(7 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Kyoto
Experience Japan’s incredible food culture in an in-depth, hands-on way on this private culinary tour of Japan. The tour features culinary and cultural touring with your own guide and driver, private cooking classes, accommodation in Japan’s best luxury hotels, private airport transfers, first-class travel by shinkansen (bullet train), luggage transfers, and access to a wide range of unique activities. Learn how to shop for Japanese ingredients and how to prepare and present typical Japanese dishes and seasonal specialties. Experience a variety of types of cuisine, from authentic Japanese home cooking, to refined kaiseki and Zen vegetarian temple cuisine. Tour local markets and specialty food shops, and also enjoy cultural touring that includes the most important temples, shrines, gardens, museums, and neighborhoods in each location.
Begin in dynamic Tokyo, Japan’s capital of style and one of the world’s most exciting culinary destinations. During touring with your private guide and driver, explore the Kappabashi kitchenware district, Tsukiji Fish Market, food markets and department store food halls, and other food specialty shops. Explore neighborhoods such as Ginza, Aoyama, Shibuya and Harajuku. Tour important historical sites and also experience Japanese pop culture. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange additional touring according to your interests, such as meetings with culinary and sake experts, a private tour with the “Tokyo Fixer,” watching sumo wrestlers practice at a sumo stable, and visiting crafts workshops. Artisans of Leisure can make reservations for you to dine at our favorite local restaurants and at internationally acclaimed restaurants (the Michelin Guide has awarded more stars in Tokyo than in any other city in the world).
Next, travel by first-class shinkansen (bullet train) to enchanting Kyoto, Japan’s heart of culture and tradition. Enjoy two private cooking lessons tailored to your culinary interests, explore Kyoto’s incredible food markets, and visit renowned shops selling handmade knives, lacquerware, ceramics, tofu, miso, noodles, tea, sweets, sake and more. Experience different types of cuisine, such as Kyo-ryori (traditional Kyoto-style cuisine, considered the most refined in Japan), authentic Japanese home cooking, refined kaiseki and vegetarian Buddhist temple cuisine. Enjoy an exclusive private tea ceremony. Visit important temples and shrines. Gain access to imperial villas and private gardens such as Katsura Rikyu, Shugakuin and Saihoji (the Moss Temple). Stroll through a bamboo forest. Tour traditional geisha districts such as Gion. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a wide range of other unique activities in Kyoto, such as an exclusive private dinner accompanied by geisha and maiko, private Zen meditation in a local temple, meetings with local craftspeople, ikebana (flower arranging) lessons, a visit to a machiya (traditional merchant house), and visits to farms in the hills surrounding the city.
This tour can be fully customized to your culinary needs and prowess. It can also be extended to include other destinations in Japan.
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The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:
- Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
- Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
- Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
- Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
- Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
- A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
- Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
- Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world
All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.
Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.
