Taste Japan differently.
KIKI KOJI LAB｜利麹LAB
You have probably tasted koji many times in Japan — in miso, in soy sauce, in sake, in
amazake.
But have you ever seen it? Smelled it? Tasted the difference for yourself?
In a small kitchen in Tokyo, meet koji — the quiet force behind those flavours.
See. Smell. Taste. Compare. Discover.
- Jingumae, Tokyo
- About 2 hours
- Small group, up to 4
¥31,000 per person
¥28,000 per person for 2 or more guests
You just may not know it yet.
You’ve tasted miso.
You’ve dipped sushi in soy sauce.
Perhaps you’ve tried sake.
Koji has been there each time, quietly shaping flavours you now think of as Japanese.
At KIKI KOJI LAB, you finally get to meet it. Not through a screen. Not only through explanation. You see it, smell it, touch it and taste it.
Two amazake.
One question.
Two small glasses are placed in front of you.
They begin with the same rice.
They are made in the same way.
But they don’t taste the same.
Taste first. Discover why.
Tasting is not about getting the answer right.
In Japanese, kiki (利き) is the word used for tasting — as in kikizake, the tasting of sake.
It is not about guessing correctly.
It is about noticing.
A difference in aroma.
A change in sweetness.
A hint of acidity.
A texture you had not registered before.
At KIKI KOJI LAB, you slow down enough to notice those differences — and begin to understand what koji can do.
Taste it the way professionals do.
The tasting uses a simple form of sensory evaluation, the method food makers and brewers use to compare flavours.
You taste from mildest to strongest, give each one a score from 1 (none) to 5 (very strong), and write down what you notice before anyone talks.
The tasting is only the beginning.
From there, meet different kinds of koji, discover how they differ, and see how koji becomes part of everyday Japanese food.
- SEE
Meet koji in forms you may never have seen before.
- SMELL
Each one carries a different aroma.
- TASTE
Two amazake, side by side.
- COMPARE
Same rice. Same method. Different result.
- DISCOVER
Find out what is happening behind the flavour.
A small, hands-on experience in Tokyo.
This experience takes place in a small kitchen in Jingumae, Tokyo.
With only one to four guests, there is time to look closely, taste slowly, ask questions, and follow whatever you find interesting.
You are not watching Japanese food culture from a distance.
You are sitting at the table with it.
Then, lunch.
The session ends at the table with the &LAB TOKYO Signature Lunch: seasonal vegetable sushi and small dishes, prepared with koji and fermented seasonings.
The koji you have just tasted comes back, this time as food.
Learn in Tokyo.
Make it at home.
Before you leave, you are given Japanese dried rice koji to take home, together with a guide in English.
Back in your own kitchen, you can use it to make amazake yourself.
The flavour you discovered in Tokyo becomes something you can make again — wherever you live.
- Tokyo
- →
- Dried rice koji
- →
- Your kitchen
- →
- Amazake
More than a souvenir.
- Japanese dried rice koji
- Your own KIKI tasting notes
- The KIKI KOJI LAB guide, in English
- A recipe to continue at home
A new way of tasting Japanese food.
You don’t need to know anything about fermentation.
No background in cooking, science or fermentation is required. Come curious.
If you like asking why something tastes the way it does — or wondering what is happening inside the food in front of you — KIKI KOJI LAB was made for that kind of curiosity.
MISO UMAMI LAB
Make. Take home.A two-hour miso-making workshop. Mix rice koji, soybeans and salt by hand, and take your own miso home.
UMAMI & KOJI LAB
Our signature experience · Learn. Make. Understand.About four hours inside the process of koji — from sowing koji onto steamed rice to observing koji up close, tasting and cooking with it.
Choose by what you want to do, not by level.
KIKI KOJI LAB｜利麹LAB
| Location | Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo. The exact address is sent after booking. |
|---|---|
| Duration | About 2 hours |
| Guests | Small group, up to 4 guests. You may share the class with other guests; private bookings are also available on request. Single travellers are welcome. |
| Price | ¥31,000 per person, tax included. For two or more guests booking together, ¥28,000 per person (¥3,000 off each). |
| Language | Hosted by Chie in simple English, with a printed guide in English to keep. An English-speaking assistant can be added on request at least 7 days ahead, for an additional fee (separate cancellation terms apply). |
| Lunch | Includes the &LAB TOKYO Signature Lunch: seasonal vegetable sushi and small dishes, prepared with koji and fermented seasonings |
| Allergies | Please tell us about any food allergies or dietary requirements when you book. Our kitchen uses a wide range of ingredients, including soy, nuts, sesame and fermented seasonings. Although nuts may not be used in your class menu, they are handled in the same kitchen. |
| Take home | Japanese dried rice koji — the kit for making amazake in your own kitchen — your KIKI tasting notes, and the printed guide in English |
| Dates | Arranged around you. Send two or three dates that would suit your stay, at least 5 days ahead. |
¥31,000 per person
¥28,000 per person for 2 or more guests