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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Rena

Hida, Japan

$39 10% off

$35

USD per person

Hida Cooking Class & Japanese Calligraphy in a Local Home

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food Tour

Meet Rena

Rena is a passionate home cook who loves sharing the traditional food and culture of Japan’s Hida region. Surrounded by the mountains of rural Japan, she and her partner spend their weekends cooking with fresh, local vegetables and enjoying regional dishes that have been passed down through generations. Through her cooking classes in Hida, Rena welcomes travelers into her home to discover authentic Japanese home cooking, learn about unique local ingredients and experience everyday life in a Japanese household. She is especially passionate about preserving Hida’s culinary traditions and sharing the recipes, flavors and stories of her region with visitors from around the world.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (2-4 guests) Discover the food and traditions of rural Japan during a hands-on cooking class and Japanese calligraphy workshop in a local home in Hida. Rena and her partner welcome you into their home to share the simple, traditional dishes and cultural traditions of this beautiful mountain region.

During your Japanese cooking class, learn to prepare three traditional Hida dishes using fresh, locally grown ingredients. Discover aburae (egoma), a type of perilla seed used in Hida cooking for generations that adds a distinctive nutty flavor to local dishes. You’ll also cook with high-quality Hida rice, prized for its flavor and texture.

The cooking portion lasts approximately one hour. Because Rena’s home kitchen is small, the class combines demonstration with hands-on cooking. Grind perilla seeds, chop vegetables and shape Japanese rice balls as Rena guides you through the recipes and explains the ingredients and traditions behind them. Then sit down together to enjoy the meal you helped prepare. It feels like cooking with friends in a Japanese home while discovering dishes local families have enjoyed for generations.

Your experience also includes a hands-on Japanese calligraphy workshop. Learn the basics of this traditional art and try writing Japanese characters yourself using brush and ink. The combination of cooking and calligraphy makes this a wonderful cultural experience for families and children in Hida, as well as travelers interested in experiencing Japanese traditions beyond food.

This private Hida cooking class and calligraphy experience offers an intimate way to discover Japanese culture beyond the country’s major cities. Cook and share a meal with locals, try traditional Japanese calligraphy, and gain a deeper understanding of the food, traditions and everyday life of Japan’s Hida region.

Notes:
1. Rena can accommodate a vegetarian diet with advance notice. Please share any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
2. If you select the alcohol add-on, you will be served 1–2 glasses of local sake, beer, or wine.
3. Rena’s home is approximately 20 minutes from Takayama Station and 10 minutes from Hida-Furukawa Station. The nearest station is JR Sugisaki Station, just a 7-minute walk from her home. Rena will meet you at JR Sugisaki Station and walk with you to her home.

Languages spoken: Japanese and English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Menu is seasonal and is subject to change depending on the availability of ingredients
  • Vegetable with perilla seed
  • Komo tofu (tofu wrapped in a "komo" (a woven straw mat) and boiled in soup stock)
  • Knot-shaped konnyaku (konjac plant jelly, similar to noodles)
  • Hoba miso (grilled miso on a magnolia leaf with vegetables or beef)
  • Onigiri (rice ball)
  • Miso soup

Rena

$39 10% off through Aug 31
$39
10% off through Aug 31
$39
10% off
through Aug 31

$35

USD per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • No waiting! Booking confirmed instantly
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $39 $35 Not offered
Alcohol
 $5 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $39 $35 Not offered
Alcohol
 $5 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Rena

Rena is a passionate home cook who loves sharing the traditional food and culture of Japan’s Hida region. Surrounded by the mountains of rural Japan, she and her partner spend their weekends cooking with fresh, local vegetables and enjoying regional dishes that have been passed down through generations. Through her cooking classes in Hida, Rena welcomes travelers into her home to discover authentic Japanese home cooking, learn about unique local ingredients and experience everyday life in a Japanese household. She is especially passionate about preserving Hida’s culinary traditions and sharing the recipes, flavors and stories of her region with visitors from around the world.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (2-4 guests) Discover the food and traditions of rural Japan during a hands-on cooking class and Japanese calligraphy workshop in a local home in Hida. Rena and her partner welcome you into their home to share the simple, traditional dishes and cultural traditions of this beautiful mountain region.

During your Japanese cooking class, learn to prepare three traditional Hida dishes using fresh, locally grown ingredients. Discover aburae (egoma), a type of perilla seed used in Hida cooking for generations that adds a distinctive nutty flavor to local dishes. You’ll also cook with high-quality Hida rice, prized for its flavor and texture.

The cooking portion lasts approximately one hour. Because Rena’s home kitchen is small, the class combines demonstration with hands-on cooking. Grind perilla seeds, chop vegetables and shape Japanese rice balls as Rena guides you through the recipes and explains the ingredients and traditions behind them. Then sit down together to enjoy the meal you helped prepare. It feels like cooking with friends in a Japanese home while discovering dishes local families have enjoyed for generations.

Your experience also includes a hands-on Japanese calligraphy workshop. Learn the basics of this traditional art and try writing Japanese characters yourself using brush and ink. The combination of cooking and calligraphy makes this a wonderful cultural experience for families and children in Hida, as well as travelers interested in experiencing Japanese traditions beyond food.

This private Hida cooking class and calligraphy experience offers an intimate way to discover Japanese culture beyond the country’s major cities. Cook and share a meal with locals, try traditional Japanese calligraphy, and gain a deeper understanding of the food, traditions and everyday life of Japan’s Hida region.

Notes:
1. Rena can accommodate a vegetarian diet with advance notice. Please share any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
2. If you select the alcohol add-on, you will be served 1–2 glasses of local sake, beer, or wine.
3. Rena’s home is approximately 20 minutes from Takayama Station and 10 minutes from Hida-Furukawa Station. The nearest station is JR Sugisaki Station, just a 7-minute walk from her home. Rena will meet you at JR Sugisaki Station and walk with you to her home.

Languages spoken: Japanese and English

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Menu is seasonal and is subject to change depending on the availability of ingredients
  • Vegetable with perilla seed
  • Komo tofu (tofu wrapped in a "komo" (a woven straw mat) and boiled in soup stock)
  • Knot-shaped konnyaku (konjac plant jelly, similar to noodles)
  • Hoba miso (grilled miso on a magnolia leaf with vegetables or beef)
  • Onigiri (rice ball)
  • Miso soup
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $39 $35 Not offered
Alcohol
 $5 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $39 $35 Not offered
Alcohol
 $5 $4 per person
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-1:00pm 5:00pm-8:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 4% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can't make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host's profile doesn't work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host's family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the "Notes" section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.