From your hotel lobby in Kyoto, a guide accompanies you by taxi to a local home where your private lesson in Japanese cuisine takes place. Upon arrival at a local Japanese home (modern or traditional style), you’ll be welcomed by a family and resident instructor who share their culinary know-how as you learn to prepare an authentic home-cooked meal. Throughout the 3-hour lesson, your knowledgeable guide will also be on hand to help out as you get to know your host family in this truly memorable experience.

Watch as your instructor demonstrates how to roll rice with fillings like sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish) or Kamaboko (boiled fish paste) and egg, cucumber, pickled vegetables or instructors home-made fillings onto a sheet of nori (dried seaweed). After some practice assembling a few sushi rolls yourself, you’ll find Japan’s famous finger food is easier to prepare than it looks!

Then get ready for some sizzling fun as you learn to make tempura with your friendly hosts. Fresh vegetables, mushrooms and shrimp are typically battered in a seasoned rice flour mixture and then deep-fried in oil to create a crispy and crunchy dish ─ it's delicious! It's a dish that requires a lot of practice, and thankfully with your recipe (written in English) to take home, you’ll soon be a master of Japanese cuisine.

Sushi and tempura together are the main course, but miso soup (made from soy bean paste) and a seasonal salad are prepared along with it. When your meal is complete, sit down with your private party to enjoy your creations.

Your class concludes with hotel drop-off by taxi, accompanied by your guide.