I participated in a three-hour cooking class in Kyoto, seeking authentic cultural experiences beyond typical tourist activities. The class was held in a traditional Japanese house with modern touches, located in an alleyway north of Kyoto station.

Only three students attended: myself and two Germans. The instructor was bilingual in Japanese and German, allowing for language practice throughout the session.

Dishes Prepared

The class covered preparation of fried tofu, dashi soup, fried vegetables and rice, and meat rolls.

Key Ingredient Discovery

I found bonito particularly fascinating. This ingredient is a fish that is smoked and dried out for a year. It is then shaved down and used in many dishes. Used as seasoning in the dashi soup, bonito provided a smoky flavor and had a wooden appearance and texture that surprised me.

Standout Dish

The meat rolls impressed me the most, featuring savory flavors from generous salt seasoning. I intend to recreate this dish at home.

The instructor acknowledged that some ingredients were modified to suit Western palates rather than maintaining complete authenticity, which slightly disappointed my original goals of experiencing true traditional cooking.