Private Kyoto Market Tour and Authentic Cooking Class with Aki

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Kyoto, Japan

4 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Travelers who love Japanese food and want to learn how to make it at home will enjoy this cooking lesson experience. Tour a local market and learn about Japanese ingredients, as well as how to select the best ones. Take a cooking lesson in your instructor’s home, and also see how the locals live and dine. Enjoy eating what you produce afterwards.

Learn new skills while having fun and eating a Japanese meal
Receive personalized attention with a private lesson
Meal, beverages, and 1-2 glasses of local alcohol are included
An interesting activity for experienced and beginner cooks

Sample Menu

Starter

Miso soup

Starter

Seasonal vegetable sides such as marinated spinach with sesame or burdock root

Main

Chikuzenni

a main dish of braised chicken and vegetables that originated from Kyushu

Dessert

A glass of tea

What's Included

Private market tour and cooking class with your host Aki
Homecooked Japanese meal
Non-alcoholic beverages

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Demachi Futaba
236 Seiryūchō, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0822, Japan
For your market tour, meet Aki at a mochi store named 'Demachi Futaba' near Demachiyanagi Station on the Keihan line. Here is a Google Maps link to the mochi store: https://goo.gl/maps/PJs1Bzyz7fN2

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.10:30 am

What To Expect

Traveling Spoon

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Menu may vary depending on the season
If any travelers in your party have any allergies, dietary restrictions or cooking preferences please advise at time of booking

Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Private, personalized experience
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Daniel_M

Take this tour. Aki is a magnificent host. Learned about living in Kyoto, the market and Japanese cuisine. Considering our travels all over the world over the world, this experience was among the very best.

Reviews

5.0

based on 16 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fun, interesting look into local Kyoto life and cuisine!

Jocelyn_O, Apr 2026

This was our favorite activity on our entire trip to Japan and the best cooking class we've ever experienced (and we've tried a lot around the world)! My parents, husband and I had the best time with Aki and learned a lot--she was so kind, smart, fun, and knowledgable. She put so much effort into preparing a great and customized experience for us based on different dishes we were interested in. She also managed to engage four people with varying levels of cooking skill and interest. Getting to go to the market to fun to learn more about local Japanese life and her house is SO cute. The dishes we made were delicious and she did just the right amount of prep work. Thank you so much, Aki!

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are truly honored to hear that your experience with Aki was your favorite activity in Japan and the best cooking class you have enjoyed anywhere in the world. That is incredibly special to hear. We are delighted that Aki created such a thoughtful and customized experience for your family, and that she was able to engage everyone regardless of cooking skill or interest level. She takes great pride in sharing her knowledge, warmth, and love of Japanese cuisine with her guests. It is also lovely to hear that you enjoyed visiting the market, learning about local life, and cooking delicious dishes together in her charming home. Thank you again for choosing Traveling Spoon. We will be sure to share your kind words with Aki, who will be so happy to know she helped create such a memorable part of your trip.

Take this tour. Aki is a...

Daniel_M, Oct 2025

Amazing Day with Aki and Kyoto

johnchic, Apr 2025

This experience was a highlight of o our trip it was such a personal experience with these two lovely women. Shopping and being introduced to local foods in a local market. Cooking in a home and being taught about new ingredients and techniques was an amazing experience. This is a once in a lifetime experience. This is a must when visiting Kyoto and Japan. Thank you for the amazing experience. John, Erick, and Shawn

Don’t miss an incredible experience.

Rick_J, Sep 2024

We have been on many experiences/tours and this was the best we have ever experienced. Aki was so easy to be around, was informative and well prepared. The cooking was fun, extremely well organized and was our best meal in Japan by a mile. If you can book this experience, do it.

Educational and Delicious

Marc_H, Oct 2023

We are so happy we took a cooking class with Aki. It got us out of the touristy parts of Kyoto and we were able to experience an authentic Japanese market with the cutest shops and talk with the owners (with the help of Aki who spoke great English and Japanese.) I learned some great cooking tips and can’t wait to show off my new recipes back home with my friends and family.

Heartwarming cooking experience

Helena_H, Jun 2023

This was one of the best experiences we had during our three month trip to Japan. Aki is lovely, heartwarming person and cooking with her in her beautiful home was an wholesome experience. Thank you for taking good care of us. Your warm presence is something our daughter still remembers ❤️