Japanese Bento Box Cooking Class in a Small Group Kyoto

Washoku, the traditional cuisine of Japan

Washoku was added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013, and Kyoto is one of the best places in Japan to understand it. The idea is simple and elegant: fresh, seasonal ingredients, a harmonious balance of flavours, colours and textures, and respect for the natural taste of each food rather than heavy sauces.

Your chef explains these principles as you cook, from the importance of umami to the way a Japanese meal balances rice, soup and several small side dishes. You will see why Kyoto cooking is known for its delicate, refined style, shaped over centuries by the old imperial court and the city's temples. It is the perfect introduction if you want to understand the food you will eat during the rest of your trip.

The bento box, a meal in a box

A bento is a portable lunch box made of separate small dishes, eaten every day in Japan by schoolchildren, office workers and travellers on the train. A good bento is a little work of art: each compartment holds a different colour and texture, so the box is as pleasing to look at as it is to eat.

In this bento cooking class in Kyoto you make four classic components. Sushi rolls teach you how to season rice and use a bamboo mat; tempura shows the secret of a cold, light batter and the right oil temperature; the tofu salad brings freshness; and tamagoyaki, the sweet rolled omelette, is cooked layer by layer in a square pan. Finally you arrange them neatly, just as a Japanese cook would.

The class: dashi, knife skills and tempura

The heart of the class is technique. You start with dashi, the clear stock that is the foundation of Japanese cooking, usually made from kombu seaweed and dried bonito flakes, and taste how it gives depth to the dishes. Then your chef shows you how to hold and use a Japanese knife, cutting vegetables cleanly and evenly in the Japanese way.

Frying tempura is the most fun part for many guests: you learn to mix the batter lightly, judge the oil and lift each piece out golden and crisp. With only five people in the group, you cook with your own hands at every step and have time to ask questions. The class lasts two and a half hours and finishes with the meal you made, eaten together around the table.

Saiin, a local neighbourhood in western Kyoto

The class takes place near Saiin, a lively residential and shopping area in western Kyoto, far from the tourist crowds. Saiin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line is only a few minutes by train from Karasuma and Kyoto-kawaramachi in the city centre, and the Randen tram towards Arashiyama also stops here, so it is easy to combine the class with a visit to the bamboo grove.

You meet at a cafe about five minutes on foot from the station, where the chef comes to collect you and takes you to the kitchen. Please be on time: arriving more than fifteen minutes late cancels the reservation. The 09:00 class fits before an afternoon of sightseeing, the 13:00 class makes a perfect late lunch, and the 17:00 class becomes your dinner.