Tour riêng

Japanese Cooking Class with Local Family in Takayama Old Town

Tổng quát

Ngôn ngữ có sẵn

Tiếng Anh

3 giờ

Vé di động

If you're seeking an authentic connection with a local family, this is for you! We are a warm, fun-loving family of four, deeply rooted in Takayama. Here, you won’t just learn to cook Japanese food—you’ll experience how locals live and savor life together.

Our 200-year-old wooden townhouse stands on Old Town’s main street, yet stepping inside feels like entering a quiet world where time slows down. Its small quirks remind us of its beauty and history.

We’ll welcome you with Japanese tea and snacks before guiding you in preparing a traditional meal in our kitchen. As we cook side by side, we’ll share stories of life in Takayama and living in harmony with nature and the seasons.

Hisa and Bob pour their hearts into every class. This is more than a cooking lesson—it’s a moment of connection, culture, and feeling at home far from home.

Feel free to write us your request on food or any restrictions, we are happy to accommodate as much as possible!

Thông tin khác

Wheelchair accessible

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Chính sách hủy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Cần Quan Tâm

You’ll be welcomed into our private townhouse on the main street of Takayama’s Old Town, a historic home that has been in our family for generations. Normally closed to the public, this 200-year-old house was once a local clinic where many babies were born. We’ll guide you through its unique spaces—the former clinic and our traditional living quarters—while sharing stories about life in Takayama and how we embrace a slower, seasonal lifestyle in the Hida mountains. We’ll begin with Japanese tea and delicate wagashi (traditional sweets), followed by a short introduction to Japanese home cooking. Next, you’ll slip into a traditional apron and step into our semi-outdoor kitchen, a peaceful space where we prepare meals much like our ancestors did. Together we’ll make dashi, explore key ingredients, and cook five seasonal dishes tailored to your preferences. To finish, enjoy fresh seasonal fruit prepared in a uniquely Japanese style for dessert. This isn’t your average cooking class. It’s an intimate, heartwarming experience where you’ll connect with two old locals (both fluent in English!) and discover what it feels like to be welcomed into a real Japanese home far from the crowds.

Menu Mẫu

main

Hoba Sushi

[Pescatarian/Gruten-Free] Trout salmon sushi rapped with a magnolia leaf. Limited to the early summer June-July

main

Buri Teriyaki

Yellowtail (buri) cooked in a savory and sweet teriyaki sauce.

main

Dashimaki Tamago

a classic Japanese rolled omelette infused with dashi

starter

Sesami Spinach

Spichach with Sesami seasonings

starter

Miso Soup

[Vegan or Pescatarian] Miso Soup with seasonal ingredients + Japanese Broth, "Dashi"

starter

Dashi Soup

[Vegan or Pescatarian + Gluten-free]Soup without Miso, called "Sumashi Shiru" in Japanese with seasonal ingredient

Bao gồm

If you chose the slot of 4:30 PM

If you chose the slot of 10:00 AM

Coffee and/or Tea

Alcoholic Beverages

Tùy chọn

Japanese Cooking Class with Local Family in Takayama Old Town

Đánh giá

5.00

40 đánh giá

Tổng số đánh giá và xếp hạng từ Viator & TripAdvisor

Wonderful!
J C,,30 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
If you’re here and you’re considering this as an option, just book it! It’s exactly what you’d think it would be- and more! “Bob” and family welcome you in to their home, as special guests; they’ve thought of everything as you create a meal together that you get to enjoy in the comfort is their traditional Japanese home. Easy to find in the old town area and an experience like no other!
Highlight of our trip to Takayama
amer142,,19 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
We signed up for a cooking class with Hisa and Bob, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. Many cooking classes take place in restaurants or commercial kitchens, but this one is truly special, held right in their family home in the historic Sanmachi-dori area. We learned how to make several of our favorite dishes, including Japanese rolled omelette, onigiri, tempura, and miso soup, all while hearing about the family’s history in the area and exploring their beautiful home. Hisa and Bob were incredibly warm hosts and also extremely knowledgeable about local activities and restaurants. Their recommendations added so much to the rest of our stay in Takayama. This is an absolute must-do in Takayama and an experience we will be remembering for years to come.
Pleasant Evening
Paul C,,13 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
We had a lovely evening making dinner and celebrating Japanese culture with Hisa and meeting Bob. Cooking instructions were clear and we enjoyed learning traditional cooking tools and techniques. We would recommend doing this activity while in Takayama.
As Good As It Gets
Warren G,,7 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
We had a wonderful time with Bob-San and his wife, Hisa-San. The hands-on cooking class was casual, enjoyable and we felt like we were cooking with old family friends. Their house was amazing as was Hisa-san’s sharing of her life growing up in the house with her father’s OB-GYN medical practice under the same roof which is now essentially frozen in time in part of the house. They also taught us a bit of calligraphy and how to write our names in Katakana. We have participated in many cooking classes and “meals with a local family” over many years of travel, and our time with Bob-san and Hisa-san was as good as it gets. I highly recommend this experience.
A Perfect Day in Takayama!
Chris M,,3 thg 11, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Fascinating to see the inside of Bob and Hisa’s 200 year old house right in the middle of the old part of town. Very friendly reception and then a very fun and informative cooking class. It was very hands-on. We made our own sushi and tempura all from scratch. Then Bob prepared the amazing Hida beef in a simple way that highlighted the rich delicious beef. He also showed us how to make miso soup from scratch. We then sat down in their beautiful dining room to eat the lunch we all made with a hot cup of tea and a cold beer! As an unexpected final touch, we learned how to write our names in Japanese characters and painted them onto Japanese paper fans. A really wonderful way to spend part of the day. And then when you’re done, you’re already in the middle of the old town, so you can walk around and explore and shop. It was a highlight of our trip to Japan!
Highly recommended experience!
michelvl4,,25 thg 10, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Warm welcome. Great learning experience in a Japanese family environment. Highly recommended! Learned about ingredients and cooking techniques. In the end we had a delicious meal.
An Amazing Cooking Class Experience!
catherinesP8754HT,,23 thg 10, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
We had the absolute best experience with Bob and his cooking class! It was a truly outstanding afternoon spent in his family home, where he made us feel so welcomed. We learned to cook so many authentic dishes (which we’ve already been trying again since we got home!), and Bob patiently answered all of our questions, from recipes and ingredients to culture and traditions. It was our honeymoon, and this class ended up being one of our favorite days of the entire trip. I can’t recommend this experience with Bob highly enough. If you’re considering it, do it, I hope you’ll love it just as much as we did! Thank you!
A Charming, Can’t-miss Experience
S7327JBbenjaminr,,15 thg 10, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00
Spanning a trip that included adventures in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kobe, our lunch-making experience in Takayama was one of the brightest highlights. Hisa and Bob exuded a warmth and charm that made us feel like we were visiting long-distance relatives. The endearing hosts sought to both teach and learn in equal measure — eager to grow familiar with us and understand our own culture. The cooking portion was thorough and the dishes prepared were numerous (each one delicious, of course). We lost all track of time by the point we were receiving a Japanese calligraphy lesson, making crafts, and receiving a tour of their centuries-old home. This can’t-miss experience transcended the title of “cooking class.” We can’t recommend it enough!
A truely authentic experience
Justin O,,6 thg 10, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
This was a unique chance to spend time with a welcoming and interesting family who took great care in showing us the steps and ingredients to a traditional meal in a historic Japanese home. Bob and Hisa are exceptional hosts. While we have eaten in wonderful places around the world, this experience will be the most memorable that will etch a place on your heart. Our children enjoyed learning from Bob and Hisa and agreed the experience was unforgettable. Thank you for having us in your home.
Amazing Experience in the Lovely Takayama!
Laura M,,4 thg 10, 2025
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00
We had a wonderful cooking and cultural experience in Hisa and Bob’s home right in the heart of Takayama. It’s amazing to think that food has been prepared in this home by Hisa’s family for over 200 years. We made sushi rolls that were so tasty. I was at first intimidated by tempura but Hisa guided us through it with great ease. The Hida Waygu was melt-in-your-mouth perfect! What makes this experience unique to others is the intimacy of the setting. Hisa and Bob made us feel like special invited guests into their home. If you are visiting Takayama, definitely cook with Bob and Hisa!