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Experience Japanese
Food Culture

Cooking class for Foreigners

About Cook Aid Nara

We provide a special Japanese food experience for foreign visitors to Japan to give them energy for tomorrow.
Cook Aid Nara is a cooking school that connects Nara with the world by providing foreigners with the opportunity to experience Japanese food culture in historic Nara.

Cook Aid Nara is located in a private home just a 6-minute walk from Kintetsu Ikoma Station.

After experiencing Washoku (Japanese) cooking in the morning, we recommend a leisurely stroll around Nara Park and the suburbs of Ikoma City in the afternoon.
Please come to Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, which has a quiet charm unlike Kyoto or Osaka.

Kintetsu Ikoma Station is only 20 minutes from Osaka (Kintetsu Osaka Namba Station) and 15 minutes from Nara (Kintetsu Nara Station).

Cook Aid Naraで
思い出に残る和食体験を
Memorable Experiences
at Cook Aid Nara

Recommendation

Instructor

石原 ゆうこさんの写真
Yuko Ishihara

Background

Miss Yuko did a homestay in England while in college majoring in nutrition. After graduation, she edited cookbooks for export cooking equipment. After working for a translation company, she worked as a hospital dietitian for 16 years. During a trip to Singapore, she experienced a local cooking class and learned the fun of learning local cuisine. After returning to Japan, she became a certified instructor of “Washo Cook” and opened “Cook Aid Nara,” a cooking school for foreigners, at her home.

  • Registered Dietitian
  • Certified cooking instructor for foreigners

Message

I am a registered dietitian who loves to cook and eat. While working as a hospital dietitian, I became convinced that home cooking using seasonal ingredients is the source of good health, and I would like to share the Japanese food culture with foreigners. My home is conveniently located a 6-minute walk from Ikoma Station. Ikoma City has the Takayama district, famous for its bamboo tea ceremony utensils, and is a peaceful town with a rural landscape in the suburbs. And Ikoma Station is only 20 minutes from Osaka (Kintetsu Namba Station) and 15 minutes from Nara (Kintetsu Nara Station). When you come to Nara for sightseeing, why not try a special Japanese food experience at Cook Aid Nara?

Review

PH
Our experience was truly amazing! Yuko and her family welcomed us warmly. Then as we cooked, we exchanged stories. Yuko even studied English, so she speaks clearly. The view also from her home is so nice! The dining experience is also pleasantly Japanese-style. I would definitely recommend this to my friends. Arigatou!!! P.S. Don’t miss this experience when you’re in Osaka. It’s a good morning to lunch activity before going to Nara Deer Park.
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US
Yuko and her husband Isao were so kind! We got lost on the way to their home and Isao helped us find our way! They were so lovely and the food tasted amazing. My boyfriend and I had such a fun time and I would live to come back again.
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US
My first trip to Japan! I had a wonderful inviting time here! I have had a passion for cooking and this was a great opportunity! Everything was easy and step by step. You are assisted the whole way and get to eat your creation at the end! It was very fun to talk to the host the whole time!!
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JP
The sushi was also colorful and clean. The other dishes were also delicious. Yuko was friendly and we talked a lot. The hospitality was amazing. Thank you very much.
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AU
What a wonderful experience. Yuko and her husband are terrific hosts and went above and beyond in showing us how to make a delicious Japanese meal, with explanations of how different ingredients are used or sourced. I would highly recommend this activity and anyone interested in cooking and Japanese food. Easy and quick access by local train from Nara.
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US
This was such a lovely experience with my family. Yuko and her husband hosted my husband and two of my children ages 11 and 13. It was easy enough for them to participate. Yuko did a great job explaining the recipes and ingredients we used and everything was very hands on. We enjoyed sharing a meal we had prepared with Yuko in her home. We will absolutely be taking these skills back home. Yuko’s English is amazing , her home is warm and inviting and we highly recommend this personalized experience in Nara.
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US
Yuko offers unique Japan experience: off the beaten path and up the winding mountain road, a steep path to an updated traditional home nestled on the hillside. We enjoyed preparing and eating sushi, Somen, and kinako pudding. A fun and memorable experience.
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HK
Yuko-san家所在的生駒 (Ikoma)算是一個大站,有近鐵和地鐵,往返大阪難波半小時,很方便又寧靜。課程包括奈良盛行的手壓壽司Oshizushi 和Persimmon leaf 飯團、高湯素麵,還有蕨餅做甜品,做好一起在和室裡享用! Yuko-san很細心,教授清晰,過程也很富趣味,讓我對日本家常菜增加了興趣和認識。Yuko-san和先生Isao-san的家很優美,在和室裡吃飯也很有品位,很不錯的體驗。 飯後Isao-san帶我去鳥居前站,剩坐可愛的生駒纜車上寶山寺,寶山寺是我去過的古寺廟中其中一間最為漂亮的,推薦!
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Access

The Cook Aid Nara classroom is about a 6-minute walk from Ikoma Station. Ikoma Station is conveniently located 15 minutes by train from Kintetsu Nara Station near Nara Park. After your reservation is confirmed, you will receive an email with the detailed address by the day before the lesson. On the day of the lesson, please come directly to the classroom.

How to take
lessons

1.Book Now
Please make a reservation from the lesson page after agreeing to the Terms of Use.
2.Payment
After booking, please pay by the specified payment method on the payment page.
Your reservation will be considered complete upon completion of the payment.
Please note that we do not accept on-site payment.
3.Preparation
We will provide all the necessary materials and utensils for the experience.
Please wear clothes that are comfortable for cooking on the day of the tour.
If you have any allergies or food intolerances, please let us know at least 3 days prior to the lesson.
4.On the day of the lesson
We will inform you of the address of the classroom by e-mail the day before the lesson. Please come directly to the classroom.
It takes about 6 minutes on foot from the nearest station, Ikoma Station.