Kyoto Cooking Class in a Traditional Wooden House

"Our cooking class with Aki was a total delight and one of our favorite moments in our trip. We were already into of Japanese food and cooking and found the class very informative and the food absolutely delicious. Aki speaks excellent English and it felt like an honor for her to share her home and cooking techniques. We’ve learned a bunch of dishes that we will make it home. She is very kind and fun, never tired of our endless questions and gave us 1 million tips. We cannot recommend this experience high enough."

"We are a family of 4 including 2 teenagers and were lucky enough to spend 2.5 weeks in Japan at the beginning of April 2025. We chose this experience as we all love food, are very interested in Japanese food and wanted something different from the Sushi or bento lessons offered elsewhere. We met Aki at the Kyoto market and immediately felt very relaxed with her, our Japanese is limited to greetings and simple phrases but this wasn't a problem as Aki's English is excellent. We loved seeing some of the more traditional food preparations at the market - especially the gentleman producing the Bonito flakes that we later used in the meal. It was also nice venturing away from the Family Mart style convenience stores and street food with a knowledgable guide. Once all the ingredients had been purchased we made our way to Aki's home, a beautiful, light-filled family home. The cooking was really interesting and fun, we picked up all kinds of cooking tips. I was really pleased to see how to make dashi from scratch and tips on perfecting Japanese rice. We all helped to cook 4 dishes with rice and miso soup - with some of the more mundane prep done for us to allow the dishes to be made in time. The food was absolutely delicious and exciting, we have since cooked some of the dishes at home although getting beef of that quality is not going to be easy :) It was a really special treat being able to spend time with Aki in her lovely home. It was something we will never forget and a fantastic thing to do for our daughter's 17th birthday. Thanks so much Aki. If it is possible to get any more of your recipe sheets - we would love to try more of your food. Lucy, Corin, Mia and Tess"

"This experience was a highlight of o our trip it was such a personal experience with these two lovely women. Shopping and being introduced to local foods in a local market. Cooking in a home and being taught about new ingredients and techniques was an amazing experience. This is a once in a lifetime experience. This is a must when visiting Kyoto and Japan. Thank you for the amazing experience. John, Erick, and Shawn"

"We really enjoyed this memorable culinary experience. The welcome and the cuisine were excellent and our host was very educational."

"My husband and I had an incredible experience with Aki. Her instructions were clear and we met her right where she suggested. We started our tour at a local covered market street mall. She introduced us to many merchants, who greeted us with a smile. One man, who cured and sold dried bonita, was in a third generation family business of over 70 years. As we perused a contemporary market, Aki explained different pickles, fish, noodles, vegetables, sauces and so much more that are used in daily Japanese cooking. We then took a bus to Aki’s lovely home in a quiet neighborhood. We instantly felt welcomed. The table was set, sauces and stock were marinating and recipes were available to us to begin making the dishes. Aki emailed us our meal preferenes so we had an idea of what we were making. We chopped garlic, ginger, carrots, mushrooms and various Japanese root vegetables, made miso soup, fish broth, Waygu beef, vegetable salad, mainated chicken wings, eggplant and more. Aki’s English was very good, we had excellent communication. By the end of the meal we were full, happy and grateful for this incredible opportunity. We highly recommend Aki for a wonderful Japanese dining expereince."

"Aki was phenomenal, she spoke great English, helped us make so much food with tons of leftovers, and spoke great English. Highly recommend."

"This was one of the best experiences we had during our three month trip to Japan. Aki is lovely, heartwarming person and cooking with her in her beautiful home was an wholesome experience. Thank you for taking good care of us. Your warm presence is something our daughter still remembers ❤️"

"Wonderful experience! This class was the highlight of our trip. Our family of five (all adults) attended this cooking class together. We did the market tour + cooking class. The whole experience took about four hours. We made variety of delicious dishes and all left full and satisfied. Aki was a delightful host. Looking forward to making these dishes again!"

"We met Aki at her local shops and she took us around the market and supermarket pointing out ingredients we may not have known. The shopkeepers were so friendly and joined in with the experience. We than went to Aki's home where we made a delicious dinner and sat together to eat it. Aki had taken great care as we had a coeliac and someone allergic to pink shellfish in our group. Aki's English was very good and she is a lovely warm and welcoming person. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon."

"We met Aki at her local shops and she took us around the market and supermarket pointing out ingredients we may not have known. The shopkeepers were so friendly and joined in with the experience. We than went to Akis home where we made a delicious dinner and sat together to eat it. Aki had taken great care as we had a coeliac and someone allergic to pink shellfish in our group. Akis English was very good and she is a lovely warm and welcoming person. We thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon."

"This class was very educational, personal, and fun. We went to the market with the chef and learned about Japanese food (culturally and ways to prepare dishes). She asked us our preferences for tastes in food and based our cooking experience upon what looked good and in season at the market. We went to her house (which felt very welcoming and hospitable). We learned how to cook lots of different Japanese dishes. We really enjoyed the chef's company. ATTENTION: Be sure you bring money for the bus during the transfer from the market to the chef's home."

"I visited Aki in her beautiful house in Kyoto for a private cooking experience. Aki makes you fell at home right away and I enjoyed the evening so much. It felt like an evening together with friends. Futhermore Aki is a great cook and an excellent teacher and the food we cooked was so delicious. Not just Japanese food you know from the restaurants, but real Japanese home cooking, that I definitely will make again at home. I had a wonderful evening and an autentic experience and will certainly recommend it."

"My best cooking class, one of my best experience in Japan!! Aki is a passioned cook with a lot of heart, she explains very well in an excellent English. Her place is amazing: traditional Japanese house with a beautiful garden in the very heart of Kyoto. The open kitchen on the living-room was easy to use and very convenient for all of us.We bought seasonal vegetables and fishes at the market and wee cooked dishes far from all the cliché we have on Japanese food, so interesting...We could met really nice people and share this moment together, thanks again for this unforgettable moment!!"