Ramen, Gyoza & Fried Rice Cooking Class with Pro Chefs Kyoto

Shijo-Kawaramachi: meeting in the heart of Kyoto

The class begins at the Shijo-Kawaramachi crossing, the busiest junction in downtown Kyoto, where two of the city's main shopping streets meet. Your guide waits beside a small stone pyramid topped with a black globe, a monument marking the 35th parallel north that runs close to this spot, and from there it is only a three-minute walk to the cooking studio.

The location makes the class easy to combine with sightseeing. The covered Teramachi and Shinkyogoku arcades start a few steps away, Nishiki Market, the long food street nicknamed Kyoto's kitchen, is about five minutes on foot, and the Kamo River, Pontocho and Gion are just across the Shijo bridge. If you are asking how to get to the meeting point, Kyoto-Kawaramachi and Gion-Shijo stations are both within a few minutes' walk, and many city buses stop at the crossing.

Ramen from scratch with a ramen master

Ramen arrived in Japan from Chinese noodle soups and became a national passion in the 20th century; today almost every region has its own style. Kyoto is known for rich, deep broths and savoury soy-based bowls, and the city even has a street in the north-east lined with ramen shops. In this class you learn the heart of every bowl: the noodles.

Under the ramen master's eye you mix and knead the dough, roll it out and cut it into strands, learning why ramen noodles are springy and slightly yellow compared with other noodles. Then you cook them and build your bowl with broth and toppings such as sliced meat, egg, green onion and seaweed. The process is designed to be simple enough to repeat after your trip, which is why many guests call this the best cooking class in Kyoto for beginners.

Gyoza: pleating and pan-frying dumplings

Gyoza came to Japan from northern China and became one of the country's favourite side dishes after the mid-20th century, almost always served alongside ramen. The Japanese style is thin-skinned and pan-fried, then steamed under a lid so the top stays soft and juicy while the bottom turns golden and crisp.

You fill round wrappers with a seasoned minced filling and fresh vegetables, then learn the classic pleats that seal each dumpling into a neat crescent. It looks tricky at first, but the instructor shows each fold slowly, and by the end of the tray most guests make them as neatly as the demonstration. Then comes the fun part: frying them in a hot pan, adding water, covering and finally sliding them out crisp side up. Children enjoy this step most, always with an adult close by.

Fried rice and your shared meal

The third dish is Japanese fried rice, cooked fast in a very hot pan with egg, green onion and seasonings so every grain stays separate and lightly toasted. It is a favourite at ramen shops across Japan, and the instructor shares the small tricks that make the difference in any kitchen, such as using cooled rice and keeping the pan moving.

Once everything is ready, the group sits down together to eat ramen, gyoza and fried rice, with two soft drinks of your choice. It is a generous meal, so come hungry. Your guide takes photos throughout the class and emails them afterwards, and you receive downloadable recipes for all three dishes. Is a Kyoto cooking class worth it? For many travellers this relaxed, social lunch or dinner becomes one of the most memorable meals of their trip to Japan.