Japanese Cooking Class: Hida Takayama Experience

Join our private Japanese cooking class in a historical townhouse. Shop at a morning market and master authentic recipes in Hida Takayama.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 26 Kamisannomachi - Guests are invited to our exclusive townhouse located on the main street of Takayama’s Old Town, a historic residence that has been in our family for generations. Typically not open to the public, this 200-year-old house was once a local clinic where many babies were delivered. Visitors will be guided through its distinctive…
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic beverages
Meal Options
  • Hoba Sushi - [Pescatarian/Gruten-Free] Trout salmon sushi rapped with a magnolia leaf. Limited to the early summer June-July
  • Buri Teriyaki - Yellowtail (buri) cooked in a savory and sweet teriyaki sauce.
  • Dashimaki Tamago - a classic Japanese rolled omelette infused with dashi
  • Sesami Spinach - Spichach with Sesami seasonings
  • Miso Soup - [Vegan…
Additional Information

For those looking to connect genuinely with a local family, this opportunity is perfect! This warm and fun-loving family of four is deeply rooted in Takayama. Here, participants will not only learn to cook Japanese cuisine but also experience the local lifestyle and the joy of shared living.
Their 200-year-old wooden townhouse is located on the main…

Location
93 Kamisannomachi
Meetup points: In front of the Miffy shop on the crossing of Kamisannomachi St and Hirokoji St
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(41 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Q5311jxkarolinam
Mar 23, 2026
Best cooking experience in entire Japan! - It was the best culinary experience I could imagine. Bob, Hisa and Tomoa are very warm and friendly people, they calmly explain the secrets of Japanese cuisine step by step. We got to know new flavours. We tried the wagyu prepared by Bob and it was the most delicious. Bob treated us to local drinks. It was a pleasure to take part in it. Thank you very much for such an experience and souvenirs in the form of photos and videos. Definitely the best cooking experience I ever had taken part.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J_c
Nov 30, 2025
Wonderful! - 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!
Review provided by Viator
Amer142
Nov 19, 2025
Highlight of our trip to Takayama - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul_c
Nov 13, 2025
Pleasant Evening - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Warren_g
Nov 7, 2025
As Good As It Gets - 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.
Review provided by Viator
Chris
Nov 3, 2025
A Perfect Day in Takayama! - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelvl4
Oct 25, 2025
Highly recommended experience! - 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.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Catherinesp8754ht
Oct 23, 2025
An Amazing Cooking Class Experience! - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S7327jbbenjaminr
Oct 15, 2025
A Charming, Can’t-miss Experience - 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!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Justin_o
Oct 6, 2025
A truely authentic experience - 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.
Review provided by Viator
From $233
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).