About Us
Satoru & Akiko
Kyoto Green Cuisine
We are Satoru and Akiko —
a couple living quietly in Arashiyama, cooking the way we live.
Satoru has spent over 30 years in professional kitchens.
Akiko spent more than a decade as a care worker — a role that taught her to listen, to notice, and to make people feel at ease. She studied abroad, loves the English language, and brings that warmth into every conversation with our guests.
We are not vegan.
But we care deeply about what goes into our food, where it comes from, and what we leave behind.
We cook with seasonal vegetables every day. We try not to waste. We are slowly working toward growing some of our own ingredients — one planter at a time.
That philosophy shapes everything we do in this class.
One group at a time. Always.
We made a deliberate choice: we only host one group per session. No strangers at the table. No divided attention. Just us, and you.
This is not a commercial kitchen. It is our home. And in our home, we cook together, eat together, and talk — about food, about Japan, about whatever comes up. That only works when the space feels truly yours for the day.
A note on our two classes.
We offer both a Vegan Class and a Traditional Class — and we put the same care into each.
For our vegan guests, we know that Japan can be a difficult country to navigate. Hidden fish stock, unclear labels, well-meaning but mistaken assurances.
We have thought carefully about this. Every ingredient is plant-based, dashi-free, and explained clearly. You will always know exactly what you are eating.
For guests who eat everything, we cook the way Japanese home kitchens actually cook — with fresh fish, eggs, and the kind of flavors that take years to get right.
Either way, the goal is the same: food that tastes like it was made with someone in mind. Because it was.
We do not waste.
After every class, we eat what we can. What remains goes back — into compost, into the soil, eventually into the next meal. We are still building this cycle, slowly. But the intention has been there from the beginning.
Cooking well, to us, means thinking beyond the plate.
Where we are.
Our home is in Arashiyama — one of Kyoto's oldest and most quietly beautiful neighborhoods. The bamboo forest, the river, the temples. Most guests spend the morning sightseeing and arrive at our door still carrying that particular stillness that Arashiyama gives you.
We think that is a good way to start a cooking class.
Why you can trust us.
We will not list every credential here. What we will say is this: Satoru has cooked professionally for over 30 years, and he still finds it interesting. That matters more than any certificate.
Guests have come to us from more than 20 countries. Some are experienced cooks. Some have never held a Japanese knife. Some are vegan and have spent their entire trip anxious about what is in their food. Some just want to make ramen and have a good afternoon.
We have learned to read the room. And we genuinely enjoy it.
An invitation.
If you have read this far, you probably want more than a cooking demonstration.
So do we.
Come hungry. Bring your questions. We will take care of the rest.
Satoru & Akiko
Shop Details
s.prana / Satoru Nakajima
Food business (cooking class)
s.prana@icloud.com
090-1710-4027
https://www.kyotogreencuisine.jp
Arashiyama, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture