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!

Shiori and her husband invited me into their home for a great evening of cooking, dinner and conversation. It was a lovely way to experience what local life and food culture is like in Sapporo. I recommend you skip lunch, and make sure you try Shiori’s plum saké, you won’t regret it!

Michiyo made my friend and I so comfortable during this cooking class. We learned so much about the cuisine of local Japanese people!

As I’m in Hokkaido studying Japanese, I’m looking for opportunities to learn more about Japanese culture and practice my Japanese. Shiori Ogawa’s Japanese home-style cooking class was perfect. I was introduced to a wide variety of Japanese dishes and was able to practice my Japanese. Since I was the only class participant, Shiori Ogawa was gracious use both English and Japanese. Shiori took the time to explain the conveniences of Japanese kitchens, introduce me to important Japanese ingredients, and kindly showed me the technique of sharpening a knife on a sharpening stone. Prior to my arrival, Shiori had already prepped most of the dishes. I did get to make a maki roll. Then I was treated to a feast of huge variety of delicious homemade dishes.

Tucked away in a cute Kyoto suburb, the host was extremely nice and gave a fantastic sushi making lesson. It included homemade vegetables from her garden, homemade miso soup, homemade sushi, as well as sake, matcha, and dessert. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Kyoto.

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 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.

This is a "hands on" cooking class! Emika kept us busy preparing a multicourse meal that was top notch. I had tried making sushi in the past, but this was far better than any previous efforts. Emika grows many of the ingredients in her own garden, adding a personal and delicious touch.

Aki's cooking class was an absolute joy from start to finish! She not only taught us how to make numerous delicious dishes, but she taught us about Japanese culture as well. My husband, kids (18 & 20 years old) and I enjoyed every minute of our time in Aki's beautiful family home. She was also able to accommodate my kids' tree nut and fish allergies. Definitely one of the top three things that we did on our two week trip to Japan! Thank you for making our 30th wedding Anniversary so memorable Aki!

What an incredible experience! Aki was delightful and well prepared. She welcomed us into her home and the food was delicious. The laughs and conversation flowed, and the session was a highlight of our trip!

We had an amazing time with Emika. She is very kind and knows her cooking. The food was tasty and we had fun conversations about Japanese traditions. We ended with a tea ceremony which was a nice addition.

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.

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

Best meal in Tokyo! Emika is a gracious and wonderful person…and an excellent cook! She used fresh vegetables from her garden, explained the process well, had a variety of delicious fresh sushi meats, and provided written English recipes for us to take. She was an overall delightful professional to spend the evening cooking together! Hearing about her family’s culture and traditions local to Kyoto and her beautiful home was an experience I will never forget! Thank you, Emika!