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!
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Cooking Experience
Market Tour
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.
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Cooking Experience
We really enjoyed our lunch. Our host was very friendly and although her English was limited we were able to communicate easily. The house and garden are beautiful as is the area where her home is located. We had two older travellers with us who found it difficult to sit on the floor, chairs were provided.
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Cooking Experience
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!!
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Cooking Experience
Market Tour
Was very good
Meal
Cooking Experience
We booked this at the last minute and are so grateful we invested some of our time in Kyoto in this fabulous experience. Rita is a treasure! Warm, funny, present, curious, knowledgeable, genuinely interested in connection, and a fantastic cook! A Kyoto native, her passion for Japanese cooking, culture and connecting through food was evident from start to finish. We spent 3 hours with her, beginning with touring the modest tofu shop of her friend (a 4th generation tofu maker), where we learned about the various stages of the process, the importance of various elements (like the water used) and were treated to samples of different kinds of fresh tofu, soy beans, and soy milk. Upstairs in the kitchen, Rita had a delicious and authentic meal already underway, but eased us into the cooking process with her to complete our meal together. She taught us not only about tofu, but about meal etiquette, Japanese seasonings and marinades, the aesthetic of meal presentation, and even the spiritual meanings behind some of the food customs. She also accommodated our food preferences (we’re pescatarians), which was so appreciated. We enjoyed every minute and morsel and left with a full and happy belly, printed recipes for everything we ate, gifts (including a lovely cotton kimono for our daughter - see photos), a new friend, and knowledge about the wonderful Japanese culture that is sure to enrich our experience in this fantastic country. Highly recommend.
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Cooking Experience
Market Tour
