Food & Drink
Area
Season
-
Project to create a lively waterfront space in Sawara, said to have once thrived more than Japan's former capital Edo - Sawara riverbank: Fun, joyful, and delicious all year round Gorgeous My Night Cruising... All types of riverbank fun
The river surface and riverbanks of Ono River of Sawara, a Japanese Heritage and Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, will be used as a special event site and lit up with lanterns to allow visitors to enjoy an atmospheric Edo-style nightlife. The event will offer night cruising with dinner on a boat, festival and traditional cultural experiences to connect with the pride of the townspeople, a night market along Sawara riverbank, and a workshop on traditional fermented food.
1) Weekend night cruising: A dinner cruise on the boat with a tiered lacquered box of French cuisine, local sake, special musical performances, night talks, etc.
2) Traditional cultural experience & special dinner: (1) Experience of pulling a float and dinner at a special seat that offers a view of the grand night festival / (2) Kiri-e paper cutting craft to connect with the charm of the townscape / dinner with a town guide to enjoy the night view / (3) Tour of local sake & beer breweries and dinner with a night view / (4) Live traditional performing arts and special dinner
3) Ono River Night Market: (1) Bar hopping / (2) Starry night market / (3) Street night stalls
4) Fermented food workshop: A workshop to enjoy cooking and learning fun facts about fermented food.
5) Japanese Heritage Event: (1) Digital stamp rally of Sawara's constituent cultural properties / (2) PR exhibition of the four Hokuso cities and three shrines in eastern Japan -
Travel back in time to the Edo Period: Japan Heritage Oyama Pilgrimage experience tours
Following the path of the Oyama Pilgrimage's history, visitors can experience traditions that have continued since the Edo period. This special overnight tour offers a modern take on Japanese culture, eliminating language barriers by providing an interpreter guide for each group.
Participants in the Noh Kyogen experience will wear Noh masks and costumes while receiving instruction in Noh Kyogen theatre from the Yamamoto family of the Okura and Kanze schools, which have long-standing links with performing arts in the area. Visitors can enjoy the experience of ascending a Noh stage, which is normally off-limits to visitors, under the guidance of professionals.
During the visit to Oyama Afuri shrine, visitors will don traditional garb and carry large wooden swords over 4 meters in length. A special cable car will carry visitors to the shrine for a formal visit outside of normal operating hours.
Visitors will also enjoy a special dinner at Teahouse Sekison, which was awarded two stars by the Michelin Green Guide Japan, where they can savor local cuisine while enjoying night-time views from the lower shrine partway up the hill.
At night, visitors can bask in the atmosphere of the Edo period in the old shrine approach area and enjoy Edo-era games, such as hanafuda (traditional playing cards) at the shukubo lodging, as well as Japanese sake, which has earned many fans overseas.
For overnight stays, each group can rent a single shukubo, a Shinto-style lodging, and enjoy opportunities to interact with local residents, including hospitality provided by a leading priest.
Other optional content includes a fire-offering ceremony experience at Oyama Dera Temple, home to a Buddhist statue designated a National Important Cultural Property, a scroll-transcribing experience at the shukubo lodging, an Oyama tofu-making experience, and more. This special tour allows visitors to experience Edo traditions right up until checkout. -
Kumamoto Reconstruction Tourism project to convey the traditions and origins of Kumamoto Castle's history and culture, as well as the current state of the castle's restoration efforts
This is a special high-value-added experience that gives visitors a chance to experience the culture of the Hosokawa clan using Kumamoto Castle as the main site. Kumamoto Castle has 13 nationally designated important cultural properties and is a symbol of Kumamoto Prefecture and its citizens, as well as a landmark for tourists.
After it is closed to the general public, Kumamoto Castle will be rented out to visitors for a guided tour of the restoration efforts by masonry craftspeople who will tell the real story of the reconstruction efforts, along with a special dinner in the castle tower to provide an enjoyable experience where visitors can really learn about the culture and history of Kumamoto Castle with all five senses.
•Dining in the castle tower at Kumamoto Castle
•A dinner experience limited to three groups of two people (six people in total) on the top floor (4th floor) of the castle tower at Kumamoto Castle after the castle is closed.
•Kumamoto Castle boardwalk cocktail party
•A chance to enjoy Kumamoto's local sake and snacks while overlooking the illuminated castle tower at the special tour passage (the boardwalk) temporarily set up during the restoration work at the closed Kumamoto Castle.
•Guided tour of the ishigaki (stone wall) restorations
•Focusing on Kumamoto Castle's biggest attraction, the ishigaki, visitors can get detailed explanations about the restoration status of Kumamoto Castle while accompanied by a guide specializing in ishigaki.
•Guided tour of the castle tower at Kumamoto Castle
•A guided tour of the castle tower at Kumamoto Castle after the castle is closed, which is not usually offered to the general public.
•Kumamoto Castle samurai experience
•Samari armor experience •Katana experience -
Experience Miyazaki Culture with Japanese Craft Spirits - Miyazaki Shochu / Shochu Tourism
This year, the President’s prize, the highest award in the Authentic Shochu and Awamori Category of the Kura Master competition, went to a shochu called Aokage from the Yanagita Distillery in Miyakonojo.
Miyazaki Prefecture is one of Japan's leading producers of shochu and continues to be number one in Japan in shipments of authentic shochu.
However, Miyazaki Prefecture is not only known for its spirits. Visitors can also enjoy unique gourmet foods such as Miyazaki Beef, which is characterized by its superb meat quality and fine texture, and ripe mangoes grown right in Miyazaki. Both of these foods are a perfect match with Miyazaki shochu.
In recent years, Miyazaki Prefecture's natural wonders have also attracted attention from travelers. The "Cliff Diving World Series" competition, a high dive event held at tourist attractions around the world, was held at Takachiho Gorge in August 2023.
Takachiho is famous for its shrines associated with Japanese gods and its mystical scenic spots. Yokagura, a traditional form of dance which has been preserved and passed down by the villagers of Takachiho, transports visitors back to a time when the gods walked among us! Surrounded by the forests, beautiful air, and the quiet murmur of clear streams, this is the perfect place for making authentic shochu. Another shochu called Takachiho has also won over many fans around Japan and the world.
We hope you will take this opportunity to experience great pairings of shochu, gourmet food, nature, and tradition that can only be experienced in Miyazaki.
A unique shochu distillery and Miyazaki's rich nature await you. -
Okukinu Super Forest Road Adventure Gravel Ride （OKUKINU Super Forest Road Adventure Gravel Ride）
This deal includes special permission to gravel ride through the Okukinu Super Forest Road with professional guides.
The Okukinu hot springs are located in the innermost part of Nikko and Oze National Parks and is one of Japan's most unexplored areas with abundant natural beauty and many gravel courses. After enjoying the gravel courses, relax with a meal made from local ingredients, such as wild game, and soak in the finest hot springs.
Enjoy riding gravel in the steep, mountainous terrain of Japan.
Personal equipment is allowed, but rental equipment is also available, and there is an extensive maintenance system in place. -
NAKED Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Fall 2023
NAKED, INC., the company that is responsible for event planning and direction, is a creative company that has created various flower- and nature-themed creative events such as Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Spring 2023 and NAKED FLOWERS, a nighttime light installation at the World Heritage site of Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
Fall leaves and light—illumination brings out their natural beauty by night.
This event goes beyond simply lighting up the garden to create a complete new world with projection mapping and sound evoking the atmosphere of Shinjuku Gyoen
Visually appealing food and beverages centered around "fall in Japan" as the theme will be available
A health-conscious menu, including vegan options, with a focus on environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, including less plastic use
Safety and security based on new normal practices
Designed as a safe space, with lanterns to naturally provide distance and extensive measures to prevent crowding, close contact, and accidents, both inside and outside of the venue -
Discount! Gero Hot Springs at night “GERO Pura” ~Meal included! Choice plan to experience everything~
You can choose with 5,000 yen! Choice plan “GERO Pura”
Package details: Tickets for local bar 3,000 yen + other experience fees 2,000 yen (Gassho village entry ticket + local art experience + goheimochi rice cake tasting + bus ticket)
- Special autumn foliage light-up event at Gassho village, which is usually closed, to enjoy a festival atmosphere;
- 3,000-yen meal coupon ticket to enjoy local cuisine and alcohol at traditional restaurants and bars in the hot spring town;
- Local arts activities that change weekly, such as a Japanese drum performance or a geisha performance unique to the hot springs culture at the Shirasagi-za Theater in Gassho village;
- Yukata, which are commonly worn when walking around Japanese hot springs. Enjoy the autumn foliage light-up event at Onsen-ji Temple;
- Shuttle bus from the hot springs town to Gassho village. -
Program creation project for a Minamiboso gastronomy experience that touches the essence of Japanese food culture
“Washoku” traditional Japanese dietary culture is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and is one of the top reasons people visit Japan. This premium tour has been created to develop new attractions in Minamiboso focusing on Japanese cuisine, which has garnered a lot of attention over recent years, and the food culture that embodies the thoughts and ideas about cooking that Japanese people have.
The highlight of this tour is the special “Hochoshiki” knife ceremony that has been held as an imperial court event since the Heian period (794–1185) at Takabe Shrine, the only shrine in Japan that enshrines the “gods of cooking.” In addition, special experiences tailored to the tastes of tourists who are passionate about food have been prepared to allow people to fully enjoy the rich food culture unique to the region. Such experiences include fishing with local fishermen, who do not usually take guests with them; an organic lunch--made with locally produced vegetables--at a 300-year-old farming house with locals who share their thoughts and experiences about traditional Japanese life and culture; a visit to an “ama” female divers’ hut; a wild game experience in the satoyama, an area in which humans live sustainably in the environment; and an experience with fermented food. A professional guide will accompany the tour with the aim of providing further added value by deepening the participants’ understandings not only of the language but also of Japanese food and the local culture.
Minamiboso City, located 90 minutes by car from Tokyo and Narita and Haneda Airports, is a town of serenity and healing, with its warm and scenic location, summer sea, and spring flowers. In addition to the two-day tour that provides enjoyment of the rich charm of Minamiboso, which is blessed with plentiful seafood and fresh produce from the land, day trips to Tokyo can be arranged to suit individual needs. -
Japanese Sake enjoyed while listening to the opera Die Fledermaus
"New National Theatre, Tokyo" is the only national theater with a dedicated theater for opera and ballet and presents first-class operas performed by live orchestras, world-class conductors, and soloists. The December performance will be Johann Strauss II's opera Die Fledermaus. The elegant and stylish stage directed by Heinz Zednik, a famous tenor who is the Vienna court singer, will await you with the best seats. Japanese sake will be served between acts to accompany the jubilant production that ends with the cheerful song, "All I Want is More Champagne." Enjoy a relaxing and glamorous time in our specially set up salon. After the show, you will also have the chance to visit backstage, which is not normally accessible. Enjoy a special experience unique to theater, along with the lingering memories of the opera.
-
Experience the Essence of Japanese Sword Culture at Oyamazumi Shrine, which Holds 80 Percent of Japan's National Treasures and Important Weaponry
See the treasures of Oyamazumi Shrine, followed by a performance
Located almost in the middle of the Setonaikai National Park, Omishima Island is also known as the "Island of National Treasures." This is because it is home to as much as 80 percent of the armor designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, as well as the oldest piece of armor in Japan (a National Treasure), as presented by the emperors and great generals of the past. Guests will get down to the heart of Japanese sword culture, both traditional and modern, on a private ride on the SEA SPICA, a luxury sightseeing cruiser that has been used for the G7 Summit. On this guided tour, you will hear tales from a chief Shinto priest and a Japanese sword scholar, Paul Martin, regarding the treasures that have been gifted to Oyamazumi Shrine, which will be followed by a 2.5-D performance of “The Genpei Seven Nights of Swords.”
2.5-D Performance of “The Genpei Seven Nights of Swords”
A blind, traveling minstrel visits Oyamazumi Shrine in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea under cover of darkness. As he plays his tune, the notes stir ancient warrior spirits from beyond the grave, driven by an unyielding quest for a legendary sword of Oyamazumi Shrine. This extraordinary performance features swords and other weapons used during the Genpei period during the late 1100s that have since been dedicated to Oyamazumi Shrine. This tale of seafaring military commanders is brought to you by popular 2.5-D musical actors and will premiere on a purpose-built stage on the grounds of Oyamazumi Shrine.