Culture & Cuisine in Japan
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Highlights:
From gracious geishas to savory sushi, this suggested program allows you to discover the culinary and cultural icons of Japan. Follow a food trail through Osaka where street food is king, prepare Soba noodles with a master in Tokyo and sip Sake in Takayama in the distillery where it was created.
Explore the culture of Kyoto and learn to make sushi and miso. Delve into Japanese Buddhism in Koyasan and discover shojin ryori made by monks. Admire the farmhouses of Shirawago and soak in an onsen just like a local.
From gracious geishas to savory sushi, this suggested program allows you to discover the culinary and cultural icons of Japan. Follow a food trail through Osaka where street food is king, prepare Soba noodles with a master in Tokyo and sip Sake in Takayama in the distillery where it was created.
Explore the culture of Kyoto and learn to make sushi and miso. Delve into Japanese Buddhism in Koyasan and discover shojin ryori made by monks. Admire the farmhouses of Shirawago and soak in an onsen just like a local.
SKU:
Explore: Culture & Cuisine in Japan
Customizable Itinerary - 13 days (from $8,764 / person)
Day 1: Depart USA
Today you board your aircraft bound for Tokyo where you begin your exploration of the Culture and Cuisine of Japan
Day 2: Arrival in Tokyo
After your arrival in Toko you will be met by our representative who will facilitate your transfer into Tokyo and your hotel which overlooks the Imperial Palace and its gardens
Day 3: From Tuna to Tempura
Start your first full day in Tokyo by meeting your guide for an early morning visit to Tokyo’s iconic Tsukiji fish market. After exploring the market and the bountiful fish on display you enjoy a sushi breakfast. From the fish market you walk to Hamarikyu one of the most visited gardens in Tokyo noted for its attractive teahouse, Nakajima-no-Ochaya. You will take a break to enjoy a cup of freshly made green tea while your guide talks about the tea ceremony, known as chado. You then take a scenic river cruise to Asakusa part of Tokyo’s old town. After leaving your boat you visit a local restaurant for lunch. While there are a variety of choices we recommend the tempura. A short walk brings you to Kappabashi, lined with shops selling knives, Japanese tableware and even food replicas that appear in most restaurant windows. Finish your tour in Ameyoko-cho a bustling alley filled with food stalls. You then return to the hotel
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 4: Comparative Cuisines in Tokyo
After breakfast you start your culinary adventure by visiting the Tsukiji Soba Academy. Your teacher will be Akila Inouye its founder and master chef. You will learn how to prepare the wheat mixture, the proper way to work the dough and the precise way to cut each noodle to a thickness of 1/16 of an inch. You will then cook the Soba and enjoy your handiwork along with your teacher as you dine tachigui style which means eating while standing. The afternoon is left free to discover the busy streets of Shibuya (scramble crossing) or the fashion mecca of Harajuku. In the evening, your English host will take you on a tour of izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) and traditional restaurants for a sampling of local food. You will visit four to five places during your tour.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Tokyo to Takayama
Today you leave Tokyo. You board a bullet train and then connect to a slower train into the mountains but one that offers one of the most scenic rides in Japan. Upon arrival you make your way to your ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn with low tables and chairs, sling shoji doors and tatami flooring (the toilet is western). In the afternoon you can stroll the streets of the town’s shitamachi (old town) which are lined with century-old merchants’ homes and sake breweries. Stop by one of the breweries for a taste or line up for the famous Hida beef sushi in one of the special food stalls. In the evening enjoy a multi-course kaiseki dinner at your Ryokan
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: An Excursion to Shirakawago
The morning is left open for you to further explore Takayama after enjoying a morning soak in your private onsen. In the afternoon you travel a short way to Shirakawago famous for its “gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Gassho-zukuri translates as ‘constructed like hands in prayer’ and reflects the steep roofs on the houses to prevent the large buildup of winter snows. The roofs are constructed without any nails. Return to Takayama for another feast and overnight at the ryokan.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: Takayama to Kyoto
Take one last soak in the onsen and then head for the railway station where you board a train bound for Kyoto. The journey will take about three hours. Kyoto escaped most of the bombing in World War II and it is home to around 2,000 shrines and temples along with palaces and other UNESCO world Heritage sites. It is known as Japan’s cultural capital. You will arrive in the early afternoon and have time for a walk along the busy streets of Higashiyama District, a collection of narrow alleyways lined with local stores, souvenir shops, small cafes and even pottery centers.
Breakfast
Day 8: The Iconic Sights of Kyoto
After breakfast you meet your guide for a tour of some of the great edifices of Kyoto. You start with a visit to Nijo Castle which was originally built to serve as the private villa of a powerful feudal lord. It is one of the most photographed sites in Kyoto. Next is the Ryoanji Temple which is famous for its well-maintained rock garden. Within walking distance is Kinkakuji Temple. While smaller than most temples and shrines it is covered in handmade gold leaves and is referred to as the “Golden Temple”. Travel to Kiyomizu-clera, a Buddhist temple known for its wooden terrace standing 40 feet high and built without nails.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Nishiki Market and the Secrets of Rolled Sushi
The morning is left open for you to explore on your own. If you would like we can set up a private class where you can learn flower arranging or calligraphy. In the afternoon you meet your guide to embark on a tour of Nishiki Market, a mile-long covered food market lined with small shops and food stalls. Your guide will purchase ingredients at a variety of stalls before you head to a kitchen for your cooking class. During the class you will learn the techniques of perfect rice consistency, ingredients to be added and the rolling and slicing of perfect sushi. You will also learn how to make Miso soup, a Japanese staple. Enjoy the fruits of your labor as dinner along with a salad and seasonal fruit for dessert before returning to your hotel
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: The Scenic Journey to Koyasan
Transfer to the station where you board a train bound for Koyasan, the center of Shingon Buddhism for over 1,200 years. Upon arrival in Koyasan you meet your guide. The journey to Koyasan is one of the highlights of the visit with the final ascent being on a cable car which offers one of the most scenic journeys in Japan as it winds its way up to the mountains. Once at your destination you will visit Kongobu-ji the head temple of Shingon Buddhism and home to Japan’s largest rock garden. This will be followed by a visit to Okuno-in Japan’s largest cemetery that holds the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi the funder of Shingon Buddhism. Check in to your shukobo or temple lodging (where the Dalai Lama stayed) and enjoy a shojin ryori dinner served in your room by monks.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 11: Osaka…Japan’s Kitchen Capital
To have a complete experience in Koyasan we highly recommend rising early and joining the Morning Prayer which usually starts at 6:00AM. Be immersed in the calming chants of the monks inside the prayer hall. While the prayers are in Japanese some priests provide a simple explanation in English at the end of the ceremony. After prayers you proceed to the dining room for a shojin ryori breakfast. After breakfast you have some free time to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the area. You then descend to the station and board a train for Osaka taking you from tranquility to neon lights
Breakfast
Day 12: The Street Food of Osaka
We would leave this morning open for you to do some shopping (or just window shopping) in the area around your hotel. You then meet up with your guide to walk through Osaka’s liveliest and most colorful shopping and dining streets, starting from Doguyasuji, a unique market that sells anything related to food. You then continue to towards Sennichmae, a lane filled with small eateries that serve popular Osaka delicacies like takoyaki, okonomiyaki and the famed fugu (blowfish). You then emerge in the very busy Dotonburi a restaurant mecca which has long been referred to as Osaka’s foremost entertainment and pleasure district. Your guide will leave you allowing you to choose between the street food of Sennichmae or more refined cuisine in Dotonburi for your final evening in Japan
Breakfast
Day 13: Return to USA
Osaka’s Kansai airport is built on a manmade island and high speed trains make the journey in less than an hour. You board your aircraft for the return flight to the USA
Breakfast
Today you board your aircraft bound for Tokyo where you begin your exploration of the Culture and Cuisine of Japan
Day 2: Arrival in Tokyo
After your arrival in Toko you will be met by our representative who will facilitate your transfer into Tokyo and your hotel which overlooks the Imperial Palace and its gardens
Day 3: From Tuna to Tempura
Start your first full day in Tokyo by meeting your guide for an early morning visit to Tokyo’s iconic Tsukiji fish market. After exploring the market and the bountiful fish on display you enjoy a sushi breakfast. From the fish market you walk to Hamarikyu one of the most visited gardens in Tokyo noted for its attractive teahouse, Nakajima-no-Ochaya. You will take a break to enjoy a cup of freshly made green tea while your guide talks about the tea ceremony, known as chado. You then take a scenic river cruise to Asakusa part of Tokyo’s old town. After leaving your boat you visit a local restaurant for lunch. While there are a variety of choices we recommend the tempura. A short walk brings you to Kappabashi, lined with shops selling knives, Japanese tableware and even food replicas that appear in most restaurant windows. Finish your tour in Ameyoko-cho a bustling alley filled with food stalls. You then return to the hotel
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 4: Comparative Cuisines in Tokyo
After breakfast you start your culinary adventure by visiting the Tsukiji Soba Academy. Your teacher will be Akila Inouye its founder and master chef. You will learn how to prepare the wheat mixture, the proper way to work the dough and the precise way to cut each noodle to a thickness of 1/16 of an inch. You will then cook the Soba and enjoy your handiwork along with your teacher as you dine tachigui style which means eating while standing. The afternoon is left free to discover the busy streets of Shibuya (scramble crossing) or the fashion mecca of Harajuku. In the evening, your English host will take you on a tour of izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) and traditional restaurants for a sampling of local food. You will visit four to five places during your tour.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Tokyo to Takayama
Today you leave Tokyo. You board a bullet train and then connect to a slower train into the mountains but one that offers one of the most scenic rides in Japan. Upon arrival you make your way to your ryokan, a traditional Japanese Inn with low tables and chairs, sling shoji doors and tatami flooring (the toilet is western). In the afternoon you can stroll the streets of the town’s shitamachi (old town) which are lined with century-old merchants’ homes and sake breweries. Stop by one of the breweries for a taste or line up for the famous Hida beef sushi in one of the special food stalls. In the evening enjoy a multi-course kaiseki dinner at your Ryokan
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6: An Excursion to Shirakawago
The morning is left open for you to further explore Takayama after enjoying a morning soak in your private onsen. In the afternoon you travel a short way to Shirakawago famous for its “gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Gassho-zukuri translates as ‘constructed like hands in prayer’ and reflects the steep roofs on the houses to prevent the large buildup of winter snows. The roofs are constructed without any nails. Return to Takayama for another feast and overnight at the ryokan.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7: Takayama to Kyoto
Take one last soak in the onsen and then head for the railway station where you board a train bound for Kyoto. The journey will take about three hours. Kyoto escaped most of the bombing in World War II and it is home to around 2,000 shrines and temples along with palaces and other UNESCO world Heritage sites. It is known as Japan’s cultural capital. You will arrive in the early afternoon and have time for a walk along the busy streets of Higashiyama District, a collection of narrow alleyways lined with local stores, souvenir shops, small cafes and even pottery centers.
Breakfast
Day 8: The Iconic Sights of Kyoto
After breakfast you meet your guide for a tour of some of the great edifices of Kyoto. You start with a visit to Nijo Castle which was originally built to serve as the private villa of a powerful feudal lord. It is one of the most photographed sites in Kyoto. Next is the Ryoanji Temple which is famous for its well-maintained rock garden. Within walking distance is Kinkakuji Temple. While smaller than most temples and shrines it is covered in handmade gold leaves and is referred to as the “Golden Temple”. Travel to Kiyomizu-clera, a Buddhist temple known for its wooden terrace standing 40 feet high and built without nails.
Breakfast and Lunch
Day 9: Nishiki Market and the Secrets of Rolled Sushi
The morning is left open for you to explore on your own. If you would like we can set up a private class where you can learn flower arranging or calligraphy. In the afternoon you meet your guide to embark on a tour of Nishiki Market, a mile-long covered food market lined with small shops and food stalls. Your guide will purchase ingredients at a variety of stalls before you head to a kitchen for your cooking class. During the class you will learn the techniques of perfect rice consistency, ingredients to be added and the rolling and slicing of perfect sushi. You will also learn how to make Miso soup, a Japanese staple. Enjoy the fruits of your labor as dinner along with a salad and seasonal fruit for dessert before returning to your hotel
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: The Scenic Journey to Koyasan
Transfer to the station where you board a train bound for Koyasan, the center of Shingon Buddhism for over 1,200 years. Upon arrival in Koyasan you meet your guide. The journey to Koyasan is one of the highlights of the visit with the final ascent being on a cable car which offers one of the most scenic journeys in Japan as it winds its way up to the mountains. Once at your destination you will visit Kongobu-ji the head temple of Shingon Buddhism and home to Japan’s largest rock garden. This will be followed by a visit to Okuno-in Japan’s largest cemetery that holds the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi the funder of Shingon Buddhism. Check in to your shukobo or temple lodging (where the Dalai Lama stayed) and enjoy a shojin ryori dinner served in your room by monks.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 11: Osaka…Japan’s Kitchen Capital
To have a complete experience in Koyasan we highly recommend rising early and joining the Morning Prayer which usually starts at 6:00AM. Be immersed in the calming chants of the monks inside the prayer hall. While the prayers are in Japanese some priests provide a simple explanation in English at the end of the ceremony. After prayers you proceed to the dining room for a shojin ryori breakfast. After breakfast you have some free time to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the area. You then descend to the station and board a train for Osaka taking you from tranquility to neon lights
Breakfast
Day 12: The Street Food of Osaka
We would leave this morning open for you to do some shopping (or just window shopping) in the area around your hotel. You then meet up with your guide to walk through Osaka’s liveliest and most colorful shopping and dining streets, starting from Doguyasuji, a unique market that sells anything related to food. You then continue to towards Sennichmae, a lane filled with small eateries that serve popular Osaka delicacies like takoyaki, okonomiyaki and the famed fugu (blowfish). You then emerge in the very busy Dotonburi a restaurant mecca which has long been referred to as Osaka’s foremost entertainment and pleasure district. Your guide will leave you allowing you to choose between the street food of Sennichmae or more refined cuisine in Dotonburi for your final evening in Japan
Breakfast
Day 13: Return to USA
Osaka’s Kansai airport is built on a manmade island and high speed trains make the journey in less than an hour. You board your aircraft for the return flight to the USA
Breakfast