollem Haus und begeistertem Publikum – Fantasy Basel 2026 Matcha & Mochi Magie

I had the honour of giving a matcha and mochi presentation on the Yummy Stage at Fantasy Basel 2026.

Over three days, around 200 people joined us, and I am truly relieved and grateful that we were able to complete all the stage sessions successfully.

Before the event, I honestly felt nervous and wondered whether the audience would really enjoy the experience. But so many people came to the stage, and I was deeply moved to see how much interest there is in Japanese culture.

On stage, we first held a quiz show about matcha and Japanese sweets. From those who answered all five questions correctly, five participants came up on stage and joined us in making strawberry daifuku.

For many of them, it was their first time making wagashi, and the stage was filled with smiles and excitement. Each strawberry daifuku turned out beautifully and uniquely. The participant who made the best one received a bowl of matcha prepared by me. For many guests, it was also their first time tasting matcha, making it a wonderful opportunity to experience Japanese tea culture.

This project originally started as a sushi concept, but it developed into a matcha and mochi experience — something I especially wanted to share. I am very happy that so many people enjoyed it and that we could bring the charm of Japanese culture to the audience.

I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mayumi, Akemi, K-kun and T-kun for supporting me throughout these three days.

Most of all, I am deeply grateful to Martin, Tina, and the entire Fantasy Basel team for giving me this wonderful opportunity.

It is a great joy for me to continue sharing Japanese culture in Europe and connecting people through these experiences.

Next, in August 2026, I will be hosting Yukata and Matcha workshops at Chibi-Con in Winterthur. I look forward to meeting many of you again in a new setting.

👘 Yukata Workshop
👉 Register for Day 1 (Saturday, 15 August)
👉 Register for Day 2 (Sunday, 16 August)

🍵 Matcha Workshop
👉 Register for Day 1 (Saturday, 15 August)
👉 Register for Day 2 (Sunday, 16 August)

Thank you very much to everyone who joined us.

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com/

👉 Instagram (kimono): https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_kimono

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sushi.yoko

🌸 Matcha Workshop in Berlin

Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting a matcha workshop in Berlin for employees of a Japanese pharmaceutical company.

Despite the one-hour time limit, all 27 participants had a wonderful time exploring the world of matcha together.

I flew directly from Japan to Berlin and brought tea utensils and ingredients with me. The entire preparation process — from sourcing to shipping — was an incredibly valuable learning experience that will inform all my future workshops.

The theme of the workshop was “Sakura” 🌸 A quiz brought lots of excitement and laughter to the room. For the very first time in four years of running these workshops, we had a perfect score — achieved by someone who has been whisking matcha for 20 years! Truly impressive. The first prize was a Swiss chocolate presented in a cherry blossom-shaped box — a special gift perfectly in keeping with the sakura theme.

A warm thank you to Takako-sensei, a flower and kimono teacher based in Berlin, who supported us as assistant and made the session run beautifully.

My deepest gratitude goes to Franziska, who organized the workshop with such care and thoughtfulness. It was truly her dedication and attention to detail that made this event possible. Thank you so much!

I look forward to meeting everyone in Berlin again someday!

Sushi Yoko / Yoko Kinoshita

www.sushi-yoko.ch

Discover the Art of Matcha – Tea Ceremony Made Simple

Love matcha but curious about its deeper roots in Japanese culture?

Join Sushi Yoko’s online tea ceremony experience — no equipment, no prior knowledge needed. Just you, a screen, and the world of Japanese tea.

▼ Perfect for you if…

You love matcha and want to explore its cultural origins
You’ve been curious about tea ceremony but don’t know where to start
You’re looking for a mindful, relaxing hobby you can do from home

📅 Every Monday, 8:00–9:00 PM (Swiss Time / CET)

💻 Online via ZOOM

💷 CHF 20.- / 1 hour (beginner-friendly)

📩 Book your spot:

👉 Booking Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnKDBjqv9kLlVhjFizW9mTi2qy4ZFBGI2Vp-CWYPlp5FRoOg/viewform

👉 LINE: https://line.me/R/ti/p/@001ydprv

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com/

👉 Instagram (kimono): https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_kimono

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sushi.yoko

Kimono : Iro tomesode from Nobuo Nakamura

Matcha Experience with Sushi Yoko at Fantasy Basel

Matcha Experience – Hall 2.2, Stand 812

Also happening at Fantasy Basel: Sushi Yoko’s Matcha & Mochi Magic stage show at the Yummy Scrummy Stage (Hall 1.1) — a fun, interactive 40-minute show with a Japanese culture quiz, mochi-making demo, and matcha preparation. Running daily at 11:00.

After the show, go deeper at the Matcha Experience in Hall 2.2 — a hands-on session where you’ll prepare your own matcha using a traditional bamboo whisk (chasen) and taste authentic Uji matcha from a 450-year-old tea house in Kyoto.

📸 Don’t forget to take a photo together with a beautiful traditional Japanese parasol (wagasa) — a perfect memory of your Japanese cultural experience!

👉 Book your spot: www.sushi-yoko.ch/en/events/cat/fantasy-basel/

About Sushi Yoko

Originally from Japan, Yoko has been living in Switzerland since 2005. Since 2007, she has been running sushi, ramen, and matcha workshops, sharing Japanese culture with over 10,000 people across Switzerland.

As a certified tea ceremony instructor, Yoko also teaches traditional Japanese tea ceremony — bringing mindfulness and the beauty of ichi-go ichi-e (「一期一会」, “one moment, one encounter”) to students in Switzerland and beyond.

Outside the kitchen and tearoom, Yoko is passionate about kimono culture. She actively promotes the wearing of kimono in everyday life and runs a kimono community in Switzerland — helping people discover the elegance and stories woven into every garment.

Whether through food, tea, or fabric, Yoko’s mission is the same: to create authentic, joyful encounters with Japanese culture.

🌐 www.sushi-yoko.ch
📷 @sushi_yoko_com

Yummy Scrummy Stage – Matcha & Mochi Magic with Sushi Yoko at Fantasy Basel

About Sushi Yoko

Originally from Japan, based in Switzerland since 2005.
Since 2007, Yoko has been hosting sushi, ramen, and matcha workshops, introducing Japanese culture to over 10,000 people.

Website:
https://www.sushi-yoko.ch/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com/

Dates: Thursday, May 14 · Friday, May 15 · Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 12:00〜12:40 each day
Location: Hall 1.1 (Yummy Scrummy Stage) at Fantasy Basel
Language: English & German

An interactive stage show where you can discover the magic of Japanese culture through matcha and mochi (Japanese sweets). Traditional tea ceremony elements are woven in, making it fun and easy to follow — even for first-timers!

Programme (40 minutes)

10 min — Interactive Japanese Culture Quiz
15 min — Mochi (Japanese sweet) Making Demonstration
15 min — How to make the perfect matcha demonstration (traditional whisking technique)

Special Prizes 🎁

The top 5 quiz winners will receive a free spot at the Mochi Making Experience
The person who makes the most beautiful mochi wins a free Matcha Workshop ticket

Matcha Experience at Hall 2.2

Enjoyed the show? Take it further with our hands-on Matcha Experience at Hall 2.2!
Book your spot and enjoy the full matcha experience up close.

https://www.sushi-yoko.ch/en/events/cat/fant

tea ceremony to deepen your knowledge, and finish with a Mindfulness Meditation session to calm the mind

Mochi & Matcha Workshop at the Japan Food Festival in Zürich

Workshop moments | Zurich Japan Food Festival

Enjoying the matcha you prepared yourself

Matcha Experience & Japanese Culture Workshop (Zurich)

An interactive and heartwarming Japanese cultural experience engaging all five senses.

At the Japan Food Festival in Zurich, we shared unforgettable moments together.
Here is a glimpse of what you can experience:

1. Handmade Mochi & Tea Ceremony Quiz
We begin by making fresh strawberry mochi completely from scratch.
After that, enjoy our popular “Tea Ceremony Quiz” with 10 questions about matcha.
In the past 4 years, no one has scored 10/10 yet 😏
You will learn about matcha cultivation and how to truly enjoy it – all while having fun.

2. 3 Minutes of Calm in the Middle of the Festival
Amid the lively festival atmosphere, we intentionally create a moment to pause.

After preparing and drinking the matcha, we practice a 3-minute meditation together.
Even this short moment resets your body and mind – making the matcha taste deeper and more meaningful.

3. Connection Beyond Language
People from different countries come together and share the experience of matcha.
Even without many words, a special connection naturally emerges.

Matcha culture is steadily spreading across Europe.
Why not become part of it?

📣 Upcoming Event
Our next workshop will take place on May 14, 15, and 16
at Fantasy Basel!
This is a special opportunity at one of Europe’s largest pop culture events with around 100,000 visitors.
👉 More details: https://fantasybasel.ch

✨ Would you like to experience it yourself?

👉 Book your spot for the next workshop here:
Book now

We look forward to welcoming you 🍵

📣 Staff Wanted
We are looking for helpers for our workshop at Fantasy Basel (May 14–16).

The helping time is about 2.5 hours (short shift).

As a thank you, you will receive an entrance ticket worth 50 CHF.

If you are interested, please contact us at:
info@sushi-yoko.ch

You can also apply for our instructor certification course starting with a trial lesson.
Trial lessons are available online from 1 hour / 20 CHF.

📩 You can also contact us via Instagram DM (this is even faster):
https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com

🌸 We would like to bring Japan closer to people in Switzerland 🌸

🌸 Sharing Japanese culture with people in Switzerland for the long term 🌸

Hello,
Thank you very much for your continued support.

Today, I would like to share some important information about the **Japan Food Fest** and how I will be participating in this event.

① This time, I will participate not with sushi, but with a “Matcha & Mochi Workshop”

At this year’s **Japan Food Fest**,
I will be participating not with a sushi stand, but with a Matcha & Mochi Workshop.

▶ Event details and online registration

クラス予約

For this special occasion,
the workshop includes the entrance ticket plus a bamboo whisk (chasen) as a gift — a saving of CHF 30 compared to the regular price.

🍡 A day to eat, enjoy, and experience

At the venue, you will be able to taste a variety of Japanese foods, such as
takoyaki and taiyaki, which many people may not have tried before.

Enjoy lunch at the festival first, and then
join the Matcha & Mochi Workshop from 15:30.

In addition,
I will also be singing karaoke on stage from 15:00.
It will be a fun and lively time that we can enjoy together.

📍 Venue & Date

The event will take place at Halle 550 in Zurich Oerlikon,
a convenient location close to the station.

📅 Saturday, April 4
🌸 During the Easter period

A lovely spring moment —
why not enjoy Japanese culture and Japanese food together at the Japan Food Fest?

I am very much looking forward to meeting you at the venue.
Please feel free to join us.

② A request regarding the crowdfunding campaign ending on Sunday

This year’s **Japan Food Fest** is being prepared through a crowdfunding campaign,
led mainly by the organizer, Pia.

This crowdfunding follows an all-or-nothing format,
which means that if the target amount is not reached, all contributions will be refunded.

Thanks to your support, we have currently reached 80% of the goal,
but we still need the remaining 20%.

To ensure that this event does not end as a one-time occasion,
and to continue sharing Japanese culture in Switzerland for many years to come,
your support is truly essential.

If you feel that
“You would like to support the Japan Food Fest” or
“You want to help pass Japanese culture on to the future,”
we would be deeply grateful for your support.

▶ Crowdfunding page

https://wemakeit.com/projects/culture-in-japan-food-fest

Special Kumamoto rice shochu event in Zurich (free admission)

🍶 A special Kumamoto rice shochu event will be held in Zurich.
Date: Thursday, February 5
This is a rare opportunity to experience authentic rice shochu from Kumamoto, Japan.

🏯 Organized by: Finest Shochu Switzerland
https://www.instagram.com/finestshochuswitzerland/

🤝 Supported by: Kuma Shochu Brewers Association
https://www.instagram.com/kuma.shochu/

👤 Host: Shochu Sommelier Toru Wada
https://www.instagram.com/ateliertoruwada

🏮 Guest brewery: Hayashi Shuzo (Gokuraku)
https://www.instagram.com/gokuraku_hayashi/

📍 Venue: Tales Bar Zurich
https://www.instagram.com/tales_bar_zurich/

🕒 Workshop: 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
🍶 Shochu tasting from 6:00 pm

📝 Workshop registration: Directly at the bar

💰 Participation fee: Both the workshop and the tasting are free of charge

🙋‍♀️ Interpretation on the day: Sushi Yoko
I will provide interpretation for both the shochu tasting and the workshop.
https://www.instagram.com/sushi_yoko_com/

Those who love Japanese culture and wish to support it are warmly invited to join us.

choose an experience instead of an object — and give a gift that will be remembered.

🎄 Looking for a Christmas gift that truly lasts? Give an experience.

Every year, Christmas comes around and we ask ourselves,
“What should I give this time?”
And before we know it, we choose perfume, candles, or another item that quietly ends up on a shelf.

But what if this year,
you could give a memory instead of a thing?

Sushi Yoko gift vouchers offer something special:
time spent together, shared smiles, and moments that stay in your heart long after Christmas is over.

🍣 Sushi Classes

Our sushi classes are designed so that even beginners can join with confidence.

3.5-hour Sushi Rolling Class
Learn the basics of sushi-making and practice rolling sushi yourself.
5-hour Special Sushi Class
A deeper experience for those who want to explore the world of sushi in more detail.

🍜 Japanese Cuisine Class (4 hours)

This class focuses on popular Japanese home-style dishes such as
ramen and okonomiyaki.
You will learn practical recipes that are easy to recreate at home while gaining a solid foundation in Japanese cuisine.

🍵 Matcha & Mochi Class (2 hours)

Step away from everyday busyness and enjoy a calm, mindful experience.
Prepare matcha, taste traditional mochi, and spend two relaxing hours reconnecting with yourself and Japanese culture.

🍱 Japanese Cuisine Master Class

We also offer a Japanese Cuisine Master Class, where you can learn Japanese cuisine comprehensively over four lessons.

Across four sessions, you will cover sushi, Japanese cuisine (ramen and okonomiyaki), and matcha & mochi, learning each topic step by step from the basics.

This course is ideal for anyone who wants to study Japanese cuisine in a structured and well-balanced way, gradually building skills and confidence while experiencing the richness of Japanese food culture.

🎁 About the Gift Vouchers

Gift vouchers are available online
Card payment accepted
Instant download, perfect even for last-minute gifts
Class dates can be booked online at a later time

Sharing the experience of cooking, tasting, and learning together creates memories that last far longer than any physical gift.

👉 Visit the online shop
https://www.sushi-yoko.ch/voucher-7/shop/

👉 Instagram: @sushi_yoko_com

This Christmas,
choose an experience instead of an object —
and give a gift that will be remembered.

Sushi Yoko Newsletter 202511

Newsletter from Sushi Yoko 🍁

Thank you for your support

① Japan Trip 2026 🇯🇵✈️

Visit to the Tsubosaka Sake Brewery in a traditional sake region in Himeji

I will be travelling to Japan in January 2026, and again from
mid-April to Golden Week.
During this time, I am happy to organise private tours, small group tours and cultural experiences.

→ View group tours

③ New Japanese Cooking Class 🍽🍵

Menu:
Okonomiyaki · Dashi rolled omelet · Vegetable kimchi · Matcha ice cream

📅 August 30 at 2:00 PM
Registration and payment are available online.

→ More information & registration

④ Matcha Mochi Class 🍵🍡

Our popular Matcha Mochi Class continues to be held regularly.

→ Register here

A Japanese experience combining matcha, mochi making, and mindfulness meditation

Mochi & Matcha Class – Tuesday Evening

Our Tuesday evening class was a wonderful success! We began with a fun quiz about matcha and the tea ceremony, followed by making delicious mochi. After that, I offered a tea ceremony demonstration, and everyone had the chance to whisk their own matcha. Finally, we ended the evening with Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Reduction, creating a calm and refreshing close to the class.

Many thanks to everyone who joined—your smiles made the evening truly special.

Videos

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPTXaVUjBkS/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPgQgh1E-uc/

Would you like to experience Japanese culture, sweets, and tea in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere? Join us next time! A Mochi & Matcha class also makes a thoughtful gift. Personalized gift certificates are available.

Learn more & book your spot