Kyoto Family Kitchen offers authentic Japanese home cooking experiences in a warm family setting. Guests learn to prepare and enjoy a variety of traditional dishes that Japanese families regularly eat at home.
Menu options include:
• Traditional Japanese Set Meals featuring favorites such as Chicken Teriyaki, Oyako Don, Okonomiyaki, Gyudon, Tonkatsu, Nikujaga, Shogayaki, Takoyaki, and seasonal hot pots (nabe).
• Pescatarian Menus with dishes such as Teriyaki Salmon, Miso Salmon, Buri (Yellowtail) Teriyaki, Buri Daikon, and other seasonal fish specialties.
• Vegetarian Menus featuring Tofu Steak, Tofu Teriyaki, seasonal vegetables, plant-based soups, and traditional side dishes.
All menus typically include Japanese soup (miso or clear soup), tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette), seasonal vegetable dishes, steamed rice, and a homemade dessert.
Guests may also choose optional hands-on experiences such as homemade gyoza, yakisoba, ramen-making, Wagyu beef tasting, sushi parties, and other seasonal specialties.
With years of experience hosting international guests, families, couples, and groups of up to 8 people, we focus on practical home cooking, cultural exchange, and creating memorable experiences around the family dinner table.
Ramen is a noodle soup dish and perhaps one of the most popular Japanese dishes. There are many flavours of ramen, such as Shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, Miso ramen, Tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen and so on. Common toppings are Chashu (braised pork), Negi (green onion) and Nori (dried seaweed).
Gyoza is a dumpling using wrapping thing dough to hold the inner ingredients. Most commonly, minced pork, cabbage, Garlic and Leek. The origin of Gyoza is from China but it has evolved uniquely in Japan and now quite different from the Chinese one.
Udon (うどん) is a type of thick wheat flour noodle. It is similar to Italian pasta, but much thicker. It has been eaten all over Japan as an easy-to-eat popular meal, and a substitute meal for rice dishes. Udon is often served hot as a noodle soup in its simplest form, as "kake udon", in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. The flavor of broth and topping vary from region to region.
Takoyaki is very cute, small battered balls containing octopus. When you visit Osaka, you can see Takoyaki shops and people wandering the streets while eating it.
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake, made with flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, meat and toppings as you like. This variability is reflected in the dish's name: "okonomi" literally means "to one's liking". You can eat it everywhere in Japan, but especially Okonomiyaki made Hiroshima style and Osaka style are the most famous.
Nikujaga literally means “meat and potatoes”, from two of the main ingredients niku (meat) and jagaimo (potatoes). It’s a comfort food for the Japanese and it is a very popular meal cooked at home. It is often considered “mother’s cooking” (“ofukuro no aji” おふくろの味 in Japanese) as each household cooks it just slightly different. The food itself is very simple and homely, and the warm bowl of your mother’s nikujaga brings one back to their roots. It is probably the most popular dish among all kinds of nimono (煮物 Japanese stewed dishes).
Rice is a staple food in Japan. In all most every family, there is a rice cooker. There is variety of Japanese rice brands such as Koshihikari and Hitomebore.
Step into a real Kyoto family home and experience Japanese cooking the way local families enjoy it every day.
After arriving, you'll be welcomed with a drink and introduced to the menu for the day. Together, we'll prepare a complete Japanese meal using fresh ingredients and practical cooking techniques that you can easily recreate at home.
Depending on your preferences, the menu may include dishes such as Chicken Teriyaki, Oyako Don (chicken and egg rice bowl), Okonomiyaki, Gyudon (beef rice bowl), Tonkatsu, Shogayaki (ginger pork), seasonal fish dishes, tofu dishes, miso soup, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette), seasonal vegetable side dishes, steamed rice, and a traditional Japanese dessert.
This is a hands-on experience. Guests will help prepare ingredients, learn cooking techniques, season dishes, shape and roll tamagoyaki, and participate in the cooking process from start to finish. Optional experiences such as homemade gyoza, ramen-making, yakisoba, Wagyu beef tasting, or seasonal specialties may also be available.
Once the cooking is finished, we'll sit down together around the family table and enjoy the meal we have created. This is often our guests' favorite part of the experience, as it provides an opportunity to ask questions, learn about daily life in Japan, and enjoy genuine cultural exchange in a relaxed family atmosphere.
Our home can accommodate families, couples, friends, and groups of up to 8 guests. Whether this is your first visit to Japan or your tenth, we hope you'll leave not only with new cooking skills, but also with wonderful memories and a deeper understanding of Japanese family life.
Arrive at our family home in the northern hills of Kyoto and make yourself comfortable. We’ll enjoy a drink, chat about your travels, and introduce the menu and activities for the evening. It’s a relaxed start that helps everyone feel at home before we begin cooking together.
We’ll prepare homemade Japanese gyoza together, learning how to fill, fold, and cook these delicious dumplings. This hands-on activity is fun for both adults and children, and many guests say it’s one of the highlights of the experience. Once they’re ready, we’ll enjoy them hot from the pan.
Next, we’ll prepare some of the key dishes for our meal, such as dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelette) and other seasonal favorites. You’ll learn practical techniques and cooking tips that can be easily recreated at home.
As the meal comes together, we’ll prepare the rice and set the table just as a Japanese family would before dinner. This is a chance to learn about everyday Japanese dining customs and get ready to enjoy the meal we’ve created together.
Once everything is ready, we’ll gather around the table, say “Itadakimasu,” and enjoy the meal we have prepared together. Share stories, ask questions about life in Japan, and experience the warmth of a traditional family meal.
As the evening comes to a close, we’ll enjoy a little more conversation and reflect on the meal we shared together. We hope you’ll leave with new recipes, new memories, and a deeper connection to Japan.
Anthony
Hi! We’re Anthony and Naomi, and we’d love to welcome you to Kyoto Family Kitchen. Naomi is an amazing home cook who trained professionally, and I’m here to make sure you feel right at home while we cook, chat, and share stories. We live in a quiet suburb just outside Kyoto with our three kids (all under 15), our gentle dog, and a curious cat who might stop by to say hello. Our home is a place where guests can relax, laugh, and enjoy a true taste of everyday Japanese life. Together, we’ll roll up our sleeves, cook delicious seasonal dishes, and enjoy the warm, lively atmosphere of a Japanese family kitchen. Come hungry for good food, good company, and a memorable time together!
The closest station
Miyakehachiman Station
How to get to the station?
From Demachiyanagi Station: 10mins
Exact location provided after booking.
Duration of this cooking class is 2.5 hours.
It costs 13500 per person.
Up to 8 people can join Anthony's cooking class.
Yes, Kyoto Family Kitchen: Hands-On Japanese Home Cooking and Cultural Experience has a vegetarian option.
You will receive the confirmation within 24 hours.
We accepts these cards on airKitchen.
Cancellations up to 48 hours prior to the class begins will be fully refunded by the airKitchen cancellation policy.
