Maana
RETREATS
Culinary Retreat
A journey through food: tools, farming, and cooking.
DECEMBER 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.
- Artisan’s Countryside Visit: Experience cooking without modern electricity in a serene farmstead home.
To book, 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
- Welcome gift package
Price
From $5,000 USD
Inquire to join
experiences@maanahomes.com
One day at the Culinary Retreat
10:30 AM
Forest walk in Keihoku
Begin your day with a serene stroll through the lush mountains of Keihoku- a densely forested region that reminds us of where we’ve come from, and the possibilities that lie ahead. The mountains hold hints for how we can live more responsibly, gracefully, and with greater sense of abundance. As it is this ecosystem that offers all of the tools we need to plant, harvest, forage, ferment, cook, and nourish ourselves better.
11:00 AM
Traditional rice cooking experience
Visit a 150-year-old home where tradition meets modern living. Learn to cook rice on an authentic wood-fired stove, okudosan, and experience the meticulous process that creates fragrant, rich, and perfectly textured rice—a skill unmatched by any other method.
12:00 PM
Farm-to-table lunch
Enjoy a lunch centered around this special pot of rice. Savor dishes made with locally foraged vegetables, fruits, game, fish, beans, and grains, all sourced from nearby farmers and artisans. Hand-made miso, shoyu, and other seasonings enhance the natural flavors and textures of each ingredient.
1:30 PM
Seasonal Fermentation Workshop
Mark the microseasons with our fermentation and preservation workshop. Using seasonal ingredients like young bitter greens in Spring or Yuzu in Autumn, learn traditional techniques with Rice Koji to create unique Japanese pantry items for your home kitchen.
3:30 PM
Farmer’s tea time
Take a break with our Tea Time session, essential to Japanese homestead living that is often busy and laborious. Enjoy tea and sweets infused with seasonal ingredients and self-care methods, designed to calm and revitalize your mind and body, fostering presence and appreciation.
5:30 PM
Evenings at Maana Atelier: Drinks and Dinner
Conclude your day with drinks and dinner at Maana Atelier, your home away from home. Enjoy thoughtfully-curated beverages such as natural wine, craft beer, botanical gin, and raw sake. Dinner features humble yet delicious and nourishing ingredients, celebrating the simplicity and warmth of Kyoto’s culinary heritage.
Our why
Inherited, ancestral Japanese practices may just be the hint we need to create a more sustainable future
Details
Price
From $5,000 USD
Price varies based on property selection and size of your group. Please inquire for more details.
Deposit & Cancellation Policy
A non-refundable deposit of $800 is required to secure your spot.
Cancellations made within 30 days of the workshop 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.
