Kyoto Classes

I had an amazing experience! The chef was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the omurice was absolutely perfect. Host Motokichi chef made the experience truly unforgettable. He shared so many interesting stories, and the meal was unlike anything we've had before. If you're visiting Kyoto, this is an absolute must-do. Highly recommended! I had an amazing experience! The chef was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the omurice was absolutely perfect. Host Motokichi chef made the experience truly unforgettable. He shared so many interesting stories, and the meal was unlike anything we've had before. If you're visiting Kyoto, this is an absolute must-do. Highly recommended!

This private tea ceremony was a highlight of our trip to Japan. The house and garden are lovely. The host, Naomi, shared the culture and tradition of the tea ceremony in a manner that was both respectful and accessible to visitors to Japan. We left feeling calm and refreshed. We highly recommend this tea ceremony!

Great, hands-on, experience at a long standing Miso business. Warm and friendly hosts who do a great job of explaining the process and history of miso (through an interpreter or translation apps). Come ready to get your hands dirty and leave with enough miso to last a long while.

A definite highlight of our trip to Japan. From the moment we walked in, Midori-san showed us great hospitality by serving us tea and sweets. She is very friendly and lively, and we felt right at home. She asked about our itinerary and gave us detailed recommendations. This was close to the end of our Japan trip, but I'd strongly recommend booking this near the start so you can benefit most from her suggestions! The cooking class was great and Midori-san was very patient and clear in her instructions. We made vegan onigiri, gyoza and ramen. The onigiri was surprisingly simple to make and we also received printouts of the recipe. After only being back in the US for a few days, I have already made onigiri for lunch. The gyoza and ramen were equally delicious. Make sure to come with an empty stomach! After we finished the food, she even walked us to a nearby supermarket so we could pick up the ingredients to make them at home. Overall, Midori-san went above and beyond to make this a great experience for us. There are of course many things to do in Kyoto, but as a tourist it's rare to be able to have an experience like this where you are welcomed inside a local's home. I strongly recommend this class.

This might easily have been my favorite activity of our Japanese trip! The host was absolutely wonderful, very friendly and easy to talk to. She clearly explained everything we needed to do to cook our meal. The meal was the best food we have had in Japan thus far! I highly recommend!

Very helpful staff, great experience in the heart of scenic matcha country

One of the highlights of our trip. Midori is very well informed and likes to share knowledge about the food and culture. She gives shopping tips not only for food items but also for other hobby-related stuff like knitting or sawing. She even took us to a local supermarket to show what products are available and where to get them. Because Midori prepared the easy stuff in advance the cooking class was able to cover 3 whole recipes with a lot of background info. We should have done the class in the beginning of our trip because of all the good tips. We wish Midori all the best!

We had the most incredible day doing the washi and mochi making with our wonderful guide Yuki. He was so knowledgable about the local area, and it really felt like we were seeing a true representation of life in Ayabe. Learning about the history of washi paper and the steps it takes to make it was fascinating, and then getting the chance to do it ourselves with an expert was really exciting. We can’t wait to receive our finished Washi postcards at our next hotel! The mochi making was also a wonderful experience, with two sweet ladies showing us the way to properly pound the rice and shape it into delicious mochi balls. We even got to eat the mochi we had made, prepared in three traditional methods. We had an absolutely unforgettable day with Yuki in Ayabe, and we can’t wait to come back again.

Superb presentation and great experience!

Cooking with Aki was like spending the day with a treasured friend. We immediately felt a kinship with this welcoming and talented chef, who shared with us delicious local recipes passed down from her mother and grandmother, and traditional culinary techniques. We didn’t want the day to end! We can highly recommend Aki’s workshop to anyone curious to learn about authentic Japanese cuisine, regardless of their cooking skill level.

Loved the cooking class with Midori. I am gluten intolerant, not coeliac, she was able to accommodate and made sure all food was safe. We made onigiri, gyoza and katsudon, everything was delicious! Midori San is a great host and we had a lovely chat about a lot of things including Japanese cuisine and places to visit in or around Kyoto. I can definitely recommend!

We had a great experience, learned about the history of the matcha tea and the japanese culture. We were also allowed to make our own matcha. Thank you!