Temple Cooking with a Fermentation Master in a Brewery Town

Join a private cultural and culinary journey in Kinomoto, a historic brewery town just north of Kyoto, where temple traditions and fermentation culture remain part of daily life. Your journey begins at JR Maibara Station, where you’ll meet your guide and travel by local train to Kinomoto. There, you’ll visit Myorakuji, a 600-year-old temple recognized as a tangible cultural property. At the temple, you’ll join a hands-on cooking workshop led by Noriko, the wife of the head priest and a respected fermentation expert known for her teaching, writing, and media work. Her cooking is rooted in Buddhist philosophy, where preparing food becomes an act of mindfulness, gratitude, and connection. You’ll prepare simple seasonal dishes using homemade miso, pickles, and traditional seasonings, with many ingredients sourced locally or shared by temple visitors. Inspired by otoki ryori, Buddhist memorial meals, the menu follows a flexible and welcoming style suitable for all skill levels. Dietary needs such as vegetarian or vegan can be accommodated with advance notice. After the workshop, continue with a relaxed walking tour through the town, visiting one or two family-run sake breweries and a traditional soy sauce maker that has preserved its craft for generations. You may also stop at nearby temples, sweet shops, or local bakeries, depending on the day. Kinomoto is shaped by its clear water sources and long-standing traditions, offering a quiet cultural landscape where faith, craftsmanship, and community remain closely connected.