Traditional Japanese Wagashi Making Class in Kyoto
Discover the art form of making traditional Japanese sweets by hand during this wagashi making class in Kyoto.
Highlights
Watch as an experienced wagashi expert shows you how to make wagashi from scratch, learning about the passing of the seasons and the importance of tea in Japan
With supervision from a wagashi expert, make your own kawaii wagashi
Enjoy tasting your handmade Japanese sweets with some award-winning tea that is made in Kyoto (plus you'll take some leftover sweets home)
Make chrysanthemum nerikiri from sweet bean paste
10 meals
+Experience Details
Traditional Japanese confectionery is known as “wagashi” in Japanese, and the cultural city of Kyoto is the perfect place to learn how to make your own from scratch. In a classroom in central Kyoto, this Traditional Japanese Wagashi Making Class is perfect for anyone who wants to learn about Japanese sweets and traditions. You can learn how to make delicious wagashi from a pastry chef.
The Japanese tea ceremony has long been influenced by wagashi. In Japan, making wagashi is an art form but it’s also enjoyed as an everyday snack. Usually made from plant-based ingredients, Japanese sweets can reflect the passing of the seasons and showcase regional and seasonal ingredients.
In this class you will learn how to make Japanese wagashi: Kiku Nerikiri. Nerikiri is a decorative style of wagashi made primarily with colored bean paste and sculpted into different seasonal shapes. During this wagashi class, you will make the “kiku” (chrysanthemum) shape.
Watch your teacher as she shows you how to make wagashi from scratch using different ingredients and techniques, then you’ll make your own with help and supervision from your cooking instructor. Finally, you will be able to taste your handmade wagashi sweets together with a cup of Japanese tea. That’s not just any tea, but a tea from award-winning Kyoto tea shop, Rishouen! You’ll even get to take home recipes and extra sweets as a souvenir of the experience.
Your teacher is a trained wagashi craftsperson with a background in food science and nutrition as well as teaching Japanese culture. She has studied the art of tea in the “Urasenke” tradition for over 30 years, making her the perfect person to teach you about wagashi and Japanese tea ceremony.
What You Get
Good To Know
- Please be on time for the class
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
Please meet directly at the studio, conveniently located in central Kyoto. It is about 10 minutes by foot from the Shijo subway station on the Karasuma Line, on 2F of the G&G Building. More information and a Google Maps link will be provided upon booking.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 48 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
The bustling downtown area of Kyoto is the heart of the city, loaded with hotels, artisanal shopfronts, specialty restaurants, and hidden bars. With pleasant surprises around every corner and alleyway, before the Kamo-gawa River to the east lies the beautiful old town architecture of Pontocho, nestled in alongside the local izakaya and lively club scene. The enormous Teramachi and Shinkyogoku shopping arcades run north to south, intersected by the famous Nishiki Markets (“Kyoto’s Kitchen”), while delicious department store basements bubble below with tasty regional samples.
This class was great fun for our family (2 adults & 2 teenage boys). Yasue was very helpfu and her English was great. Would definitely recommend this as an activity.
Superb experience, Yasue had prepared everything in advance, she gave us clear instructions and helped make this class fun and interactive - my children loved it and it was a very unique experience...read more
We really enjoyed learning how to make nerikiri wagashi from Yasue, who is a skilled and knowledgeable teacher. The class was a highlight of our trip to Kyoto, and we look forward to returning to l...read more
Was a great experience! Highly recommend for anyone interested to learn about mochi sweets🙂
We thoroughly enjoyed our wagashi cooking class. It was a highlight of our trip to Kyoto. Yasue was a lovely and patient instructor. Highly recommended.
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10 meals
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