Welcome back! Master wagashi artist Junichi Mitsubori 三堀純一 (@junichi_mitsubori) will be returning to Toronto to teach once again at Gusta Cooking Studio. As a third-generation wagashi artisan and former President of the Japanese Sweets Association Board (日本スイーツ協会), he has devoted his career to elevating the traditional Japanese art of wagashi into a contemporary expression of beauty, precision, and philosophy.

Mitsubori’s technical and artistic mastery has earned international acclaim. He was the 2010 champion of the Confectionery Craftsman Championship in Japan, an achievement widely covered on national television and media. His pioneering work has been featured in influential publications such as So Good Magazine (2017), introducing wagashi to the global haute pâtisserie scene. He has since been invited to teach and perform across Asia, Europe, and Australia — including Paris (Salon du Chocolat 2017, Europain 2018), Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Bangkok, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City. Toronto became the first city in North America to host his masterclasses, and we are honoured to welcome him back.

A defining part of his legacy is “Kado” (菓道) — the Way of Confectionery, a philosophy he created that parallels the spirit of “Chado” (茶道) — the Way of Tea. Rooted in seasonality and nature, his wagashi are created as ephemeral works of art to be experienced, not sold, embodying the values of craftsmanship, mindfulness, and impermanence.

 

Gusta is honoured to welcome Junichi Mitsubori back to Toronto, sharing his celebrated artistry in wagashi through exclusive masterclasses at our studio once again.

 

Day 1: “THE FLOWERS & WIND OF WAGASHI” – NERIKIRI WORKSHOP
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 10:30am to 6pm

$110 or 4 prepaid points /person on or before September 17, 2025
$135 or 5 prepaid points /person on or before September 30, 2025
$499 or 18 prepaid points /person after September 30, 2025

In this two day class suitable for beginners, you will learn:

  • introduction to various traditional and innovative wagashi tools

  • characteristics of tools in adding effects, contours, textures, etc

  • advanced shaping and colouring techniques

  • combining various tools and techniques in expressing wagashi aesthetics

  • special recipes beyond nerikiri to add various effects

  • making 12 designs, including a Canada Special Edition plus as shown

 

Nerikiri: The Swan

Nerikiri: The Crow

Nerikiri: The Labubu

Day 2: “THE BIRDS & MOON OF WAGASHI”– NERIKIRI WORKSHOP
Thursday, November 6, 2025, 10:30am to 6pm

$110 or 4 prepaid points /person on or before September 17, 2025
$135 or 5 prepaid points /person on or before September 30, 2025
$499 or 18 prepaid points /person after September 30, 2025

You will learn Congmom’s recipes that utilize natural ingredients and practice hands-on:

  • Whipping up cream and 2 different fruit creams for filling, masking, and piping

  • Proprietary techniques in masking and filling cakes into stacked domes and a ripple-pattern heart shape

  • Decorating with components masked with cream and assembling them into a cheerful snowman

  • Piping neat ripple stripes and heart borders as decorations

Also learn from demo on:

  • Making blueberry creams for filling, masking, and piping using Congmom’s recipes

  • Masking and filling cake into the patterned shape of a striped barrel cake

  • Piping cream with star tips to create shell border as decoration

Each student will bring home:

  • Printed recipes

  • Your own creations!

Baked genoise sponge and corresponding recipes will be provided for each class.

In this two day class suitable for beginners, you will learn:

  • introduction to various traditional and innovative wagashi tools

  • characteristics of tools in adding effects, contours, textures, etc

  • advanced shaping and colouring techniques

  • combining various tools and techniques in expressing wagashi aesthetics

  • special recipes beyond nerikiri to add various effects

  • making 12 designs, including a Canada Special Edition plus as shown

 
 

Hands-on: Strawberry Heart Cake

 

Day 3: WAGASHI EXPERIENCE WORKSHOP – FRUITS DAIFUKU

Friday, November 7, 2025,
Section A: 10:30am to 12:30pm
Section B: 2pm to 4pm
Section C: 7pm to 9pm

$110 or 4 prepaid points /person on or before September 17, 2025
$135 or 5 prepaid points /person on or before September 30, 2025
$169 or 6 prepaid points /person after September 30, 2025

In this two-hour workshop suitable for anyone, you will practice from prepared dough, and learn:

  • techniques to handle single colour doughs

  • basic wrapping and shaping techniques

  • usages of simple tools in adding forms and textures

  • making 2 designs similar to shown; colours will vary

  • There is no prerequisite

 

Hands-on: Christmas Tree Cake

Hands-on: Baton Bouquet Box

Day 4: “DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA” NERIKIRI MASTERCLASS A
『鬼滅の刃』練り切り – 我妻 善逸と竈門 禰󠄀豆子
Saturday, November 8, 2025, 10:30am to 6pm

$110 or 4 prepaid points /person on or before September 17, 2025
$135 or 5 prepaid points /person on or before September 30, 2025
$580 or 21 prepaid points /person after September 30, 2025

You will learn Congmom’s recipes that utilize natural ingredients and practice hands-on:

  • Whipping up green-tinted creams for filling, masking, and piping

  • Proprietary techniques in masking cakes into a conical Christmas tree and a straight gift-box shape

  • Decorating with ornaments and piping directly onto the conical cake to resemble a festive tree

  • Piping long, straight cylinders that runs parallel to create a patterned decoration

Also learn from demo on:

  • Making a white cream for filling and masking using Congmom’s recipes

  • Masking in a snowland texture pattern and topping cake into the like of a polar bear-pond scene

  • Utilizing various white coloured edible media as decoration

Each student will bring home:

  • Printed recipes

  • Your own creations!

Baked genoise sponge and corresponding recipes will be provided for each class.

 

Day 5: “DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA” NERIKIRI MASTERCLASS B
『鬼滅の刃』練り切り – 竈門 炭治郎と嘴平 伊之助
Sunday, November 9, 2025, 10:30am to 6pm

$110 or 4 prepaid points /person on or before September 17, 2025
$135 or 5 prepaid points /person on or before September 30, 2025
$580 or 21 prepaid points /person after September 30, 2025

You will learn Congmom’s recipes that utilize natural ingredients and practice hands-on:

  • Whipping up green-tinted creams for filling, masking, and piping

  • Proprietary techniques in masking cakes into a conical Christmas tree and a straight gift-box shape

  • Decorating with ornaments and piping directly onto the conical cake to resemble a festive tree

  • Piping long, straight cylinders that runs parallel to create a patterned decoration

Also learn from demo on:

  • Making a white cream for filling and masking using Congmom’s recipes

  • Masking in a snowland texture pattern and topping cake into the like of a polar bear-pond scene

  • Utilizing various white coloured edible media as decoration

Each student will bring home:

  • Printed recipes

  • Your own creations!

Baked genoise sponge and corresponding recipes will be provided for each class.

 
 

Multi Days Class Savings:

  • Receive a $100 gift certificate to use for Gusta Supplies when you register any of the two classes above

  • Receive a $200 gift certificate to use for Gusta Supplies when you register any of the three classes above

  • Receive a $300 gift certificate to use for Gusta Supplies when you register any of the four classes above

  • Receive a $400 gift certificate to use for Gusta Supplies when you register all five classes above

 

Class fee is in CAD and are subject to Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Ontario, which is 13%.

All materials are included for the class.

To learn more about paying with Prepaid Points, please refer to this link. Prepaid Points can be used for class payments only, and cannot be combined with other methods of payment.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Upon the completion of each class, student will receive a Certificate of Completion signed by Junichi Mitsubori and Gusta Cooking Studio.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Class Venue:
Gusta Cooking Studio is located in Markham.  Free parking available.  Details here.

Closest Accommodations from our studio:

Public transit is provided by York Region Transit in the area, but wait time varies. For convenience and efficiency, you may consider using Uber or Lyft.

Coming from downtown Toronto

  1. You may take Go Train from Union Station to Unionville Station, and then take an Uber/Lyft over (around 8 minutes).

  2. Alternatively, you may take TTC subway to Don Mills Station, and then take an Uber/Lyft over (around 20 minutes).

PAYMENT & CANCELLATION

  • Class price is in CAD. Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Ontario, Canada of 13% applies.

  • Masterclass registration is non-refundable and cannot be transferred as credit towards classes or products at Gusta Cooking Studio and Gusta Supplies.  Only in the event of a class cancellation, payment will be fully refunded.

  • Payment is either by dollar amount or by pre-paid points. Payment methods do not combine.

  • In the unfortunate event that a registered student cannot attend, the spot can be transferred to another person the student appoints.

In the event of a dispute, the decision of Gusta Cooking Studio (Gusta Haus of Sugar Art Inc.) shall be final and binding.