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Host: Michiyo

Kyoto, Japan

USD
$46-$70 per person

Authentic seasonal Japanese home cooking with a charming local in Kyoto

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

Meet Michiyo

Michiyo's bright and open home is a peaceful respite from the intense bustle of Kyoto city center. Her house, a quick 10min train ride from Kyoto station is nestled in a tranquil residential neighborhood and has beautiful views of the famous Hiei-zan mountain. Michiyo enjoys cooking for friends and family and experimenting with new flavors and ingredients she discovers. Whenever she eats something new and interesting, she tries to recreate the flavor at home in her own style. Michiyo's passion for cooking developed when she lived abroad for 5 years - she loved inviting her neighbors who were from all over the world and even taught them authentic Japanese cooking. She realized she was happiest when cooking and feeding people and further honed her cooking skills at a culinary school after returning to Japan. Michiyo looks forward to welcoming travelers into her beautiful family home and connecting with travelers through the love that she puts into her food.

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.

In-home meal: (1-3 guests) Michiyo will pick you up at the train station in her car and together you will drive three minutes to her home. Michiyo and her husband will invite you in for a cultural immersion into Japanese food, drinks, hospitality, and tradition. Michiyo values using seasonal, fresh vegetables sourced from locals in her dishes. Your Japanese feast will begin with a welcome beverage and authentic dishes such as Nikujaga (slow-cooked meat with potatoes and seasonal vegetables), a tofu side dish and dashi-based soup, followed by a main course of perhaps Chirashi-sushi or tender fried chicken flavored with Japanese ingredients. Enjoy a Japanese feast over engaging conversation with this friendly Japanese family.

Michiyo and her husband share their home with El, their well-behaved dachshund dog.

Cooking experience: (1-3 guests) After an introduction to the menu of the day, Michiyo will lead your hands-on cooking experience in her kitchen. Michiyo enjoys sharing her knowledge on Japanese cooking techniques that she has perfected over the years. You will learn how to make dashi stock, a fundamental building block of Japanese cuisine, and to perfectly prepare sushi rice for chirashi-sushi that you will garnish in a traditional wooden bowl. The cooking portion of the experience will take about an hour and half. You will then sit down together to enjoy the authentic Japanese meal you helped prepare.

Notes: For an additional cost, Michiyo offers alcohol carefully selected to accent the food being served.

Languages spoken: Japanese,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.
  • Chirashi-sushi of salmon
  • Nikujaga
  • Japanese style tender fried chicken
  • Marinated silken tofu with canola flower leaves and mango
  • Dashi based soup

Traveler reviews

4.98 (43)
We had an outstanding evening wolith Michiyo and her husband. I learned a lot with regards to Japanese cooking and Michiyo shared many useful tips from our tasty dinner.
- Sascha January 21, 2024
Good time and great food with Michiyo and Kenichi, who made us feel welcome and shared tips about where to go for the rest of our trip. Definitely recommend :)
- 625willr November 01, 2023
Michiyosan is a lovely lady. She informed me beforehand about the exact train details and where to meet. We learned a lot from her teaching. As our son is only 6 years old, her husband entertained him with origami. The food was just divine 🍲😍 love love it!!! Cannot wait to try it back home. This was a true inside of a local home cooking environment, we even all shared our views on current matters. Very pleasant encounter. Thank you very much 😊
- ukemm June 17, 2023
Had a lovely evening with Michiyo and her husband in their charming home. Getting there was easy and quick as Michiyo gave us very clear instructions on which train to take from Kyoto and was even kind enough to pick us up from the train station in her town. The cooking experience was wonderful. First, Michiyo talked us through the basic principles of Japanese cuisine whilst we sipped Sencha tea. The cooking itself was a lot of fun, with Michiyo letting us get hands on with preparing the ingredients and cooking them ourselves. After the food was prepared, we all sat together and ate the delicious food we had made. It was an evening with lots of great conversation and great food. I would highly recommend if you are planning to visit Kyoto.
- Adam P June 05, 2023
We had a wonderful experience cooking with Michiyo and enjoyed an exceptional dinner with her and her husband, Kenji. They picked us up at the train station and invited us into the comfort of their lovely home. We enjoyed learning about essential Japanese ingredients and the prominent role dashi plays in cooking! Michiyo guided us through dishes such as miso soup, Japanese omelet, beef stew, sesame spinach, grilled salmon. We were delightfully served sake with some history from Kenji. It was comfortable, enjoyable and delicious spending time with Michiyo and Kenji and we would highly recommend attending one of her classes.
- Barb T April 30, 2023
My dad and I had a great time learning to cook Japanese cuisine from Michiyo. I'm vegetarian and she took great care to prepared menu that I would be able to enjoy which I appreciated so much. I had a great time learning new cooking techniques that I can't wait to try at home, and having a lovely conversation with her and her husband. We forgot to take our recipe papers and Michiyo even sent them to our next hotel, away from Kyoto. Michiyo has that extra caring touch. Everything was so perfect and so delicious!
- andrea April 23, 2023
My daughter and I spent a very enjoyable evening cooking, eating and having great conversations with Michiyo and her husband, Kenji. We were picked up and dropped off at the train station by our hosts and getting there from downtown Kyoto was a breeze. A special vegetarian menu was prepared for us with an explanation of the ingredients and cooking process at every step. The meal, with sake, was delicious. I have to admit that Michiyo and my daughter did all the food preparation and cooking because I so engrossed in a conversation with Kenji. When we left we forgot to take the printed recipes Michiyo had prepared for us. Michiyo kindly went out of her way to forward these to us at our next hotel in Osaka....this was so nice!! Our time spent with Michiyo and Kenji in their home was a great experience and certainly one of the highlights of our trip to Japan!!
- DavidsS April 22, 2023
It was very interesting to learn how to cook Japanese food. Michiyo is a very good teacher, we learned so much with her.
- am_lie April 18, 2023
This was such a enjoyable experience! Michiyo was so sweet and patient with us even though we got lost and were late to our appointment. She was a very great teacher and went through the steps carefully with us on making the Japanese dishes. She also gave us a mini lesson on traditional Japanese cooking at the beginning as well. Her husband was great company as well. The home was cozy and we felt very welcomed. Michiyo was so nice and gave us traditional Japanese dessert after our home cooked meal. Highly recommended if you want the Japanese cooking experience. Thank you Michiyo and husband. We had a wonderful experience.
- C8564D March 22, 2023
What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!
- HanaAn March 05, 2023
What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!
- Hanaan March 05, 2023
This was a great cooking class. The class is in a very private setting, so you get to ask a lot of questions and gain a great understanding of the process.The most enjoyable part of the class is the overall experience. Michiyo and her Husband Kenji are great host, very friendly and you could spend hours talking to them about almost anything.I would recommend this experience to any person interested in gaining a better understanding of the Japanese culture and its amazing people.
- ivandhernandez December 01, 2019
First, Mrs. Michiyo Kobori answered our emails in no time. Then, very kindly, she offered to pick us up at the train station not far, it was so easy to get there with her indications. Secondly, we received a warm welcome from her and her very kind husband in their private house! Then she explained what meal we would prepare together. She had prepared some pictures of the dishes to give to us and, of course, she had printed the full recipies. We cooked together with all the necessary explanations then we ate the whole meal in their dining room. The whole expierience was amazing, delightful & the meal was delicious. I'm proud to be able to do it again after my return, for my friends in Belgium. Thank you Michiyo !
- crossroadstraveller November 22, 2019
My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to book a cooking lesson and lunch through Travelling Spoon with Michiyo Kobori in Kyoto, Japan. She picked us up at the subway station just a few minutes from her lovely home and about a 30 minute ride from downtown Kyoto. After some conversation and a look around the house we set to work making lunch. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and made sure that my friend and I had lots of hands-on opportunties. We made miso soup, spinach with sesame seeds, beef stew, grilled salmon and Japanese omelet. Michiyo also provided printed copies of the recipes and answered all of our questions. Michiyo's husband joined us for lunch and our conversation was interesting and food was great. One of the highlights of our trip.
- Laurie C November 14, 2019
We booked this experience as part of our holiday to Japan. We wanted to experience local cuisine and culture. We had a most memorable evening with great conversation and amazing food. The cooking class was very well prepared and something that we would be encouraged to try at home. It's less of a "lesson" and more like cooking with friends. Michiyo, our host, prepared a menu that is very tasty and representative of local cuisine, yet not too overwhelming or complicated to put us off trying ourselves. The ingredients can be sourced in our home country (UK) and we even got simple recipes at the end. We can't thank Michiyo enough for a great evening, from picking us up at the station, to making us feel welcome at her home and, of course, preparing and cooking with us.
- dimitris_a01 November 12, 2019
Our family of 5, kids age 8,12,13, visited Japan in October 2019. We absolutely LOVED our cooking lesson. Our host was welcoming and taught us a lot about Japanese cooking. Our kids helped cook and learned origami and then we shared a lovely meal together. The table and presentation of the meal was superb. Excellent hosts, amazing recipes, and the most pleasant meal for our whole family during our visit to Japan. We even went and bought the special omelet pan so we could try the recipe properly at home. This was the favourite part of our whole trip and our family felt welcomed and very full by the end of the session!
- Brandobunch November 03, 2019
My friend and I had the privilege of learning from Michiyo in her own kitchen in Kyoto. We learned to make Miso Soup, Rolled Dashi Omelet, Nikujaga, Grilled Salmon, and Spinach with Sesame. After we cooked, we enjoyed a lovely lunch with Michiyo and her husband.
- canadianvisitor2015 October 18, 2019
While planning for my trip to Japan I wanted to try a new experience and was provided with an incredible opportunity through traveling spoon. I booked my experience with Michiyo Kobori who provided in detail what to expect for the evening. Connecting most to these details provided by my pending host I chose her to be my guide to Japanese cuisine for the evening. I was given ample instructions in how and when to meet her (Important as I was nervous already about directions and getting lost). Michiyo also maintained email correspondence to ensure no confusion as well. I was greeted at our meeting spot with kindness and a warm welcome by my host.From there we traveled a short distance in Michiyo's car to her home; another warm welcome from the family dog as well. There Michiyo provided a short demonstration and description on the key flavors of Japan and also prominent ingredients found in Japanese cooking. Following the short lesson we got to work with the night's dinner (Also printed out in excellently explained recipe sheets as a keepsake and future referencing).The meal was a simple and traditional one consisting of 5 courses. It was fun taking the time to make these dishes and also learning the tricks to making them well when I get home. I am still amazed by the little tool for measuring and whisking miso paste. Delicious and easy to achieve; Michiyo provided me a great memory on my stop in Kyoto. The photos I took gained me many comments and likes from friends and family alike inquiring as to when I would be gracing them with the same opportunities to try Michiyo's cooking.I was also introduced to Michiyo's husband who provided hearty and light dinner and post dinner conversations. They were helpful in their recommendations for the journey in Japan. Again, their directions for how to get to Osaka from Kyoto were most welcome.I would highly recommend this activity for anyone on their trip to Japan. Whether it be a solo or in a group; Look up Michiyo in Kyoto as your guide to the world of Japanese cuisine.
- anthony-k-szeto1987 October 07, 2019
Wonderful experience!!!! Michiyo and her husband were lovely and kind hosts. We learnt from scratch the essentials and tips for a traditional japanese meal. A dinner together, a lovely chat, left us wonderful memories of our Kyoto trip ❤️
- Getaway588526 September 18, 2019
It was really an awesome experience. Not only was the food delicious but we had a wonderful time conversing with Michiyo and your lovely husband. They are lovely people and I would definitely recommend it to others visiting Kyoto and looking for an authentic local experience.
- colinunowoo August 29, 2019
Michiyo is a very nice host. We are so grateful to have learned to cook delicious japanese meals with her. We enjoyed having lunch and had a lovely conversation. Thank you very much for this moment!
- Gla D August 13, 2019
Our Japanese cooking class couldn't have been better! Michiyo is very kind, patient and taught us how to cook a complete, simple and easily doable meal (one main course and 3 side dishes). We shared dinner time with her, her husband and their dog and got to learn more about them. It was a very pleasant time !
- Cecileeec July 27, 2019
My mother, sister and I went to Michiyo's house to be greeted by her husband and dog. What a great day, filled with a fun class and great tips and tricks that I've never learned after so many cooking classes (and TV shows) here in the United States or anywhere else. Our family ate at some of the best places in Japan, but this was actually absolutely one of the most stand-out meals that we had. Michiyo and her husband also taught us a lot about their culture, answered questions that we had from our travels, and invited us in to their lovely home which was a lot of fun to see. I'd definitely recommend this experience. Thank you Michiyo!
- DoonaNYC June 14, 2019
We had an enjoyable morning with Michiyo, teaching us some simple recipes for a full course Japanese lunch (one main course, 3 sides dishes + 1 soup), completed with a specially made tea and dessert.As the kitchen space is pretty limited, we rotated among 4 of us to work on one dish each (with Michiyo guiding us on the recipes). Results: the food was really tasty and simple. Definitely going to try them again when back home.Michiyo, Thank you very much for your hospitality. We loved the session very much!
- lowmh1 June 09, 2019
Host very kind and helpful
- May 02, 2019
We loved the cooking experience and the food but more than anything we loved the warm and friendly hosts and their hospitality. It made our holiday very special and is our top highlight.
- Matt & Amanda April 24, 2019
Michiyo managed a wonderful cooking class! Everything was perfect. The host and her husband are fantastic, warm and welcoming. I recommend this amazing experience!
- April 23, 2019
I truly had a great experience with Michiyo and her family. They are very welcoming and i learned a lot in terms of Japanese culture and cuisine.
- Aileen April 09, 2019
Michiyo was a lovely host. She taught me about Japanese cooking and I was able to help prepare lunch. The food was excellent and would be easy to cook at home again. Michiyo and her husband spoke good English and they gave me some great tips about places to visit and places I might see on my holiday.
- Deb April 03, 2019
Michiyo and her husband were wonderful hosts. Michiyo explained Japanese cooking and ingredients as we made lunch. Over lunch Michiyo and her husband gave me some great recommendations for my holiday.
- 665debrak March 30, 2019
We had a wonderful time cooking and eating several Japanese dishes. The best thing is that we all agreed we felt confident to take these recipes home and make the meal for friends and family. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and her husband a wonderful lunch companion.
- pausuemel March 25, 2019
Michiyo and her husband receive us in their house for a traditional Japanese meal . it was nice to discuss with them as we prepared the lunch. Thank you Michiyo for your hospitality
- Olivier March 25, 2019
Michiyo Kobori And her husband welcomed Us very week. Our family is happy about this moment. We learned to cook japanese dishes. Delicious !
- Pauline March 12, 2019
Michiyo was a wonderful host. She and her husband were kind and eager to share about their culture and lives. They gave us great recommendations for sight-seeing to go along with our delicious meals. Michiyo took care to accomodate our vegeterian diets and made us a meal filled with Japanese vegetables, tofu, soup, and rice. We learned about the food she prepared, traditional Japanese meals, and the proper way to make Matcha tea! I look forward to visiting Japan again because of her hospitality!
- Marina October 15, 2018
Everything was great! Michiyo and her husband were lovely, the food was delicious, and their dog was so sweet.
- Tanya October 15, 2018
My husband and I took a cooking class with Michiyo on the 7th of October 2018. It was easy to get to the meeting point from Kyoto station and was about a 30 minute journey. From the get-go Michiyo was great! She emailed me just to get in touch after my booking and ask me what we would be interested in cooking which was really thoughtful. The cooking class itself was great, there was a good balance between Michiyo (and sometimes her husband) teaching and the actual cooking but what made the class incredibly memorable was getting to spend time with Michiyo, her husband and their mini-daschund! That was really special because they really opened their home to us and we got to chat with them about all sorts of things, getting to learn more about Japanese culture. 10/10 would recommend, take a class with Michiyo!! Do it for the food (I am definitely more confident about trying Japanese recipes and I am for sure going to try and make tonkatsu back home) and most of all - do it for the heart-warming company.
- ptan36 October 08, 2018
Michiyo and her husband were really great. My husband and I took a class with them on 07/10/2018 and it was awesome! Because not only was the cooking class great ( they taught us things we never knew before) but Michiyo and her husband really opened up their cosy home to us, we chatted about all sorts of things and my husband and I got some really good insight into Japanese culture. The food and cooking class was lovely (really, we think Michiyo's tonkatsu tasted much better than a restaurant's) but really what made the whole experience fantastic was the company of Michiyo and her husband and of course their dog! Thank you both once again!! 10/10 would recommend!!
- Phoebe October 07, 2018
Mischio and her husband were very kind and warmfull The cooking experience was great and we had very interresting conversations in the culture, the habits of japanese people. It was a great expérience for us. I recommend !!
- Valerie October 01, 2018
What a beautiful experience ! Our host and her husband were so nice with us. We have learnt more in this cooking lesson on japanese way of life than on a guide book. Thank you Michiyo
- Valérie G. August 08, 2018
after experiencing such an incredible hospitality,we will do that in every country we travel if possible.Hopefully we have a second change to visit Japan. If so we will certainly try to meet the Kobri family. the Koboris again.
- JK July 20, 2018
- May 04, 2018
Michiyo picked us up from the station and welcomed us in her home. This provides a personal atmosphere we like. I expected it to be a cooking workshop in which i follow a recipe or instructions from the tutor, instead Michiyo cooked the food in front of us, showing how to do it. I personally would have liked to do more things myself. I told her I would like to engage more in the process and she let me. I think Michiyo was trying hard to give us a good experience, I hope she will be able to relax more in the future and find some time to do small talk. Michiyo's husband was home as well and was very talkative which was nice. He asked us about our experiences in Japan and our home country. He told us about kanji and wrote our names in kanji. The food was very nice :)
- Esther April 15, 2018
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.
- Jim April 15, 2018
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Michiyo

$46-$70 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
$64 $46 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
$70 $52 Not offered
Alcohol
$8 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $46 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
$70 $52 Not offered
Alcohol
$8 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:30am-1:30pm 5:00pm-8:00pm

Meet Michiyo

Michiyo's bright and open home is a peaceful respite from the intense bustle of Kyoto city center. Her house, a quick 10min train ride from Kyoto station is nestled in a tranquil residential neighborhood and has beautiful views of the famous Hiei-zan mountain. Michiyo enjoys cooking for friends and family and experimenting with new flavors and ingredients she discovers. Whenever she eats something new and interesting, she tries to recreate the flavor at home in her own style. Michiyo's passion for cooking developed when she lived abroad for 5 years - she loved inviting her neighbors who were from all over the world and even taught them authentic Japanese cooking. She realized she was happiest when cooking and feeding people and further honed her cooking skills at a culinary school after returning to Japan. Michiyo looks forward to welcoming travelers into her beautiful family home and connecting with travelers through the love that she puts into her food.

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.

In-home meal: (1-3 guests) Michiyo will pick you up at the train station in her car and together you will drive three minutes to her home. Michiyo and her husband will invite you in for a cultural immersion into Japanese food, drinks, hospitality, and tradition. Michiyo values using seasonal, fresh vegetables sourced from locals in her dishes. Your Japanese feast will begin with a welcome beverage and authentic dishes such as Nikujaga (slow-cooked meat with potatoes and seasonal vegetables), a tofu side dish and dashi-based soup, followed by a main course of perhaps Chirashi-sushi or tender fried chicken flavored with Japanese ingredients. Enjoy a Japanese feast over engaging conversation with this friendly Japanese family.

Michiyo and her husband share their home with El, their well-behaved dachshund dog.

Cooking experience: (1-3 guests) After an introduction to the menu of the day, Michiyo will lead your hands-on cooking experience in her kitchen. Michiyo enjoys sharing her knowledge on Japanese cooking techniques that she has perfected over the years. You will learn how to make dashi stock, a fundamental building block of Japanese cuisine, and to perfectly prepare sushi rice for chirashi-sushi that you will garnish in a traditional wooden bowl. The cooking portion of the experience will take about an hour and half. You will then sit down together to enjoy the authentic Japanese meal you helped prepare.

Notes: For an additional cost, Michiyo offers alcohol carefully selected to accent the food being served.

Languages spoken: Japanese,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.
  • Chirashi-sushi of salmon
  • Nikujaga
  • Japanese style tender fried chicken
  • Marinated silken tofu with canola flower leaves and mango
  • Dashi based soup

Traveler reviews

4.98 (43)
We had an outstanding evening wolith Michiyo and her husband. I learned a lot with regards to Japanese cooking and Michiyo shared many useful tips from our tasty dinner.
- Sascha January 21, 2024
Good time and great food with Michiyo and Kenichi, who made us feel welcome and shared tips about where to go for the rest of our trip. Definitely recommend :)
- 625willr November 01, 2023
Michiyosan is a lovely lady. She informed me beforehand about the exact train details and where to meet. We learned a lot from her teaching. As our son is only 6 years old, her husband entertained him with origami. The food was just divine 🍲😍 love love it!!! Cannot wait to try it back home. This was a true inside of a local home cooking environment, we even all shared our views on current matters. Very pleasant encounter. Thank you very much 😊
- ukemm June 17, 2023
Had a lovely evening with Michiyo and her husband in their charming home. Getting there was easy and quick as Michiyo gave us very clear instructions on which train to take from Kyoto and was even kind enough to pick us up from the train station in her town. The cooking experience was wonderful. First, Michiyo talked us through the basic principles of Japanese cuisine whilst we sipped Sencha tea. The cooking itself was a lot of fun, with Michiyo letting us get hands on with preparing the ingredients and cooking them ourselves. After the food was prepared, we all sat together and ate the delicious food we had made. It was an evening with lots of great conversation and great food. I would highly recommend if you are planning to visit Kyoto.
- Adam P June 05, 2023
We had a wonderful experience cooking with Michiyo and enjoyed an exceptional dinner with her and her husband, Kenji. They picked us up at the train station and invited us into the comfort of their lovely home. We enjoyed learning about essential Japanese ingredients and the prominent role dashi plays in cooking! Michiyo guided us through dishes such as miso soup, Japanese omelet, beef stew, sesame spinach, grilled salmon. We were delightfully served sake with some history from Kenji. It was comfortable, enjoyable and delicious spending time with Michiyo and Kenji and we would highly recommend attending one of her classes.
- Barb T April 30, 2023
My dad and I had a great time learning to cook Japanese cuisine from Michiyo. I'm vegetarian and she took great care to prepared menu that I would be able to enjoy which I appreciated so much. I had a great time learning new cooking techniques that I can't wait to try at home, and having a lovely conversation with her and her husband. We forgot to take our recipe papers and Michiyo even sent them to our next hotel, away from Kyoto. Michiyo has that extra caring touch. Everything was so perfect and so delicious!
- andrea April 23, 2023
My daughter and I spent a very enjoyable evening cooking, eating and having great conversations with Michiyo and her husband, Kenji. We were picked up and dropped off at the train station by our hosts and getting there from downtown Kyoto was a breeze. A special vegetarian menu was prepared for us with an explanation of the ingredients and cooking process at every step. The meal, with sake, was delicious. I have to admit that Michiyo and my daughter did all the food preparation and cooking because I so engrossed in a conversation with Kenji. When we left we forgot to take the printed recipes Michiyo had prepared for us. Michiyo kindly went out of her way to forward these to us at our next hotel in Osaka....this was so nice!! Our time spent with Michiyo and Kenji in their home was a great experience and certainly one of the highlights of our trip to Japan!!
- DavidsS April 22, 2023
It was very interesting to learn how to cook Japanese food. Michiyo is a very good teacher, we learned so much with her.
- am_lie April 18, 2023
This was such a enjoyable experience! Michiyo was so sweet and patient with us even though we got lost and were late to our appointment. She was a very great teacher and went through the steps carefully with us on making the Japanese dishes. She also gave us a mini lesson on traditional Japanese cooking at the beginning as well. Her husband was great company as well. The home was cozy and we felt very welcomed. Michiyo was so nice and gave us traditional Japanese dessert after our home cooked meal. Highly recommended if you want the Japanese cooking experience. Thank you Michiyo and husband. We had a wonderful experience.
- C8564D March 22, 2023
What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!
- HanaAn March 05, 2023
What an amazing experience! Michiyo-san and her husband are delightful, some of the nicest people you could ever meet. We learned about Japanese seasoning techniques, and the dishes were cooked with ingredients we can find at home. They even gave us printed recipes so we can try at home. Regardless of whether or not you know any Japanese, I would recommend this class to anyone who is at all curious about traditional Japanese cuisine!
- Hanaan March 05, 2023
This was a great cooking class. The class is in a very private setting, so you get to ask a lot of questions and gain a great understanding of the process.The most enjoyable part of the class is the overall experience. Michiyo and her Husband Kenji are great host, very friendly and you could spend hours talking to them about almost anything.I would recommend this experience to any person interested in gaining a better understanding of the Japanese culture and its amazing people.
- ivandhernandez December 01, 2019
First, Mrs. Michiyo Kobori answered our emails in no time. Then, very kindly, she offered to pick us up at the train station not far, it was so easy to get there with her indications. Secondly, we received a warm welcome from her and her very kind husband in their private house! Then she explained what meal we would prepare together. She had prepared some pictures of the dishes to give to us and, of course, she had printed the full recipies. We cooked together with all the necessary explanations then we ate the whole meal in their dining room. The whole expierience was amazing, delightful & the meal was delicious. I'm proud to be able to do it again after my return, for my friends in Belgium. Thank you Michiyo !
- crossroadstraveller November 22, 2019
My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to book a cooking lesson and lunch through Travelling Spoon with Michiyo Kobori in Kyoto, Japan. She picked us up at the subway station just a few minutes from her lovely home and about a 30 minute ride from downtown Kyoto. After some conversation and a look around the house we set to work making lunch. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and made sure that my friend and I had lots of hands-on opportunties. We made miso soup, spinach with sesame seeds, beef stew, grilled salmon and Japanese omelet. Michiyo also provided printed copies of the recipes and answered all of our questions. Michiyo's husband joined us for lunch and our conversation was interesting and food was great. One of the highlights of our trip.
- Laurie C November 14, 2019
We booked this experience as part of our holiday to Japan. We wanted to experience local cuisine and culture. We had a most memorable evening with great conversation and amazing food. The cooking class was very well prepared and something that we would be encouraged to try at home. It's less of a "lesson" and more like cooking with friends. Michiyo, our host, prepared a menu that is very tasty and representative of local cuisine, yet not too overwhelming or complicated to put us off trying ourselves. The ingredients can be sourced in our home country (UK) and we even got simple recipes at the end. We can't thank Michiyo enough for a great evening, from picking us up at the station, to making us feel welcome at her home and, of course, preparing and cooking with us.
- dimitris_a01 November 12, 2019
Our family of 5, kids age 8,12,13, visited Japan in October 2019. We absolutely LOVED our cooking lesson. Our host was welcoming and taught us a lot about Japanese cooking. Our kids helped cook and learned origami and then we shared a lovely meal together. The table and presentation of the meal was superb. Excellent hosts, amazing recipes, and the most pleasant meal for our whole family during our visit to Japan. We even went and bought the special omelet pan so we could try the recipe properly at home. This was the favourite part of our whole trip and our family felt welcomed and very full by the end of the session!
- Brandobunch November 03, 2019
My friend and I had the privilege of learning from Michiyo in her own kitchen in Kyoto. We learned to make Miso Soup, Rolled Dashi Omelet, Nikujaga, Grilled Salmon, and Spinach with Sesame. After we cooked, we enjoyed a lovely lunch with Michiyo and her husband.
- canadianvisitor2015 October 18, 2019
While planning for my trip to Japan I wanted to try a new experience and was provided with an incredible opportunity through traveling spoon. I booked my experience with Michiyo Kobori who provided in detail what to expect for the evening. Connecting most to these details provided by my pending host I chose her to be my guide to Japanese cuisine for the evening. I was given ample instructions in how and when to meet her (Important as I was nervous already about directions and getting lost). Michiyo also maintained email correspondence to ensure no confusion as well. I was greeted at our meeting spot with kindness and a warm welcome by my host.From there we traveled a short distance in Michiyo's car to her home; another warm welcome from the family dog as well. There Michiyo provided a short demonstration and description on the key flavors of Japan and also prominent ingredients found in Japanese cooking. Following the short lesson we got to work with the night's dinner (Also printed out in excellently explained recipe sheets as a keepsake and future referencing).The meal was a simple and traditional one consisting of 5 courses. It was fun taking the time to make these dishes and also learning the tricks to making them well when I get home. I am still amazed by the little tool for measuring and whisking miso paste. Delicious and easy to achieve; Michiyo provided me a great memory on my stop in Kyoto. The photos I took gained me many comments and likes from friends and family alike inquiring as to when I would be gracing them with the same opportunities to try Michiyo's cooking.I was also introduced to Michiyo's husband who provided hearty and light dinner and post dinner conversations. They were helpful in their recommendations for the journey in Japan. Again, their directions for how to get to Osaka from Kyoto were most welcome.I would highly recommend this activity for anyone on their trip to Japan. Whether it be a solo or in a group; Look up Michiyo in Kyoto as your guide to the world of Japanese cuisine.
- anthony-k-szeto1987 October 07, 2019
Wonderful experience!!!! Michiyo and her husband were lovely and kind hosts. We learnt from scratch the essentials and tips for a traditional japanese meal. A dinner together, a lovely chat, left us wonderful memories of our Kyoto trip ❤️
- Getaway588526 September 18, 2019
It was really an awesome experience. Not only was the food delicious but we had a wonderful time conversing with Michiyo and your lovely husband. They are lovely people and I would definitely recommend it to others visiting Kyoto and looking for an authentic local experience.
- colinunowoo August 29, 2019
Michiyo is a very nice host. We are so grateful to have learned to cook delicious japanese meals with her. We enjoyed having lunch and had a lovely conversation. Thank you very much for this moment!
- Gla D August 13, 2019
Our Japanese cooking class couldn't have been better! Michiyo is very kind, patient and taught us how to cook a complete, simple and easily doable meal (one main course and 3 side dishes). We shared dinner time with her, her husband and their dog and got to learn more about them. It was a very pleasant time !
- Cecileeec July 27, 2019
My mother, sister and I went to Michiyo's house to be greeted by her husband and dog. What a great day, filled with a fun class and great tips and tricks that I've never learned after so many cooking classes (and TV shows) here in the United States or anywhere else. Our family ate at some of the best places in Japan, but this was actually absolutely one of the most stand-out meals that we had. Michiyo and her husband also taught us a lot about their culture, answered questions that we had from our travels, and invited us in to their lovely home which was a lot of fun to see. I'd definitely recommend this experience. Thank you Michiyo!
- DoonaNYC June 14, 2019
We had an enjoyable morning with Michiyo, teaching us some simple recipes for a full course Japanese lunch (one main course, 3 sides dishes + 1 soup), completed with a specially made tea and dessert.As the kitchen space is pretty limited, we rotated among 4 of us to work on one dish each (with Michiyo guiding us on the recipes). Results: the food was really tasty and simple. Definitely going to try them again when back home.Michiyo, Thank you very much for your hospitality. We loved the session very much!
- lowmh1 June 09, 2019
Host very kind and helpful
- May 02, 2019
We loved the cooking experience and the food but more than anything we loved the warm and friendly hosts and their hospitality. It made our holiday very special and is our top highlight.
- Matt & Amanda April 24, 2019
Michiyo managed a wonderful cooking class! Everything was perfect. The host and her husband are fantastic, warm and welcoming. I recommend this amazing experience!
- April 23, 2019
I truly had a great experience with Michiyo and her family. They are very welcoming and i learned a lot in terms of Japanese culture and cuisine.
- Aileen April 09, 2019
Michiyo was a lovely host. She taught me about Japanese cooking and I was able to help prepare lunch. The food was excellent and would be easy to cook at home again. Michiyo and her husband spoke good English and they gave me some great tips about places to visit and places I might see on my holiday.
- Deb April 03, 2019
Michiyo and her husband were wonderful hosts. Michiyo explained Japanese cooking and ingredients as we made lunch. Over lunch Michiyo and her husband gave me some great recommendations for my holiday.
- 665debrak March 30, 2019
We had a wonderful time cooking and eating several Japanese dishes. The best thing is that we all agreed we felt confident to take these recipes home and make the meal for friends and family. Michiyo is an excellent teacher and her husband a wonderful lunch companion.
- pausuemel March 25, 2019
Michiyo and her husband receive us in their house for a traditional Japanese meal . it was nice to discuss with them as we prepared the lunch. Thank you Michiyo for your hospitality
- Olivier March 25, 2019
Michiyo Kobori And her husband welcomed Us very week. Our family is happy about this moment. We learned to cook japanese dishes. Delicious !
- Pauline March 12, 2019
Michiyo was a wonderful host. She and her husband were kind and eager to share about their culture and lives. They gave us great recommendations for sight-seeing to go along with our delicious meals. Michiyo took care to accomodate our vegeterian diets and made us a meal filled with Japanese vegetables, tofu, soup, and rice. We learned about the food she prepared, traditional Japanese meals, and the proper way to make Matcha tea! I look forward to visiting Japan again because of her hospitality!
- Marina October 15, 2018
Everything was great! Michiyo and her husband were lovely, the food was delicious, and their dog was so sweet.
- Tanya October 15, 2018
My husband and I took a cooking class with Michiyo on the 7th of October 2018. It was easy to get to the meeting point from Kyoto station and was about a 30 minute journey. From the get-go Michiyo was great! She emailed me just to get in touch after my booking and ask me what we would be interested in cooking which was really thoughtful. The cooking class itself was great, there was a good balance between Michiyo (and sometimes her husband) teaching and the actual cooking but what made the class incredibly memorable was getting to spend time with Michiyo, her husband and their mini-daschund! That was really special because they really opened their home to us and we got to chat with them about all sorts of things, getting to learn more about Japanese culture. 10/10 would recommend, take a class with Michiyo!! Do it for the food (I am definitely more confident about trying Japanese recipes and I am for sure going to try and make tonkatsu back home) and most of all - do it for the heart-warming company.
- ptan36 October 08, 2018
Michiyo and her husband were really great. My husband and I took a class with them on 07/10/2018 and it was awesome! Because not only was the cooking class great ( they taught us things we never knew before) but Michiyo and her husband really opened up their cosy home to us, we chatted about all sorts of things and my husband and I got some really good insight into Japanese culture. The food and cooking class was lovely (really, we think Michiyo's tonkatsu tasted much better than a restaurant's) but really what made the whole experience fantastic was the company of Michiyo and her husband and of course their dog! Thank you both once again!! 10/10 would recommend!!
- Phoebe October 07, 2018
Mischio and her husband were very kind and warmfull The cooking experience was great and we had very interresting conversations in the culture, the habits of japanese people. It was a great expérience for us. I recommend !!
- Valerie October 01, 2018
What a beautiful experience ! Our host and her husband were so nice with us. We have learnt more in this cooking lesson on japanese way of life than on a guide book. Thank you Michiyo
- Valérie G. August 08, 2018
after experiencing such an incredible hospitality,we will do that in every country we travel if possible.Hopefully we have a second change to visit Japan. If so we will certainly try to meet the Kobri family. the Koboris again.
- JK July 20, 2018
- May 04, 2018
Michiyo picked us up from the station and welcomed us in her home. This provides a personal atmosphere we like. I expected it to be a cooking workshop in which i follow a recipe or instructions from the tutor, instead Michiyo cooked the food in front of us, showing how to do it. I personally would have liked to do more things myself. I told her I would like to engage more in the process and she let me. I think Michiyo was trying hard to give us a good experience, I hope she will be able to relax more in the future and find some time to do small talk. Michiyo's husband was home as well and was very talkative which was nice. He asked us about our experiences in Japan and our home country. He told us about kanji and wrote our names in kanji. The food was very nice :)
- Esther April 15, 2018
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.
- Jim April 15, 2018
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
In-Home Meal
$64 $46 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
$70 $52 Not offered
Alcohol
$8 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
In-Home Meal
$64 $46 Not offered
Cooking Experience + Meal
$70 $52 Not offered
Alcohol
$8 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:00pm-2:00pm 6:00pm-8:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:30am-1:30pm 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 3% 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.

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    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.

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    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.

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    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.