Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Agriculture
FOOD LAB
FOOD LAB is a collective space to roll up your sleeves for 季節の手仕事 kisetsu no teshigoto.
A co-creation between Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Agriculture and Kyoto Research Institute’s Test Kitchen, FOOD LAB is where we apply classroom and field learnings to the real-life use of heritage Japanese materials of cookery today.
It’s a place to play with seasonal ingredients. Sometimes preparing and enjoying the here and now. And at other times, preparing only to unveil at a later date.
As the old capital, and what remains the cultural capital of the country, Kyoto’s food system encompasses the entirety of the archipelago. Sourcing ingredients and other materials of the Japanese table from near and far. Whether eaten fresh, preserved, or fermented, the way in which ingredients have been historically prepared speak to the natural environment, Japan’s native microseasonality, and chronicled past.
Kyoto Research Institute’s Test Kitchen is a dedicated food laboratory to explore the heritage materials of Japan’s cookery culture. We explore how these materials nourish daily life in today’s kitchens, no matter where we call home.
At the center of this work are heritage materials. Traditional ingredients and techniques cultivated and refined over centuries that embody not only taste but also community and craft. They are living knowledge.
Our Test Kitchen is not about preservation. It is about fermentation. How these heritage materials of cookery evolve with the times. Our activities are rooted in field research across the Japanese archipelago. Interviews with food professionals and residents of each micro-community, assessment of terroir and social systems, and documentation of traditional tools and techniques. We bring what we’ve foraged back to the Test Kitchen for kitchen-based experimentation and educational curriculum.
SPRING SEMESTER 2026
DATES
Thursday, May 14
Thursday, May 28
Thursday, June 4
Thursday, June 18
Thursday, July 9
Thursday, July 23
TIME
14:00〜17:00
ABOUT
Each session we will be focused on a specific seasonal task. From salted umé plum to fermented lake fish preparation, what’s abundant now is what we prepare. We also welcome you to bring what you’ve personally found in your local food search across Kyoto to prepare and eat together.
LOCATION
Located just north of Kyoto University’s Yoshida Campus
TRANSPORT
If you are coming by bicycle, there is bicycle parking space at Kyoto Research Institute.
If you are coming by train, the nearest station is Miyake Hachiman on the Eizan Railway. We are located by 5 mins walk.
If you are coming by car, please inquire at info@kyotoresearchinstitute.com regarding car parking options.
If you are coming by taxi, please note that the roads right in front of Kyoto Research Institute become very narrow so depending on the driver and the vehicle size, you may be best suited to get off and walk the last few meters if the driver experiences difficulties.
DRESS CODE
Please do not wear any fragrances to Kyoto Research Institute to ensure that scents do not interfere with on-site research.
Please leave rings, bracelets, and other hand jewelry at home.
Please note that clothing may get a bit dirty.
Please note that you may be taking off your shoes, so do wear your favorite socks as well as shoes that can easily be worn and removed.
