It's a Kyoto tradition to start the new year sipping on a warm bowl of ozoni, a classic soup with different varieties all over Japan. Kyoto-style ozoni has a white miso-based broth topped with boiled mochi rice cakes and an assortment of root vegetables. You can try it in this unique cooking class in the historical area of Fushimi, a ward known for being home to the Fushimi Taisha Shrine, local sake breweries, and a singular culinary history.

In this experience, you'll learn all about miso, a fermented ingredient found in many of Japan’s famous dishes. You’ll then get hands-on and prepare a meal using miso in several ways, making Kyoto-style ozoni soup the traditional way, along with four other dishes (including a main dish of mackerel simmered in miso and vegetable side dishes).

For an additional fee, you can choose three different options to elevate this experience. First, you can enjoy your meal in a traditional Japanese room rather than in the cooking class venue. In spring and autumn, when the weather is mild and the scenery breathtaking, you can pack your lunch and enjoy it at a nearby park. If you’d like to add another fun activity to the itinerary, you can join residents in mochi-tsuki (pounding mochi rice cakes), a long-standing community tradition. If you’re interested in any of these, be sure to book from the Options below.