Kyoto Sushi Making & Japanese Cooking Class with Tea Ceremony

"Excellent afternoon cooking with Emika! She is so knowledgeable about not only what you are making but all sorts of Japanese food-related culture. It’s so special to cook with vegetables from her organic garden and use her uncle’s miso for the soup. She is patient and understanding as she explains how to make things and the meaning behind the dishes, especially during the tea ceremony. Going to the supermarket afterward was such a treat too! "

"My daughter and I really enjoyed this private sushi class with our lovely host, Emika. It was fun, informative and interactive - a nice memory for my daughter and myself."

"she was a wonderful host and told us the traditional way to make sushi and miso soup. All the other sides and foods were extremely fresh, it was a great experience."

"Emika was amazing. This was our first traveling spoon experience and we can't believe we haven't done this earlier. This is a must-have experience for any foodie; we not only cooked delicious local foods but just learned so much about the way locals approaching cooking and thinking about their food. We did a few obanzai dishes and had 2 main courses (okonomiyakis) - we didn't even know there was a Kyoto vs Osaka style so it was great making both. What was the differentiator was just all the small details you can't pick up on your own, like how most locals don't use peelers and prefer knife for peeling vegetables or even what are the locals real favorites vs touristy hot spots. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to go beyond eating and wants to take the next step in learning more on how local Kyoto folks approach their food. Emika was a 5-star host!"

"Emika was a great host and teacher. My husband and I along with our boys 25 and 18 took this cooking Sushi class. It was an easy train ride from center of Kyoto and a welcome breath of fresh air to roam around a local nabe. The class was interesting and fun. Emika's uncle made the homemade miso for the soup and it was the best Miso we had ever had! The sushi was fresh and delicious. My only negative-it would have been nice to see how to cut the fish to make the sushi slices. Otherwise a fun experience. We will try and make our own back home. Thank you Emika!"

"What an amazing opportunity to meet, talk with, and learn to cook from a local! Emika was a thoughtful and gracious hostess, and everything was pre-planned and organized to maximize our time there. The ingredients she purchased were of the highest quality, and she even picked fresh organic vegetables from her garden. She gave us insight into daily life, culture, and her experiences working in a sushi restaurant - all while she taught us how to make an incredible meal. And we finished it with a beautiful matcha tea ceremony that was both tasty and insightful. This was one of the highlights of our trip! Thank you Emika for such an exceptional experience!"

"What an amazing opportunity to meet, talk with, and learn to cook from a local! Emika was a thoughtful and gracious hostess, and everything was pre-planned and organized to maximize our time there. The ingredients she purchased were of the highest quality, and she even picked fresh organic vegetables from her garden. She gave us insight into daily life, culture, and her experiences working in a sushi restaurant - all while she taught us how to make an incredible meal. And we finished it with a beautiful matcha tea ceremony that was both tasty and insightful. This was one of the highlights of our trip! Thank you Emika for such an exceptional experience!"

"Emika was a wonderful host! We enjoyed our sushi cooking class and tea ceremony with her very much. You won’t be disappointed! It was a fun evening!! :)"

"We had a great time with Emika, who taught us the basics of making sushi and other Japanese specialities. We'd like to thank her for her warm welcome and kindness. We had a wonderful time and, as the icing on the cake, we were able to make and taste a wonderful matcha tea!"

"Enjoyable experience. Made to feel very welcome in her home. Worthwhile to do whilst in Japan. Well taught and then lovely to sit together and have lunch with our sushi creation."

"The Japanese cooking class experience went beyond either of our expectations! The meet-up instructions were clear, and the food was fresh, local (much of it picked from her garden that morning) and delicious! Emika was a wonderful host and teacher, going beyond showing us the steps and allowing us to prepare the meal, to understanding the ingredients in each recipe and to sharing her career journey and tips on Kyoto. We felt very welcome and comfortable in her home and I highly recommend adding a cooking class with Emika to your visit to Kyoto!"

"Mrs. Emika was a wonderful hostess. Although a 10-15 minute walk from the Kasura station, she lives in a very nice neighborhood and we enjoyed walking, with the assistance of google map, through the winding streets of her neighborhood. Emika was warm and inviting. Although she hasn't ever spent any time in a English speaking country, her English is comprehensive and easy to understand (Eigo o Jōzuna desu). She was very good about teaching and explaining Japanese eating culture. She involved all members of our family with the cooking experience and shared the recipes with us so we could replicate them at home. We chose the sushi experience and Emika was well suited as she worked in a sushi restaurant during the pandemic. Ture to the typical Japanese meal, we also made the side dishes like sonomono, broccolini dish and miso. For the miso she used miso paste that her family makes and it had a wonderful nutty flavor as compared to other miso soups. She sourced high quality ingredients for the sashimi portion of the meal. She was also very accommodating for my wife being a vegetarian. The tour of the local supermarket was also interesting and I would highly recommend that you participate in this as well. Her supermarket has a bakery and we stocked up on some Japanese breads and fresh fruits for snacks later in the day. It was an experience that was well worth it and if we are in Kyoto again we would consider taking another class so we could try her okonomikayi or gyoza."

"My son and I had a great experience cooking with Emika. She was very knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. We've learned how to make a few different dishes, as well as Sushi. What I also loved how authentic the experience was cooking with Emika at her own house. Would highly recommend and do it again. and everything tasted amazing :)"

"A fantastic experience all around. Emika is a welcoming and gracious host. Our gyoza making party was an experience. We will never forget and a perfect introduction to Kyoto."

"This was a very enjoyable and informative experience. Emika was very patient and kind. She explained Japanese customs as well as detailed instructions in making sushi, Miso soup, and two vegtable side dishes. After making and eating our dishes, she took us to a local market to point out several Japanese food products and spices. This was a wonderful experience and well worth the time and cost."

"This was a very enjoyable and informative experience. Emika was very patient and kind. She explained Japanese customs as well as detailed instructions in making sushi, Miso soup, and two vegtable side dishes. After making and eating our dishes, she took us to a local market to point out several Japanese food products and spices. This was a wonderful experience and well worth the time and cost."

"We had such a nice time cooking with Emika! She was a very good teacher and it was great to spend time with a local. We learned a lot more than just sushi and would highly recommend her! She was also very kind to our 8 month old baby and had some special treats for him. Thanks Emika!"

"My husband and I did a cooking class with Emika in her home in Kyoto. We had the best time making sushi, miso soup, a cucumber dish and a bitter melon dish. She grows all of her vegetables in a local garden and was very knowledgeable about the dishes. She also taught us how to make nigiri and explained all the fish we were eating. We also loved the matcha tea ceremony at the end. It was a really great experience and I would recommend it to everyone! She also gave us the sweetest origami box as a gift since I told her it was our honeymoon. Emika is the best!"

"Emika provides a peaceful oasis in Kyoto to learn, cook, and enjoy. After temples, shrines, and summer heat in Kyoto, Emika provides a respite to learn home cooking. Emika gathers her own fresh vegetables in the morning from her garden. For our cooking experience, we chose gyoza accompanied by seasonal salads, miso soup (with extraordinary miso paste made by Emika’s uncle), finished with matcha tea ground by a family friend. We liked getting out into a Kyoto neighborhood and the very hands on cooking experience. We appreciated Emika’s attention-to-detail and friendly welcome. Highly recommended!"

"Our cooking class was the highlight of our trip to Kyoto! Emika was warm, kind, and an excellent chef. Being in her home gave an authentic experience unlike any “tourist activity”. Emika was wonderful in explaining the traditions of what we were preparing and most of the vegetables came from her own garden. This was a wonderful bonding experience for our family and I would recommend it to anyone. She reached out before hand to ask our options on what to make. The walk through the beautiful neighborhood to her home gave a glimpse into an authentic Kyoto lifestyle, away from the tourist atmosphere elsewhere. This is an absolute MUST for anyone with a genuine interest in local culture and food."

"We had a delightful dining experience with Emika. She served us multiple delicious courses of traditional Japanese cuisine and graciously invited us to participate in a small but charming tea ceremony. Emika's warm hospitality, culinary skills, and insightful explanations about Japanese culture made our experience truly memorable. Thank you for making our last evening in Kyoto so special Emika 😊"

"Emika, the host, is very welcoming & funny, she grows &;cooks her own organic vegetables. She speaks English very well, we learned a lot about Japanese customs & habits"

"Emika was such a gracious host! She made delicious food mostly grown from her own garden and shared her experiences and lifestyle as someone from Japan. She was quiet but super sweet and witty! A definite highlight of our trip!"

"The host was very organized, with printed instructions and ingredients at hand. We used the recipe/instruction sheet to take detailed notes for later use. The vegetables were fresh, with some even from the host’s personal garden. The host was friendly with a good command of english and conducted the experience at a unhurried, but timely pace. The matcha making after lunch was a treat!"

"Emika was a great host teaching her cooking class. Not only did we learn how to cook delicious Japanese dishes but also recommended places to visit and eat from a local. Well worth it!!!"

"Highly recommended! Emika is a wonderful host, takes her time explaining everything and answering all questions. This class will be one of my travel highlights in Japan"

"This has been the highlight of my trip to Kyoto. Emika was an amazing host. As good as the food was the company was even better. I would pay just to here her stories and to learn more about Kyoto. I have a birthday coming up and she even had a gift for me. Next time I am back in Kyoto I will do this again and Emika if you see this maybe we can take a walk. Thank you for the amazing memory."

"Absolutely amazing experience! The hostess was not only great cook but a very interesting story teller. We made 5 course dinner and learnt about culture and Kyoto culinary history."

"I really enjoed the cooking class with Emika, i would recommend her as a source of knowledge about Kyoto and local cuisine"

"A fantastic evening with Emika - she was very welcoming and friendly. Her place was easy to find and on arrival we were welcomed with a drink. We cooked a variety of obanzai food - we had booked to do okonomyaki and requested some obanzai food. Emika really tailored the lesson to us - she even taught us how to make an additional dish as we were chatting about miso! She also answered all our questions and was really easy to talk to. I would highly recommend this experience - we made okonomyaki, a cucumber dish, carrot and tuna, and an aubergine pork miso dish (as well as miso soup and a tea ceremony at the end!). AND she then gave us a brilliant restaurant recommendation for our next night which we loved! We have made the food several times since returning to Scotland! Thank you for having us in your lovely home Emika!"

"Emika is very welcoming and explains very well how to prepare the menu that we agreed previously. We managed to learn how to prepare a Japanese lunch in 1hr30! Fantastic!"

"I had a really delicious homemade Japanese lunch. Emika prepared and cooked traditionally in front of me, from seasonal foods to tea ceremony. I suggest everyone to have this experience cause I asked and learnt a lots of new aspects of Japanese culture. Thank you Emika!"

"I had a really delicious homemade Japanese lunch. Emika prepared and cooked traditionally in front of me, from seasonal foods to tea ceremony. I suggest everyone to have this experience cause I asked and learnt a lots of new aspects of Japanese culture. Thank you Emika!"

"My partner and I really enjoyed this experience. Learned to make a great variety of foods including gyoza with ingredients freshly picked from Asmi’s garden. It was a bonus that Asmi is also fluent in English "

"Emika was engaging and organized and gave us detailed instructions on how to prepare all the lovely dishes we made that she had in a prior email planned with our input. We made Okonomiyaki, gyoza, Japanese spinach (from her garden) with Swiss chard in mentsuyu and miso soup. We finished the meal with a lovely tea ceremony. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to spend an afternoon."

"It was a very interesting afternoon, where we learned a lot about the local culture and We cook delicious food! A great experience to learn about the culture local (translated by Google)"

"Clear instructions and wonderful food. Emika is a natural teacher and easy to understand. Loved every minute 👍 we will be back 🍣"

"This was one of the most delicious meals we’ve had on our trip. It was a pleasure to meet Emika and be invited into her home. The food she showed is how to prepare was so fresh, picked from her garden or prepared with her own hands. She took the time to explain what we were doing and was very patient showing us each step. Not only was the food delicious, it was a wonderful way to learn about some Japanese traditions and ingredients. I would highly recommend this experience!"

"Great few hours with Emika who was a warm and welcoming host. There was not much cooking required as we made two vegetable side dishes (her home grown vegetables!) and some sushi but was all delicious along with some miso soup. Emika is a qualified architect with great English and we really enjoyed our time with her."

"Being able to ask questions and learn cooking in such an intimate setting Dietary requirements we're applied just for us."

"We had a wonderful time making sushi and other Japanese dishes. We had our 11 year old granddaughter with us, and our host showed such patience and kindness. The food was all high quality and came out looking great!"

"We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Emika! She is a gracious and kind host. Her homemade meals were delicious. We especially enjoyed experiencing the traditional tea ceremony after our meal. We highly recommend this opportunity!"

"Emika is a wonderful host and teacher who patiently and expertly taught us how to make several delicious Japanese dishes: Okonomiyaki, Negiyaki, Gyoza, stir-fried broccolini, and matcha tea. She is a lot of fun and speaks English very well -- you will really enjoy this class! This is a real Japanese experience you won't forget."

"It was a great experience to learn how to make some sushi and other related dishes. Emika was very kind and knew how to involve the kids. It was very cool to walk through her neighborhood and learn at her home for a more authentic experience in a private setting."

"It was a great experience to learn how to make some sushi and other related dishes. Emika was very kind and knew how to involve the kids. It was very cool to walk through her neighborhood and learn at her home for a more authentic experience in a private setting."

"Nice experience, Emika was a nice host; the sushi were good and thanks to her we now know how to make them. The location is a bit difficult to find and a little “impersonal”"

"We spent about 3 hours at the home of our host and teacher, Emika, preparing several Japanese dishes. Emika was charming, knowledgable and welcoming! She had shopped and prepared thoughtfully in advance so that we could focus on learning techniques and enjoying the delicious results. We started with refreshing and tasty home-made iced red shiso tea while Emika explained the main dishes. We practiced cutting techniques, prepared sushi rice, and made miso soup using Emika's uncle's home-prepared barley miso. Under her patient and encouraging guidance, we assembled nigiri sushi with fresh fish, pickled red pepper, tofu skin (Inari) and egg omelet (tamago) as we sipped on sake. We finished by preparing smooth and delicate matcha tea while learning a little about tea ceremonies, which Emika had learned from her father."

"We had a enjoyable 2+ hours session in Emika’s own kitchen making lots of sushi, miso soup and 2 vegetables side dishes. Simple and easy to follow as emika’s English is quite good. Ended with a matcha tea ceremony. Location is not easy to find but worth the trip, especially at the end when we ate up all our “Masterchef” creations!"

"Highly recommended! The overall experience was great, Emika is a great chef and can tell you all about Japanase food ánd culture. We made sushi as well as side dishes, I had a beer and my boyfriend sake and at the end of our lovely evening Emika taught us all about Japanese tea ceremonies. It's a nice way to learn more about life in Japan, oh, and I almost forgot to mention: the fish was sooooo fresh and tasty! ❤"

"Wonderful authentic experience. My husband and I visited Japan for the first time and wanted an authentic experience and to meet as many locals as possible. Emika greeted us in her lovely home and we had a good chat - we took the opportunity to ask her many questions about the Japanese history, lifestyle and her personal journey. She taught us how to make sushi and a few other local dishes as well as her specialty dishes. We ate over beer and sake and rounded off the dinner with a tea ceremony. Before we left, Emika gave me a beautiful homemade origami as a birthday present, which was the sweetest gesture! Highly recommended."

"I spent a memorable evening with Emika in her home where she took me through some of the basics of obanzai (Kyoto home-style) cooking. Everything was delicious and easy to follow. I'm really happy I took this class! :)"

"I visited Emika's home with my wife, sister, and brother-in-law. My wife and I are pescatarian and Emika was quick to communicate with us before our booking to make sure our dietary needs would be accommodated. She and her mother welcomed us into their home and all four of us had a really excellent evening. She was able to answer a lot our questions about Kyoto and Japanese culture and we couldn't have been happier that we got to share in this experience. I would definitely recommend this experience to anybody looking for a really nice evening and a great food experience!"