i.
Welcome tea
A seasonal cup of tea on arrival, and an introduction to fermentation across Japan.
Maana Atelier · Workshop
Koji Fermentation
Workshop.
Make your own Japanese kitchen condiments from koji-fermented rice, the quiet engine of every umami flavour.
1.5 hoursOne session
Maana AtelierNishijin, Kyoto
Up to 8Per session
¥18,000Tax included
The craft
Kōji発酵
Shoyu, sake, mirin, miso — the staples of the Japanese table, all built on a single quiet foundation: koji, the national mould of Japan. Inoculated onto rice, barley, or soy, koji is the starter that turns ingredients into the fermented umami the islands are known for.
In this workshop, you’ll learn all about koji and how its use evolves across the Japanese archipelago, giving rise to different flavours and effects. Then, make two personalized condiments for your own pantry: shoyu-koji rich with dried fruit, and shio-koji with aromatic spices.
Your keepsake
What you’ll take home
You leave with two jars of koji condiments to ferment over time, building depth and flavour that finishes on your kitchen counter.
- 01
Two jars
Shoyu-koji and shio-koji, with dried fruit and aromatic spices.
- 02
A few days to finish
Your jars are nearly there — they continue fermenting at home for 7–14 days, then keep in the fridge.
- 03
Better cooking
One spoonful turns a bowl of rice, a piece of fish, or a salad dressing into something flavourful and gut-enriching.
The session
How you’ll spend it
Spend 1.5 hours at the atelier with your teacher, guided from start to finish.
ii.
Meet the koji
Smell and touch rice koji — the starter that drives miso, soy sauce, and saké. Taste a variety of koji-based seasonings.
iii.
Mix
Combine koji with salt, soy sauce, dried fruit, and aromatic spices. Try your hand at creating two unique flavours.
iv.
Bottle
Ingredients go into a compact glass jar. Shake to mix and let the ingredients get to know each other, then label and pack for the journey home.
In your kitchen
A few simple ways to put your jars to work
A few simple ways to put your jars to work — bright, fresh salads where shio-koji does the seasoning.
Avocado salad
- Cubed avocado
- Cubed cucumber
- Crushed cashews
- Shio-koji
- Fresh lemon juice
Toss and rest five minutes. The shio-koji softens the avocado and binds the cashews into a creamy dressing.
Tomato salad
- Sliced tomatoes
- Shio-koji
- Torn basil
- Crushed walnuts
- Fresh lemon juice
Dress just before serving. Shio-koji draws the sweetness from the tomatoes; basil and walnuts round it out.
Reserve
Upcoming sessions
All times JST · GMT+9
From past guests
What people say
Guests come for an afternoon and leave with two jars, but here’s what stuck with them after returning home.
発酵調味料づくり体験。日本食に欠かせない「味噌」「味醂」「醤油」「酢」「酒」「麹」を五感で楽しむ素朴で贅沢な時間でした。町家を改修した内部空間は、飾り過ぎず、でも洗練され、ほどよい緊張感を醸し、ここでの「体験」が主役になるような佇まい。「衣食住が整うと、心も身体も健康になる」それを体現するような体験と空間でした。ありがとうございました。
柴田叔之 · Google review
Such a warm welcome at Maana Atelier. A thorough explanation of the different products, followed by a tasting session, then we made our own two koji cultures. Beautiful surroundings, focused atmosphere — we’d recommend it to everyone.
Lorenzo De Block · Google review
We did the fermented koji workshop and learned so much we can do in our own kitchen, while finding a deep appreciation for the art and tastes of fermented ingredients in Japanese cuisine. The workshop space was peaceful and stunning.
Michelle Pietrzak-Wegner · Google review
The city · 京都
A reason to come to Kyoto.京の手しごと
Kyoto runs at half-speed. Temple bells in the early hours. Shop curtains drifting at noon. The river quiet by dusk. The seasons change without asking permission — cherry, plum, maple, snow.
You arrive at Maana Atelier on a small street in Nishijin, the old weavers’ district. Inside, the machiya keeps its own air: cool stone, soft daylight, the smell of clay.
Questions
Practical things.
The space
Maana Atelier.
Maana Atelier is a multi-faceted space created to explore the ever-expanding passions and new offerings for our community. This traditional machiya is thoughtfully restored to reveal its raw beauty and imperfections — a place for exploration through workshops, community events, and more.
- Hours
- Maana Atelier is only open to workshop participants.
- Private
- For private bookings, please email atelier@maana.jp.
- Getting there
- By taxi (recommended), or take the Karasuma Line 烏丸線 to Kuramaguchi 鞍馬口 station — 10 minutes on foot from there.
In collaboration withLearn more
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.
Make a piece of Kyoto, by hand.
All materials provided · 7-day flexible cancellation.
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