The concept of Furukawacho Shopping Arcade is “Retro and Modern.” The lanterns hung from the arcade roof creates a unique atmosphere. You will surely enjoy the nostalgic pop culture experience of Japan, at Furukawacho Shopping Arcade.

You can experience Japanese Food Culture such as knife sharpening and obanzai cooking at Furukawacho Shopping Arcade in Shirakawa district in Kyoto, Japan.

Located close to Chion-in Temple, the head temple of the Jodo Sect Buddhism established in 1175, Furukawacho Shopping Arcade has developed and long thrived as a temple town. There are historical sites nearby, such as Heian Jingu Shrine, Yasaka Jinja Shrine, and Kodai-ji Temple, attracting many visitors throughout the year. Today, the shopping arcade is lined with about 40 stores, including both new and old establishments. 

＜General Information＞
●Fee:
　Adults (12 and older)          15,000 yen/person
　Children (6 to 11)               10,000 yen/person
　Young children (under 5)     Free of charge

●Minimum participant:
　A group of 2 or more each per session
　* If paid for 2, you are welcome to apply for one.
      In that case, please apply and pay for 2. 

●Capacity:
　Up to 6 people per session
　(* Young children aged 5 or under are not counted.
　　 Only one per adult can participate.)

●Time:
　①10am-1pm　②1pm-4pm

●Transportation:
　No specified transportation service offered.
　(Please come to each workshop site by yourself) 

●Sign-up deadline:
　7 days prior to the workshop date

●Location:
　Furukawacho Shopping Arcade, Shirakawa District 

●Meeting place:
　Furukawa Shuzo
　(547-2 Furukawa-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan 605-0026)

●Language:
　English (An English-speaking staff will attend to you.) 

●Reservation:
　Reservation is accepted on a request basis.
　Register up to your third choice for workshops.
　Reservation flow:

1. Application
2. Payment
3. Availability for participation to selected workshops notification. Coordination for alternative workshops, where necessary.
4. Reservation confirmed (or fee refunded when no workshop available).

　We will contact you via email within 3 business days after your application/payment.

●Notes:
　You may not be able to participate in the workshop of your choice, as this will depend on reservation availability.
　In this case, the prepaid fee will be refunded to the credit card you used for the payment.

<Workshops>
An English-speaking staff will attend to you at all of the workshops.

[1] Knife sharpening (90 minutes)
You will be experiencing knife sharpening at a store specializing in sharpening cutting tools on a whetstone. Receiving instruction from an artisan with a 30-year career is an experience available only at Furukawacho Shopping Arcade. Learn to sharpen knives properly, and your daily cooking will surely be more enjoyable.
*This workshop is not making knife but sharpening knife and learning about knife.
*You cannot take any knife home, but you can buy at the craft store.

<Contents>
Lecture on the types of kitchen knives (15 min)
Lecture on the different blades (15 min)
Lecture on how to sharpen a knife using a whetstone, followed by a workshop (60 min)

[2] Obanzai making (70 minutes)
“Obanzai” is a term used exclusively in Kyoto, that indicates home-cooked dishes with recipes handed down by generations within each family. The chef-owner of an obanzai store at the shopping arcade, Kyo-gohan Nishimura, will share the family recipe. You will buy ingredients at stores at the shopping arcade, and cook obanzai dishes with the chef-owner.

<Contents>
Receiving a lecture on how to cook  (10 min)
Cooking workshop (30 min)
Eating the obanzai dishes you made (30 min)

<Inquiry>
Please contact Shirakawa Community Design Company（shirakawa.cmo@gmail.com）

[Business hours]
Weekdays: 10:00am to 6:00 pm / Closed on Sunday, and public holidays