Top Kansai Dining Experiences

Learn how to make an authentic cup of matcha during your time in Osaka in this small-group class. Whether you're traveling solo or are part of a group, your instructor walks you through each step and corrects any mistakes. All of the tools and ingredients are prepared for you, and your tea break comes with Japanese sweets for the full experience.

Ramen and gyoza are two of Japan’s most popular and tasty dishes, and rather than just eating them in restaurants, this cooking class teaches you to make them from scratch. Rather than having to source ingredients, everything you need is provided, with a chef to provide step-by-step guidance. Then, at the end, you can enjoy the best bit—savoring the taste of your delicious Japanese foodie creations.

Avoid superficial travel experiences and gain a deeper, more meaningful introduction to Japanese tradition in Kyoto with a private tea ceremony inside a traditional home. Instead of simply observing, you’re guided by a tea master who explains the purpose behind each gesture as you learn to prepare matcha the traditional way. It’s a calm, immersive experience that replaces uncertainty with clear understanding of etiquette and ritual.

Osaka is home to some of Japan's best food, and this group sushi-making session is a great way to sharpen your culinary skills. Instead of just going out for sushi, why not learn how to make it at home, too? Eat when you're hungriest with classes in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

Even if your visit to Japan doesn’t coincide with the official sumo season, you can still watch wrestlers show off their skills during a sumo show experience in Kyoto. Not only will you watch the retired athletes perform classic moves in a traditional ring, but you’ll enjoy unlimited food and drinks, and you can even challenge a wrestler to a match.

Mochi balls are one of Japan’s favorite snacks; this mochi-pounding experience helps you do more than just eat the sweet or savory treats, and tells you how to make your own mochi at home. A small group promises personalized attention from your instructor, while a selection of different flavors ensures a bite for all tastes.

When traveling abroad, there is no other experience like cooking and eating a meal with a local. Emika opens her Kyoto home to visitors to cook a meal and share conversation. Enjoy learning to make traditional Obanzai cuisine, like marinated mushrooms, slow-cooked vegetables, miso soup and tofu dishes with your Kyoto native host. Chat over the meal you prepared, and get recommendations on the city.

Take a deep-dive into Japanese culture and experience Osaka like a local on this evening walking tour. Join your guide on an exploration of the city’s historic districts, including the former ghetto and the Red Light district. Learn about Osaka’s history, heritage, and local traditions; venture down the backstreets to visit quirky sites often missed by travelers; and sample traditional street foods. Upgrade to include a delicious dinner.

Create your own rare, rainbow-colored Takoyaki, learn to cook it with guidance from your staff, enjoy all-you-can-eat fun, and taste a variety of Japanese dishes — a rare and unforgettable experience in Osaka!

Your private food tour begins in front of FamilyMart Sanno, where you'll meet your expert guide ready to take you on a culinary journey through Osaka. You'll visit five different eateries, ranging from backstreet stalls to standing bars, each offering a unique taste of traditional Osakan food. One of the highlights of the tour is Shinsekai, a district known for its vibrant food scene. Your guide will lead you through the hidden gems of Shinsekai's backstreets, where you'll discover authentic eateries serving up tantalizing dishes. Despite the lack of English menus, your guide will ensure you have a seamless dining experience, explaining each dish and helping you interact with locals. As you explore the markets and neighborhoods, you'll soak in the genuine neighborhood atmosphere while the aroma of delicious food fills the air. From exciting and fresh flavors to a mix of old and new, Osaka's food scene is sure to delight your taste buds and leave you feeling like a true Osakan.

Enjoy a delicious plate of Osaka’s most famous street food, takoyaki. Learn how to make your own grilled octopus balls in this cooking class. You’ll use your teacher’s secret recipe and special ingredients like Wagyu and cheese to make takoyaki that may be even better than what you can buy outside. Enhance the experience with a Japanese sake tasting led by a sake sommelier.

This is the only place in Japan where you can learn from a sushi chef! ︎ Try wearing a happi coat, take photos, and try making sushi! ︎ There's also a souvenir corner!

This hands-on culinary experience in Kyoto offers much more than your standard sushi-making class. As well as learning tips and tricks to get the iconic rolled rice dish right at home, you’ll witness a live tuna cutting demonstration and will have the chance to make and eat unlimited sushi rather than a limited amount.

Discover the culinary traditions of Japan in Osaka, one of Japan’s best food cities, on this small-group cooking lesson at a local's home. Learn how to prepare popular Japanese dishes including *okonomiyaki* (savory pancakes), *takoyaki* (deep fried octopus balls), and miso soup. You can expand your Japanese cuisine knowledge, and best of all, eat your creations when you’re finished.

If you want to party like they do in Osaka, this bar-hopping tour is perfect for you. Your local guide takes you to traditional Izakaya bars that only locals know. If you don’t speak Japanese, don’t let language barriers get in your way. Your guide helps to explain the menus, and order unique, local dishes and drinks for you. Enjoy enough drinks and food to make up a full meal; vegetarians and vegans can also be accommodated.

◆Beautiful Dance by Maiko Enjoy the elegant dance of Maiko up close. Alongside your meal, the Maiko’s delicate and captivating dance performed right in front of you adds an extra layer of elegance to your special experience. ◆Traditional Games Ozashiki asobi (Traditional Games) offers a rare opportunity to deeply experience Kyoto’s culture. Through traditional games, we create a joyful and memorable time, making your experience even more special. ◆Omakase Course Menu We offer a luxurious course menu featuring carefully selected Kyoto vegetables, fresh seafood, and Satsuma Wagyu beef. Chef Tominaga combines the creative freedom nurtured in New York with the traditional techniques refined in Kyoto, crafting each dish with great care. We promise a special moment to enjoy the seasonal flavors throughout the year.

• Not just a tasting — learn how to choose sake like a local in Kyoto. • Taste 5 carefully selected sake varieties, including local Kyoto sake • Enjoy food pairings that highlight the unique flavors of each sake • Beginner-friendly explanations using simple and visual methods • Learn the basics of sake, including polishing ratios and brewing styles • Small group setting for a relaxed and interactive experience • Perfect for solo travelers, couples, and first-time sake drinkers

Enjoy a quintessential Japanese tradition in the heart of Kyoto. This tea ceremony takes place in an historic wooden townhouse ("machiya"), which is now the Nishijin Lifestyle Museum. Soak up traditional Japanese culture and learn more about this artful ritual without worrying about making mistakes. Have the opportunity to wear a kimono during the ceremony and townhouse tour.

In this class, you will experience making home-style ramen and homemade gyoza from scratch using simple ingredients in a home environment. Not only will you get to enjoy a fun cultural experience during your Japan trip, but with the skills you learn, you can actually try and cook these dishes once you return home. My guests often tell me that they're surprised how simple it is to make and how delicious the food turns out. After my class, you will hopefully have the confidence to cook some delicious Japanese food for your loved ones at home.

Enjoy a cooking class in an atmospheric setting—a beautiful wooden house in Kyoto. The cooking experience introduces you to local recipes that you wouldn’t be able to find in restaurants, and techniques that have been passed down through many generations of the host’s family. Dishes prepared vary depending on the time of year, but sample menu items could be chikuzenni (braised chicken and vegetables), braised burdock root, and miso soup.

This is the highlight of Osaka's authentic foodie experience with Local, covering "Netflix Street food Osaka" area. This tour is a ​small group only (up to 6 people​), because we will go to all small hidden gems. All guides are Food loving Japanese local(also a professional guide). Tenjinbashi entertaining​ Area is a really unique and amazing place, not yet with foreign tourists. When We have Japanese friends visiting Osaka, every time we take them here, then they became super happy. We are very fascinated in searching yummy food restaurant in this area for long years. The guide will take you to very hidden deep spots which provide fantastic food. They are not 5-stars Hotel or Michelin Restaurant, but food quality is top for sure in “B-class Food category” and it's a “Soul” of Osaka city

Immerse yourself in Japanese and Osakan cuisine and explore the iconic Kuromon Market on a guided walking food tasting tour with a small group. Benefit from the relationship that your guide has with the vendors as you walk around the market sampling more than 10 different food items, including fresh seafood, okonomiyaki, dessert, Japanese tea, and more.

You will learn the basic information of miso such as the making process, the variety of miso. After tasting 5 different types of miso, guests will make own miso which guests can bring back with them. It includes the tips to how to use each type of miso for daily cooking, so that guests can have more cooking variety even after they are back home. This workshop is perfect for those who love cooking and want to deepen their knowledge of miso.