Private Kyoto Market Tour and Authentic Cooking Class with Aki

About this tour

Shop the lively Demachiyanagi Shoutengai market in Kyoto with Aki, hand-picking vegetables and ingredients you'll cook with minutes later. In her home kitchen, you'll prepare a seasonal Japanese meal from scratch—think braised chicken and root vegetables, marinated greens, miso soup—learning techniques and stories about regional cooking as you work. Four hours total, ending with you eating what you've made.

Highlights

• Browse a working neighbourhood market with a local guide
• Select fresh vegetables and ingredients for your meal
• Learn to prepare three or four traditional Japanese dishes
• Cook in a home kitchen, not a classroom studio
• Eat your own cooking at Aki's table
• Recipes provided in English throughout
• Seasonal menu adjusts with what's available

What to expect

You'll start in the market, wandering stalls and learning which shops sell what—Aki points out quality markers and seasonal picks. After about an hour of shopping and chatting, you'll head to her kitchen. There, you'll spend roughly sixty minutes prepping and cooking under her guidance. Expect to chop, braise, assemble: real cooking, not demonstration. She'll walk you through technique while sharing why these dishes matter to Japanese home cooks. Once everything's ready, you'll sit down together and eat it all—no rushing off.

Good to know