Culinary Retreat
A journey through food: tools, farming, and cooking.
DECEMBER 10 - 14, 2025
Through our 5-day retreat, participants dive deep into Japan’s rich culture of food. Each day, we’ll venture beyond the usual paths, into lesser-known areas of the country, learning from specialists who have devoted their lives to practices such as caring for knives, making tableware with clay and stone, traditional cooking, and preserving and fermenting methods.
Active hands-on learning, paired with cultural context, unlocks the Japanese art of living well and prompts us to explore how we can incorporate these wisdoms into our own lives.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Local Farm Visits: Learn sustainable agricultural practices from seasoned farmers.
- Knife Workshop: Discover the artistry behind traditional Japanese cutlery.
- Cooking and Chats with a Renowned Chef: Get to know the mindset and techniques behind Japanese cooking.
- Pottery Class: Create your own pottery while understanding its cultural significance.
- Fermentation classes: Visit koji and miso makers from a long lineage in Kyoto.
To book or join the waitlist, simply drop us a note at
experiences@maanahomes.com
Package includes:
- 4 nights accommodation at Maana Homes
- Daily breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Knife workshop
- Cooking & chats with renowned chef
- Farmstead house visit in countryside
- Local farm visits
- Pottery class
- Koji- and Miso-making classes
- Welcome gift package
Early Bird
5500 USD + tax
Apply by September 30, 2025
Standard Rate
6000 USD + tax
Apply by October 31, 2025
*We’ll be inviting participants from the waitlist first, for both this year’s and next year’s retreats. If you’re interested in joining, be sure to inquire to secure your spot on the waitlist.
One day at the Culinary Retreat
10:00 AM
Ohara Farm Visit
Harvest vegetables while learning about traditional natural agricultural practices, what is in season this time of year in Kyoto, and how seasonality is reflected in Japanese cooking.
11:30 AM
Lunch in Ohara
Enjoy a simple farmer’s lunch in the authentic countryside town of Ohara.
2:00 PM
Knife Workshop
A session all about Japanese hamono. Learn about the spectrum of Japanese knives - shapes, sizes, purposes, regionality, the history of the knives and swords of Japan, the dying profession that ties blacksmith with cook, and how knives are held and used in traditional cooking technique. Enjoy a lesson on sharpening knives, how to care for and store them, and how knives are repaired and restored for long-term use.
5:30 PM
Dashi Lesson & Dinner
Dice and slice vegetables that were harvested in the morning, and learn fundamental techniques like dashi making, and seasonal rules of classic Kyoto-style culinary arts with Atsushi Nakahigashi. Finish the session by enjoying with a unique interactive dinner.
Details
Price
5500 USD + tax. Early bird rate until end of September, 2025
6000 USD + tax. Standard rate until end of October, 2025.
Deposit & Cancellation Policy
A non-refundable deposit of $800 is required to secure your spot.
Cancellations made within 30 days of the retreat are non-refundable.
Food Allergies
Please include any food allergies or intolerances in the application form.
Contact Us
experiences@maanahomes.com
In collaboration with
Kyoto Research Institute
Kyoto Research Institute was founded under the direction of Momoko Nakamura. Momoko’s interest stems from 20 years of communicating and educating on cookery culture and the food system, informed by anthropological field research across the Japanese archipelago. The Institute’s research now extends beyond food, expanding into both textile and home, with the growing understanding that each pillar of Japanese living originates from a single terroir.
