Visitors flock to the ancient Japanese city of Kyoto to take in its striking temples and shrines, its beautiful gardens and its palaces that evoke the era of the samarai. In the springtime these sites are bathed in the soft colors of cherry blossoms, while the musical talents of geisha are showcased in annual spring concerts.

But these are not what have repeatedly drawn me back to the city of Kyoto. When I lived in Japan as a junior high school teacher, my most enjoyable moments were the occasions when I was invited into the homes of friends and colleagues to experience Japanese culture up close and personal.

Whether it was learning how to make miso soup, trying on an exquisite kimono or participating in a traditional tea ceremony, this was the difference between visiting Japan and experiencing Japan.

Mrs. Osawa teaches the writer how to cook a traditional bento meal.

On a recent visit with my mum (a first-time visitor to Japan), I was delighted to learn that the opportunity to learn and practice traditional Japanese culture and arts is available to Kyoto visitors via The Women’s Association of Kyoto.

The Women’s Association of Kyoto has scheduled us to meet with Mrs. Osawa one morning of our short stay in Kyoto. The group organizes personal and group classes in an array of Japanese arts and crafts that take place in the instructors’ own living rooms and kitchens.

The classes include ikebana (traditional flower arranging), tea ceremony, kimono wearing, origami, koto (Japanese zither), calligraphy and conversational Japanese. The lessons take on the feel of a mini homestay and allow repeat visitors like me to revisit favorite Japanese activities, and first time visitors, like my mum, to immerse themselves in Japanese culture in a comfortable and welcoming setting.

The home visits can accommodate up to four guests, while larger groups enjoy their lessons in conveniently located hotel banquet rooms or public facilities.

It is the one-on-one lessons in the privacy of a Kyoto home, however, that allow visitors not just a chance to learn a Japanese art form, but allow them a unique opportunity to experience a taste of Japanese home life.

This is how my mum and I found ourselves in the kitchen of Mrs. Osawa’s 4th floor apartment in an outer suburb of Kyoto.

I am dressed in an apron and attempting to mould perfect spheres of cooked rice as my host looks on approvingly. It’s a surprisingly intimate situation, given that Mrs. Osawa and I have only just met.

Mrs. Osawa, in her early 50s, is a self-described housewife with not an ounce of frump about her. Dressed casually yet with distinct style for our cooking lesson, her petite frame propels her about the kitchen with combined grace and speed as she guides us through each dish on the menu.