Culinary Tour of Japan

(15 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Tokyo, Kanazawa, Yamanaka Onsen, Kyoto & Osaka

Experience Japan’s incredible food culture in an in-depth, hands-on way on this private culinary tour. It features flexible culinary and cultural touring with your own guide and driver, private cooking classes, market tours, shopping for kitchenware, tasting opportunities and dining reservations. Accommodation is at Japan’s best luxury hotels and ryokan (traditional inns).

Begin in Tokyo, the capital of contemporary culture and style in Japan. Stay at one of the city’s best luxury hotels, and enjoy comprehensive city touring with your private guide and driver. Visit Tokyo’s most interesting neighborhoods, such as Ginza, Asakusa, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Roppongi and Aoyama. See striking contemporary architecture, and tour important historical sites such as Meiji Jingu Shrine and Sensoji Temple. Experience the best of Japanese pop culture during visits to trendy districts, specialty shops, quirky cafes and popular sites such as Yoyogi Park. Visit Tokyo’s best museums, such as the Mori Art Museum, Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo National Museum, according to your interests. Experience Tokyo’s exciting culinary scene, including an early-morning visit to the tuna auction at Toyosu Market, a private sushi-making lesson at the Tsukiji Outer Market, and visits to the Kappabashi kitchenware district and our favorite specialty food shops and department store food halls. We also make reservations for our travelers at our favorite restaurants in Tokyo, which range from local noodle shops, sushi bars and izakaya (pubs) to some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world. 

Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange additional experiences in Tokyo, such as meetings with culinary and sake experts, watching sumo wrestlers practice at a sumo stable, visiting a teamLab Borderless immersive video installation, shopping for the latest Japanese gadgets, private martial arts lessons, seeing a Japanese baseball game, attending a kabuki performance and visiting the Ghibli Museum. We can also arrange touring to include Japanese seasonal events such as ohanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties in the spring, fireworks festivals in the summer and viewing koyo (fall foliage) in the autumn.

Next, travel by first-class shinkansen (bullet train) to Kanazawa, one of Japan’s wealthiest cities during the feudal era and now a wonderful cultural and culinary destination on the Sea of Japan. With your expert guide, explore the highlights of the town, including traditional Japanese architecture in former samurai and geisha districts and beautiful Kenrokuen Garden, one of the most famous gardens in Japan. Learn about Kanazawa’s celebrated traditional crafts, including silk, lacquer and gold leaf products. Also tour fascinating Myoryuji (Ninja Temple), and visit museums such as the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts. Explore the city’s Omicho food market, visit a miso factory to see how the ubiquitous bean paste is made, and experience Kanazawa’s refined cuisine at our favorite restaurants. One day, Artisans of Leisure will arrange an exclusive private visit and culinary experience at a traditional Japanese farm in the countryside. Other touring options around Kanazawa include visiting the Ohi Museum, the D.T. Suzuki Museum, and a renowned pottery kiln and studio.

Continue to Yamanaka Onsen, a resort town known for hot springs, refined culinary and craft traditions, and a scenic gorge. Stay at one of Japan’s finest luxury ryokan (traditional inns), enjoy exquisite kaiseki ryori meals and relax in your private open-air onsen bath. During private touring, enjoy a private soba-making lesson, explore the historic town and perhaps walk through scenic Kakusenkei Gorge. Meet renowned artisans in their workshops, or perhaps opt to visit a local soy sauce maker or confectioner. Alternatively, visit the nearby traditional town of Yamashiro Onsen and its ceramics boutiques. Also visit Natadera Temple, an ancient Buddhist complex of buildings perched on cliffs and tucked into caves.

Next, travel to enchanting Kyoto, the heart of Japanese culture and tradition. Stay at one of Kyoto’s best luxury hotels or ryokan inns, and enjoy flexible private touring of the best of this elegant city with your private guide and driver. Visit the city’s most important historic attractions and temples and shrines such as Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), Ryoanji and its famous Zen rock garden, Kiyomizudera Temple, Nijo Castle, Ginkakuji, Saihoji (Moss Temple) and Fushimi Inari, famous for its tunnel of red torii gates. Take a private excursion to Arashiyama, a beautiful mountainside district, to see its enormous bamboo forest, historic gardens and sites, and to have a vegetarian lunch at a Zen temple. Enjoy a private tour of Gion, Kyoto’s traditional geisha district, walk on the Philosopher’s Path, and see traditional architecture in our favorite neighborhoods. Enjoy culinary-focused activities including visiting a sake brewery, taking a cooking lesson in a private machiya (traditional merchant house) and exploring Nishiki Market. Also browse antiques districts, specialty museums and historic shops that have been selling traditional goods for centuries. Upon request, we can arrange access to imperial villas and private gardens such as Katsura Rikyu and other less-visited attractions. 

One day, take a private excursion to Osaka to visit a Japanese whiskey distillery and enjoy an evening street food tour. Another day, visit the tea plantations and Byodoin Temple in Uji, and enjoy a private tea ceremony at a temple in ancient Nara, the eighth-century capital of Japan. Artisans of Leisure will also arrange reservations at Kyoto’s best restaurants.

Upon request, other activities that can be arranged around Kyoto include an exclusive private dinner with geisha entertainment, private Zen meditation in a local Buddhist temple, meetings with local craftspeople, private ikebana (flower arranging) lessons, visiting a master swordsmith, meetings with ceramics experts, tea tastings, visiting a tofu factory, manga drawing lessons, hiking to temples in the hills, attending local festivals and visiting the best places around Kyoto to view cherry blossoms and fall foliage.

Return to Tokyo for an evening food, drinks and nightlife tour in Shinjuku, as well as additional culinary touring or shopping according to your interests.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 Arrive Tokyo Private arrival transfer to hotel for 3 nights Day 2 Tokyo Full-day private city tour, including early-morning visit to fish auction Day 3 Tokyo Full-day private city tour, including private sushi-making lesson Day 4 Tokyo – Kanazawa Private transfer to station for shinkansen to Kanazawa. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Afternoon private city tour Day 5 Kanazawa Full-day private tour, including visit to a miso factory and afternoon culinary experience at a farm in a rural village Day 6 Kanazawa – Yamanaka Onsen Private transfer to luxury ryokan inn for 2 nights, including kaiseki ryori dinner. Full-day private tour, including meetings with local artisans and private soba-making lesson Day 7 Yamanaka Onsen Morning private culinary and cultural touring. Kaiseki ryori dinner Day 8 Yamanaka Onsen – Kyoto Private transfer to station for first-class express train to Kyoto. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 5 nights. Afternoon private tour Day 9 Kyoto Full-day private city tour, including vegetarian lunch at a temple and visit to a sake brewery Day 10 Kyoto & Osaka Full-day private tour, including culinary specialty shops and private excursion to Osaka for whiskey distillery visit and evening street food tour Day 11 Kyoto Half-day private city tour, including option for private cooking lesson at a machiya or tasting tour around the city Day 12 Kyoto, Nara & Uji Full-day private excursion to Uji and Nara Day 13 Kyoto – Tokyo Private transfer to station for first-class shinkansen to Tokyo. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Evening food, drinks and nightlife tour in Shinjuku Day 14 Tokyo Half-day private city tour focused on food and culture Day 15 Depart Tokyo Private airport transfer

Hotels

Tokyo: Aman Tokyo, Peninsula Tokyo and/or Park Hyatt Tokyo Kanazawa: Hyatt Centric Kanazawa or The Hotel Sanraku Yamanaka Onsen: Kayotei Ryokan Kyoto: The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto or Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto *Aman Kyoto, Tawaraya Ryokan or Hiiragiya Ryokan can be booked for a supplement

Cost

Upon request