Authentic Japanese Home Cooking Class in Kyoto

"I had such a lovely evening with Michiyo and her husband, at their home. Michiyo provided easy directions and collected me from the train station. Together we made five delicious dishes—Japanese omelette, miso soup, spinach with sesame, salmon, and beef stew, while she explained the key elements of Japanese seasoning. I also tasted a range of delicious green teas. At the end, Michiyo gave me the recipes as well as a packet of instant dashi so I can recreate the dishes at home. Michiyo's husband also gave me great information about local "off the beaten track" tourist attractions. They both spoke excellent English making communication easy. This was my first time in Japan, and this experience was the perfect way to get a taste of real Japanese home life and cooking—so much more meaningful than the usual tourist activities. Highly recommend you add it to your itinerary!"

"We had such a lovely evening with Michiyo and her husband. They warmly welcomed us into their home and Michiyo provided a hands-on cooking lesson. We made 5 delicious dishes, and came home with all the recipes. Thank you, Michiyo, for the memorable experience!"

"We enjoyed such a delightful evening with Michiyo and Kenji, who welcomed us into their home to cook and eat with them. Michiyo had prepped Dashi but told us how to make it and gave us each a packet of instant to take home with us. We made 5 dishes including traditional Japanese omelette, miso soup, a spinach sesame salad, salmon, and beef stew. Michiyo sent us home with all of the recipes so we can recreate the meal at home. Being our first time in Japan, having this private experience was a fantastic introduction to “real life” and authentic food, not just what tourists experience in Kyoto."

"We had a wonderful cooking lesson with Michayo! Michayo picked us up from the train station which was a quick and easy ride. We made 5 courses and Michayo explained each stip. We sat down to dinner with her husband Kenichi and had a great conversation. It was a wonderful evening with gracious hosts! I recommend if you are interested in learning to cook Japanese food in a home atmosphere!"

"hank you so much Michiyo for a fantastic experience, learning to cook a traditional Japanese meal, then sitting down to enjoy it. We had a wonderful evening and we absolutely recommend booking this in as part of your itinerary in Kyoto, for anyone also wanting to enjoy this amazing experience. Thanks again!"

"My wife and I had an amazing time learning about traditional Japanese cooking with Michiyo-San! She was kind enough to pick us up from the train station and open her home to us. She and her husband Kenichi were both very welcoming and spoke great English so there was no shortage of entertaining conversation. And of course - the food was incredible!! My wife and I love Japanese food but homemade food made from top-quality ingredients may have been one of the highlights of our trip. We did not stay long in Kyoto but our evening with Michiyo definitely made it all worth it!"

"From start to finish this experience was wonderful. Initially we were a little uncertain of how things would be, but all directions from Michiyo were easy to follow so we relaxed once the cooking began. We were making a traditional Japanese evening meal - with 5 courses. Michiyo spoke excellent English and had us making miso, special omlette, marinated salmon, beef 'stew', spinach with sesame seeds and sticky rice. Then we three sat down, with her husband, to eat what we had made. It was delicious and they were both extremely friendly and easy to chat to. We washed it all down with sake and beer - really enjoyable. In fact we both decided that it had been one of the highlights of our trip to Japan and would certainly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Japanese cooking mixed with an insight into a Japanese family's way of life. Wonderful - thank you Michiyo!"

"We had such an awesome evening with Michiyo from start to finish. Got picked up from train station and brought back. Sat down to have some tea while she explained the recipes and there was many. I can highly recommend this authentic cooking experience."

"We had an outstanding evening wolith Michiyo and her husband. I learned a lot with regards to Japanese cooking and Michiyo shared many useful tips from our tasty dinner."

"Good time and great food with Michiyo and Kenichi, who made us feel welcome and shared tips about where to go for the rest of our trip. Definitely recommend :)"

"Michiyosan is a lovely lady. She informed me beforehand about the exact train details and where to meet. We learned a lot from her teaching. As our son is only 6 years old, her husband entertained him with origami. The food was just divine 🍲😍 love love it!!! Cannot wait to try it back home. This was a true inside of a local home cooking environment, we even all shared our views on current matters. Very pleasant encounter. Thank you very much 😊"

"Had a lovely evening with Michiyo and her husband in their charming home. Getting there was easy and quick as Michiyo gave us very clear instructions on which train to take from Kyoto and was even kind enough to pick us up from the train station in her town. The cooking experience was wonderful. First, Michiyo talked us through the basic principles of Japanese cuisine whilst we sipped Sencha tea. The cooking itself was a lot of fun, with Michiyo letting us get hands on with preparing the ingredients and cooking them ourselves. After the food was prepared, we all sat together and ate the delicious food we had made. It was an evening with lots of great conversation and great food. I would highly recommend if you are planning to visit Kyoto."

"We had a wonderful experience cooking with Michiyo and enjoyed an exceptional dinner with her and her husband, Kenji. They picked us up at the train station and invited us into the comfort of their lovely home. We enjoyed learning about essential Japanese ingredients and the prominent role dashi plays in cooking! Michiyo guided us through dishes such as miso soup, Japanese omelet, beef stew, sesame spinach, grilled salmon. We were delightfully served sake with some history from Kenji. It was comfortable, enjoyable and delicious spending time with Michiyo and Kenji and we would highly recommend attending one of her classes."

"My dad and I had a great time learning to cook Japanese cuisine from Michiyo. I'm vegetarian and she took great care to prepared menu that I would be able to enjoy which I appreciated so much. I had a great time learning new cooking techniques that I can't wait to try at home, and having a lovely conversation with her and her husband. We forgot to take our recipe papers and Michiyo even sent them to our next hotel, away from Kyoto. Michiyo has that extra caring touch. Everything was so perfect and so delicious!"

"My daughter and I spent a very enjoyable evening cooking, eating and having great conversations with Michiyo and her husband, Kenji. We were picked up and dropped off at the train station by our hosts and getting there from downtown Kyoto was a breeze. A special vegetarian menu was prepared for us with an explanation of the ingredients and cooking process at every step. The meal, with sake, was delicious. I have to admit that Michiyo and my daughter did all the food preparation and cooking because I so engrossed in a conversation with Kenji. When we left we forgot to take the printed recipes Michiyo had prepared for us. Michiyo kindly went out of her way to forward these to us at our next hotel in Osaka....this was so nice!! Our time spent with Michiyo and Kenji in their home was a great experience and certainly one of the highlights of our trip to Japan!!"

"It was very interesting to learn how to cook Japanese food. Michiyo is a very good teacher, we learned so much with her."

"This was such a enjoyable experience! Michiyo was so sweet and patient with us even though we got lost and were late to our appointment. She was a very great teacher and went through the steps carefully with us on making the Japanese dishes. She also gave us a mini lesson on traditional Japanese cooking at the beginning as well. Her husband was great company as well. The home was cozy and we felt very welcomed. Michiyo was so nice and gave us traditional Japanese dessert after our home cooked meal. Highly recommended if you want the Japanese cooking experience. Thank you Michiyo and husband. We had a wonderful experience."

"What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!"

"What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!"

"This was a great cooking class. The class is in a very private setting, so you get to ask a lot of questions and gain a great understanding of the process.The most enjoyable part of the class is the overall experience. Michiyo and her Husband Kenji are great host, very friendly and you could spend hours talking to them about almost anything.I would recommend this experience to any person interested in gaining a better understanding of the Japanese culture and its amazing people."

"First, Mrs. Michiyo Kobori answered our emails in no time. Then, very kindly, she offered to pick us up at the train station not far, it was so easy to get there with her indications. Secondly, we received a warm welcome from her and her very kind husband in their private house! Then she explained what meal we would prepare together. She had prepared some pictures of the dishes to give to us and, of course, she had printed the full recipies. We cooked together with all the necessary explanations then we ate the whole meal in their dining room. The whole expierience was amazing, delightful & the meal was delicious. I'm proud to be able to do it again after my return, for my friends in Belgium. Thank you Michiyo !"

"My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to book a cooking lesson and lunch through Travelling Spoon with Michiyo Kobori in Kyoto, Japan. She picked us up at the subway station just a few minutes from her lovely home and about a 30 minute ride from downtown Kyoto. After some conversation and a look around the house we set to work making lunch. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and made sure that my friend and I had lots of hands-on opportunties. We made miso soup, spinach with sesame seeds, beef stew, grilled salmon and Japanese omelet. Michiyo also provided printed copies of the recipes and answered all of our questions. Michiyo's husband joined us for lunch and our conversation was interesting and food was great. One of the highlights of our trip."

"We booked this experience as part of our holiday to Japan. We wanted to experience local cuisine and culture. We had a most memorable evening with great conversation and amazing food. The cooking class was very well prepared and something that we would be encouraged to try at home. It's less of a "lesson" and more like cooking with friends. Michiyo, our host, prepared a menu that is very tasty and representative of local cuisine, yet not too overwhelming or complicated to put us off trying ourselves. The ingredients can be sourced in our home country (UK) and we even got simple recipes at the end. We can't thank Michiyo enough for a great evening, from picking us up at the station, to making us feel welcome at her home and, of course, preparing and cooking with us."

"Our family of 5, kids age 8,12,13, visited Japan in October 2019. We absolutely LOVED our cooking lesson. Our host was welcoming and taught us a lot about Japanese cooking. Our kids helped cook and learned origami and then we shared a lovely meal together. The table and presentation of the meal was superb. Excellent hosts, amazing recipes, and the most pleasant meal for our whole family during our visit to Japan. We even went and bought the special omelet pan so we could try the recipe properly at home. This was the favourite part of our whole trip and our family felt welcomed and very full by the end of the session!"

"My friend and I had the privilege of learning from Michiyo in her own kitchen in Kyoto. We learned to make Miso Soup, Rolled Dashi Omelet, Nikujaga, Grilled Salmon, and Spinach with Sesame. After we cooked, we enjoyed a lovely lunch with Michiyo and her husband."

"While planning for my trip to Japan I wanted to try a new experience and was provided with an incredible opportunity through traveling spoon. I booked my experience with Michiyo Kobori who provided in detail what to expect for the evening. Connecting most to these details provided by my pending host I chose her to be my guide to Japanese cuisine for the evening. I was given ample instructions in how and when to meet her (Important as I was nervous already about directions and getting lost). Michiyo also maintained email correspondence to ensure no confusion as well. I was greeted at our meeting spot with kindness and a warm welcome by my host.From there we traveled a short distance in Michiyo's car to her home; another warm welcome from the family dog as well. There Michiyo provided a short demonstration and description on the key flavors of Japan and also prominent ingredients found in Japanese cooking. Following the short lesson we got to work with the night's dinner (Also printed out in excellently explained recipe sheets as a keepsake and future referencing).The meal was a simple and traditional one consisting of 5 courses. It was fun taking the time to make these dishes and also learning the tricks to making them well when I get home. I am still amazed by the little tool for measuring and whisking miso paste. Delicious and easy to achieve; Michiyo provided me a great memory on my stop in Kyoto. The photos I took gained me many comments and likes from friends and family alike inquiring as to when I would be gracing them with the same opportunities to try Michiyo's cooking.I was also introduced to Michiyo's husband who provided hearty and light dinner and post dinner conversations. They were helpful in their recommendations for the journey in Japan. Again, their directions for how to get to Osaka from Kyoto were most welcome.I would highly recommend this activity for anyone on their trip to Japan. Whether it be a solo or in a group; Look up Michiyo in Kyoto as your guide to the world of Japanese cuisine."

"Wonderful experience!!!! Michiyo and her husband were lovely and kind hosts. We learnt from scratch the essentials and tips for a traditional japanese meal. A dinner together, a lovely chat, left us wonderful memories of our Kyoto trip ❤️"

"It was really an awesome experience. Not only was the food delicious but we had a wonderful time conversing with Michiyo and your lovely husband. They are lovely people and I would definitely recommend it to others visiting Kyoto and looking for an authentic local experience."

"Michiyo is a very nice host. We are so grateful to have learned to cook delicious japanese meals with her. We enjoyed having lunch and had a lovely conversation. Thank you very much for this moment!"

"Our Japanese cooking class couldn't have been better! Michiyo is very kind, patient and taught us how to cook a complete, simple and easily doable meal (one main course and 3 side dishes). We shared dinner time with her, her husband and their dog and got to learn more about them. It was a very pleasant time !"

"My mother, sister and I went to Michiyo's house to be greeted by her husband and dog. What a great day, filled with a fun class and great tips and tricks that I've never learned after so many cooking classes (and TV shows) here in the United States or anywhere else. Our family ate at some of the best places in Japan, but this was actually absolutely one of the most stand-out meals that we had. Michiyo and her husband also taught us a lot about their culture, answered questions that we had from our travels, and invited us in to their lovely home which was a lot of fun to see. I'd definitely recommend this experience. Thank you Michiyo!"

"We had an enjoyable morning with Michiyo, teaching us some simple recipes for a full course Japanese lunch (one main course, 3 sides dishes + 1 soup), completed with a specially made tea and dessert.As the kitchen space is pretty limited, we rotated among 4 of us to work on one dish each (with Michiyo guiding us on the recipes). Results: the food was really tasty and simple. Definitely going to try them again when back home.Michiyo, Thank you very much for your hospitality. We loved the session very much!"

"Host very kind and helpful"

"We loved the cooking experience and the food but more than anything we loved the warm and friendly hosts and their hospitality. It made our holiday very special and is our top highlight."

"Michiyo managed a wonderful cooking class! Everything was perfect. The host and her husband are fantastic, warm and welcoming. I recommend this amazing experience!"

"I truly had a great experience with Michiyo and her family. They are very welcoming and i learned a lot in terms of Japanese culture and cuisine."

"Michiyo was a lovely host. She taught me about Japanese cooking and I was able to help prepare lunch. The food was excellent and would be easy to cook at home again. Michiyo and her husband spoke good English and they gave me some great tips about places to visit and places I might see on my holiday."

"Michiyo and her husband were wonderful hosts. Michiyo explained Japanese cooking and ingredients as we made lunch. Over lunch Michiyo and her husband gave me some great recommendations for my holiday."

"We had a wonderful time cooking and eating several Japanese dishes. The best thing is that we all agreed we felt confident to take these recipes home and make the meal for friends and family. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and her husband a wonderful lunch companion."

"Michiyo and her husband receive us in their house for a traditional Japanese meal . it was nice to discuss with them as we prepared the lunch. Thank you Michiyo for your hospitality"

"Michiyo Kobori And her husband welcomed Us very week. Our family is happy about this moment. We learned to cook japanese dishes. Delicious !"

"Everything was great! Michiyo and her husband were lovely, the food was delicious, and their dog was so sweet."

"Michiyo was a wonderful host. She and her husband were kind and eager to share about their culture and lives. They gave us great recommendations for sight-seeing to go along with our delicious meals. Michiyo took care to accomodate our vegeterian diets and made us a meal filled with Japanese vegetables, tofu, soup, and rice. We learned about the food she prepared, traditional Japanese meals, and the proper way to make Matcha tea! I look forward to visiting Japan again because of her hospitality!"

"My husband and I took a cooking class with Michiyo on the 7th of October 2018. It was easy to get to the meeting point from Kyoto station and was about a 30 minute journey. From the get-go Michiyo was great! She emailed me just to get in touch after my booking and ask me what we would be interested in cooking which was really thoughtful. The cooking class itself was great, there was a good balance between Michiyo (and sometimes her husband) teaching and the actual cooking but what made the class incredibly memorable was getting to spend time with Michiyo, her husband and their mini-daschund! That was really special because they really opened their home to us and we got to chat with them about all sorts of things, getting to learn more about Japanese culture. 10/10 would recommend, take a class with Michiyo!! Do it for the food (I am definitely more confident about trying Japanese recipes and I am for sure going to try and make tonkatsu back home) and most of all - do it for the heart-warming company. "

"Michiyo and her husband were really great. My husband and I took a class with them on 07/10/2018 and it was awesome! Because not only was the cooking class great ( they taught us things we never knew before) but Michiyo and her husband really opened up their cosy home to us, we chatted about all sorts of things and my husband and I got some really good insight into Japanese culture. The food and cooking class was lovely (really, we think Michiyo's tonkatsu tasted much better than a restaurant's) but really what made the whole experience fantastic was the company of Michiyo and her husband and of course their dog! Thank you both once again!! 10/10 would recommend!!"

"Mischio and her husband were very kind and warmfull The cooking experience was great and we had very interresting conversations in the culture, the habits of japanese people. It was a great expérience for us. I recommend !!"

"What a beautiful experience ! Our host and her husband were so nice with us. We have learnt more in this cooking lesson on japanese way of life than on a guide book. Thank you Michiyo"

"after experiencing such an incredible hospitality,we will do that in every country we travel if possible.Hopefully we have a second change to visit Japan. If so we will certainly try to meet the Kobri family. the Koboris again."

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"We were the 4th of the few people she's had over so far so I understood that Michiyo did not have an established routine based on experience. But regardless of that, I found it very fun. Personally, I'm a visual learner so liked to see how she cooked the meals. My friend was more hands on and wanted to do the cooking. In both cases, I think It's best for Michiyo to show an example by doing the first step and then handing it over to one of us. Though that's difficult with a small kitchen so that's hard to manage. Michiyo and her husband were fun to talk to and we learned a lot about Japanese culture! I hope to follow another cooking class the next time I'm in Japan and have already recommended it to other travellers that were there."

"Michiyo picked us up from the station and welcomed us in her home. This provides a personal atmosphere we like. I expected it to be a cooking workshop in which i follow a recipe or instructions from the tutor, instead Michiyo cooked the food in front of us, showing how to do it. I personally would have liked to do more things myself. I told her I would like to engage more in the process and she let me. I think Michiyo was trying hard to give us a good experience, I hope she will be able to relax more in the future and find some time to do small talk. Michiyo's husband was home as well and was very talkative which was nice. He asked us about our experiences in Japan and our home country. He told us about kanji and wrote our names in kanji. The food was very nice :)"