Bento Box Cooking Class
Recommended by 99% of travelers
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Kyoto, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Learn to create your own bento box, the iconic (and tasty) convenience meal enjoyed daily by millions of Japanese, during this cooking class in Kyoto. Uncover the origins of this uniquely Japanese foodstuff, and watch master chefs as they demonstrate key cooking techniques, before learning to make your own. Finish your course by enjoying your handmade bento box with other food lovers.
- This compact experience is ideal for time-pressed food lovers
- Watch master chefs as they demonstrate Japanese cooking techniques
- Personal attention: Get hands-on guidance from your class leader
- Take the recipes home and cook for friends and family
Sample Menu
Starter
Gomaae Sesame Salad
Starter
Miso soup
Main
Teriyaki Chicken
Main
Tempura
Main
Sushi roll
What's Included
- Lunch
- All ingredients for cooking
- English-speaking cooking instructor
- Apron
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Cooking Sun679 Funayachō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8466, Japan
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:30 am
What To Expect
Discover the art and science behind one of Japan’s most beloved convenience meals, the bento box, during a 3- to 3.5-hour course allowing the chance to make a bento of your very own. This cooking lesson is a fascinating way to learn the history, preparation and culture behind this delicious Japanese meal.
Begin your bento box course in the morning at a cooking studio in Kyoto. Start your session with some background into the origins of this Japanese foodstuff. The history of the bento begins in the 13th century, a time during which the Song Dynasty used the word ‘bento’ as a slang term for anything convenient.
Start your cooking experience with a lesson from a Japanese master chef, who will demonstrate the techniques used to prepare many bento box staples. Try your hand at creating several typical bento box specialties, including miso soup, tempura vegetables and egg rolls, a perennial favorite of Japanese schoolchildren nationwide. Depending on when you take your course, the menu may differ, as it’s adjusted every three months to include the best-available seasonal ingredients.
At the conclusion of your cooking class, stow your knife and apron and sit down to enjoy the delicious flavors of your handmade bento box creation with other course participants. When you finish your bento lunch, you’ll also be given copies of the session recipes so you can recreate them for friends and family back home.
Click on "View Additional Info" for cooking studio location.
Begin your bento box course in the morning at a cooking studio in Kyoto. Start your session with some background into the origins of this Japanese foodstuff. The history of the bento begins in the 13th century, a time during which the Song Dynasty used the word ‘bento’ as a slang term for anything convenient.
Start your cooking experience with a lesson from a Japanese master chef, who will demonstrate the techniques used to prepare many bento box staples. Try your hand at creating several typical bento box specialties, including miso soup, tempura vegetables and egg rolls, a perennial favorite of Japanese schoolchildren nationwide. Depending on when you take your course, the menu may differ, as it’s adjusted every three months to include the best-available seasonal ingredients.
At the conclusion of your cooking class, stow your knife and apron and sit down to enjoy the delicious flavors of your handmade bento box creation with other course participants. When you finish your bento lunch, you’ll also be given copies of the session recipes so you can recreate them for friends and family back home.
Click on "View Additional Info" for cooking studio location.
1
Cooking Sun Kyoto
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- A maximum of 8 people per booking
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Audrey_T
This was our favorite activity in all of Japan! We were looking for a Japanese cooking class but most were just a single item. In this class with our wonderful chef/teacher Akiko, we made 6 different dishes! From the fluffy rolled omelets, spinach salad with homemade sesame dressing, chicken teriyaki, sushi roll, miso soup from scratch -to the spectacular shrimp and veggie tempura- it was an amazing experience! Akiko was an outstanding teacher who was not only able to explain the history of the ingredients and guide us through making food but also explain the all important presentation of the full bento box. And to top it off- it was all delicious! We had a great time cooking with our teen children and feel confident we could *mostly* reproduce the meal at home! :) We were given the full recipies for the dishes to take home so we feel optimistic! Thank you so much for this amazing experience Akiko-we are so appreciative!
Reviews
5.0
based on 178 reviews
Audrey_T, Feb 2026
This was our favorite activity in all of Japan! We were looking for a Japanese cooking class but most were just a single item. In this class with our wonderful chef/teacher Akiko, we made 6 different dishes! From the fluffy rolled omelets, spinach salad with homemade sesame dressing, chicken teriyaki, sushi roll, miso soup from scratch -to the spectacular shrimp and veggie tempura- it was an amazing experience! Akiko was an outstanding teacher who was not only able to explain the history of the ingredients and guide us through making food but also explain the all important presentation of the full bento box. And to top it off- it was all delicious! We had a great time cooking with our teen children and feel confident we could *mostly* reproduce the meal at home! :) We were given the full recipies for the dishes to take home so we feel optimistic! Thank you so much for this amazing experience Akiko-we are so appreciative!
Sarah_F, Jan 2026
I have food allergies and they were very careful and helpful. The staff explained everything and were very kind.
Christine_C, Nov 2025
It was more than I even imagined. The instructors were precise and very informative. I cook a lot of Asian foods and was thankful to have learned some extra stkills that I didn’t know. Thank you.
Harold_K, Nov 2025
A fun way to learn and experience Japanese cooking. 12 people were individually supervised by 3 chefs. We learned about the food and what and why a Bento Box is prepared. We made delicious food.
Christine_W, Oct 2025
Fantastic cooking experience! It was very well organised, very clear instructions to follow and easy to understand and most importantly, delicious food. Highly recommend.
Milena_T, Mar 2025
It was great fun. Got to prepare a variety of dishes and learn more about japanese cuisine. Everything was very tasty.
Kellie_H, Dec 2024
Lovely staff, great experience to learn more about traditional Japanese cooking. Made our own lunch which was a lot more than we could eat.
Wendi_O, Dec 2024
Fun, informative, and delicious! Went with my teenage daughter and we both loved the class. The instructors are fantastic. A high point of our trip to Japan.
Matthew_J, Nov 2024
Great activity well run and enjoyable. I booked this mainly for my partner but ended up enjoying it as much.
Moira_A, Oct 2024
We loved our bento box cooking class. The chefs were friendly and helpful and we picked up som great tips for making it again at home.
The food we made was delicious!
fumikops, Jul 2024
A fun way to spend 2 hours! This activity exceeded my expectations. Learned a lot about Japanese dishes, ingredients, & techniques. Instructors demonstrated some more technical tasks for us like the rolled egg, rolling the maki sushi & were there helping us every step of the way for each dish. Everything was so efficient and organized! Having a small group (9 total) allowed us to get individualized attention. Dishes are easy to make & we are excited to try them at home. Instructions & recipes printed for us to take home.
Nita_K, Jun 2024
My husband and I took this fun class with 9 other people and enjoyed it very much. The 3 instructors spoke English well and were relaxed and patient while describing and demonstrating how to make each item in the bento box. We all got hands on experience making an omelet, teriyaki chicken, spinach/sesame salad, tempura shrimp & vegetables and a sushi roll. Then we got to eat it all for lunch - yum! We definitely have a newfound appreciation for the amount of work that goes into a bento box, especially considering we didn't have to chop everything up as that was all done for us in advance. We would recommend this class as it was a fun way to spend 3 hours and learn a little about Japanese culture and food.
Caitlyn_H, May 2024
This cooking class was so much fun! My husband and I try and do cooking classes with each trip we take and this was one of the best! You make so many different types of food during this class and have a delicious and filling lunch once it is complete. Learning how to do tempura and roll your own sushi are just so of the highlights. If you love to cook, this experience is definitely for you. The instructors are very helpful and it is so easy to follow the recipes. You are given copies of the recipes to take home with you as well!
Sunny_J, Feb 2024
This was a great beginner cooking class for Japanese food! The best part was getting tips and tricks for making your own dashi and when to use different color soy sauces.
Lucy_T, Feb 2024
This class was one of our favourite activities during our trip to Japan! The hosts spoke good english and were incredible at demonstrating and giving background to the food we were making. Our bento boxes turned out beautifully and the whole process was a very satisfying, when we got to eat the food we had created! Would definitely recommend!
Beth_W, Feb 2024
Best cooking class we have ever done. Well organized. It was great to learn about multiple different Japanese cuisines.
Bao_C, Feb 2024
I enjoyed learning how to make simple Japanese dishes, especially the chicken teriyaki since I had a lot of trouble in the past making it.
Linda_S, Feb 2024
This class was amazing! The chefs were experienced and friendly. I would definitely recommend this experience!
Wendy_A, Feb 2024
My husband and I took this class together after I had taken another class with Cooking Sun and he then wanted to try the class. Once again we both loved the class and found the teachers to be excellent at giving instructions, being extremely well organized, and giving us the history and understanding a little of the Japanese thoughts on eating. You were able to ask all the questions that you might have especially around sushi and the why's and how to's. The result of the cooking were delicious and everyone in the class was very proud of what we managed to make. All in all it is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon and come away with a little knowledge and a full stomach!
Brendan_S, Jan 2024
We absolutely loved this class! It was fun to learn the ingredients and especially wonderful to talk to and learn from our host. The layered egg roll was fun to make. Make sure that you're hungry!
Abel_K, Nov 2023
The three ladies giving the cooking class were all very friendly, patient and humorous. There was a good balance between getting instructions and explanation and cooking yourself. The fun part is that you really get to cook many different meals by yourself in this class. And in the end of course it was time for lunch and it was delicious 😋.
Adele_O, Nov 2023
This was a great experience with lovely, skilled instructors. I highly recommend this bento box cooking class!
Talia_A, Oct 2023
The food tasted very good The instructors explained everything clearly
Very enjoyable making everything
Dumindra_G, Oct 2023
My friend and I signed up for this cooking class and it turned about to be a delightful and fun morning. We learned about a variety of popular Japanese foods. The instructors were charming. The food was good. I will probably try these recipes again at home.
bobbby, Sep 2023
Our instructors were very knowledgeable and so kind! We made an assortment of foods, and I learned some new cooking techniques. Some highlights were the sushi rolling and tempura frying. The bento boxes came out beautifully, and we were really glad we took this class! Would highly recommend for friends, couples, and families. It’s a great way to spend a morning.
Alison_G, Sep 2023
We had a great time making our boxes and really enjoyed eating them at the end. I would highly recommend. It was also a very relaxing way to spend a few hours out of an otherwise hectic sightseeing schedule 😊
Genie_B, Jul 2023
This was the third cooking class I have taken in Japan and BY FAR the best. We learned how to make a ton of dishes from start to finish (a lot of other courses cheat and give you a bunch of already made ingredients). Everything was well prepped and thoughtfully set up so that even though we made a lot, it felt seem less. The instructors were welcoming, clear, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!!!
Chaney_S, Jun 2023
The food was great and the instructors were helpful! Would definitely recommend! We skipped breakfast, which I would not recommend, definitely have something to eat before because cooking and not being able to eat it until the end gets you hungry!
Pauline_M, Jun 2023
We covered quite a few recipes in the class. Very organized, clear and informative. The ladies made it very interesting and fun. The final results and presentation were impressive. I enjoyed the class very much
Sierra_R, Jun 2023
Everyone was so patient and understanding, and the entire class was well-planned. I learned so much and now I want to cook at home! Delicious, healthy, and simple dishes that taught me a lot about Japanese home cooking
From $70.32
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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