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Fire & Smoke Gastronomy Tour
Makurazaki City in Nansatsu is
connected through techniques using fire.
Makurazaki City is located in the Nansatsu area in the southern tip of Kyushu.
The area is frequented by volcanic eruptions and has developed
its own food culture based on fire and the skills of the craftsmen who work with it.
There are three traditional Japanese foods made in this area: tea, dried bonito flakes made from smoked-and-dried bonito,
and shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled spirit.
In the Nansatsu plateau, which stretches from Makurazaki City to Minamikyushu City
and boasts the largest area of tea fields in Japan,
participants in this tour will meet artisans that steam the tea with the power of fire and then roast the tea differently according to the season to give it a unique taste.
In Makurazaki, Japan's leading producer of dried bonito flakes,
participants will meet artisans who produce the highest-quality dried bonito flakes, Makurazaki Honkarebushi, which are smoked with fire to produce a nice umami flavor.
At Satsuma Shuzo, which is the only shochu brewery in the world that has its own dedicated cooper,
participants will meet the craftsmen who give the shochu its smoky flavor by recharring the barrels with fire.
And to breathe new life into the craftsmanship of each ingredient,
Asia's 50 Best Bars & Restaurants winner and world-class bartender Shuzo Nagumo and chef Hiroyasu Kawate will host a party for one night only.
Mr. Nagumo is Japan's leading mixologist who creates cocktails that defy conventional ideas, while Mr. Kawate is Japan's leading chef who is currently extremely popular.
This is a journey to rediscover the umami flavors produced by fire,
as participants learn about the unique foods through the craftsmen of this region connected by fire techniques. -
In Okawa, Fukuoka, Japan’s home of woodworking, visitors will dine at an Important Cultural Property and enjoy an exclusive hands-on Okawa kumiko joinery activity with master artisans
On this guided tour, visitors experience Okawa’s woodworking and culinary culture, which developed thanks to the Ariake Sea and Chikugo River.
While admiring the symbolic Chikugo River Lift Bridge, visitors can experience the natural beauty of the Ariake Sea and Chikugo River while learning the history of woodworking. Afterwards, visitors will explore the Kobo and Enokizu area, the birthplace of Okawa woodworking where the old townscape still remains. Participants will enjoy the profound delight of woodworking and kumiko joinery through making an authentic kumiko lampshade available exclusively for this tour and taught by a kumiko artisan.
At the end of the tour, enjoy a delicious dinner filled with foods from Okawa and the Ariake Sea coastal waters. The dinner will be held at a historic storehouse on the grounds of the former Yoshihara Family Residence, a National Important Cultural Property located in the Kobo and Enokizu area. Enjoy the taste of Okawa, where ingredients from sea, river, and land are all plentiful, in a fantastic space surrounded by folding screens of kumiko joinery and illuminated by lights. -
World heritage Yakushima Island Japan ― Vertical Race 2023 ―
Yakushima is a nearly circular island 28 km from east to west and 24 km from north to south located about 60 km south of the southernmost tip of mainland Japan in Kagoshima Prefecture.
With its continuous peaks of over 1000 m in altitude, including the highest peak of Mt. Miyanoura at an altitude of 1935 m, it is called “the Alps of the sea.”
What also distinguishes this single island is the range from subtropical vegetation by the coast to alpine vegetation, which even has snowfall in the winter.
This is therefore an invaluable area where one can see unique and diverse eco-systems. Yakushima was registered World Natural Heritage in 1993.
This year in 2023, there will be a vertical race for the first time in Yakushima to commemorate the 30th anniversary of it being registered as a World Natural Heritage. -
ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2023
ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2023, scheduled to be held at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall B, is the world's only large-scale art fair with a special focus on Asia featuring renowned galleries from across Asia. We will provide inbound visitors with a high-value-added art experience through special exhibitions and interpretative tours, premium venue tours, and night viewing where visitors can tour the venue after dark, drink in hand.
The tour will also make use of the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, the world's only museum specializing in contemporary Asian art, as well as a huge Art Sauna installation to be exhibited outdoors in the Fukuoka Castle area. Premium tours of Fukuoka and the island of Kyushu will also be organized, allowing participants to experience local gastronomy and culture while attending this major art event. -
Experience the history and charm of 400-year-old Arita porcelain culture through a hands-on premium tour
This premium tour, the theme of which is "Succession: Learning from Traditional Industries for Sustainable Business Management," allows visitors to experience the history and charm of authentic Arita porcelain with all five senses.
Arita porcelain involves as many as 26 steps to make a single plate—and to turn raw materials into finished Arita porcelain, more than 50 artisans are involved.
On this two-day tour, visitors learn about the 400-year history and various traditions of Arita porcelain while touring the historic quarry and potteries, and then enjoy dinner in an exclusive space that is otherwise impossible to visit normally. The creative cuisine is served on the finest Arita porcelain dishes produced by living national treasures and renowned potters.
During the meal, guests can learn the history and process of Arita porcelain production through a spectacular video that uses projection-mapping technology.
The tour includes commentary on Arita porcelain from living national treasures and Arita potters whom most people never have the opportunity to meet.
Enjoy the ultimate Arita porcelain experience through this premium tour. -
Threads of Tradition: A Journey Through Kagoshima's Cultural Tapestry
Crafted in Kagoshima City, Oshima Tsumugi silk embodies the region's history and natural beauty. Maintained in traditional workshops, the weaving process remained unchanged for centuries, exemplifying Japan's respect for craftsmanship. Threads of Tradition offers an immersive experience, combining local modern cuisine, traditional kimono-wearing, and Kagoshima's unique tea culture in a historic garden. Designed for both groups and individuals, this tour supports local artisans and aims to sustain Kagoshima's cultural heritage. Experience authentic Japan while preserving its traditions.
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BAR Ukiha 2023 — Ultimate Whisky Tasting Seminar: Exploring the Endless Depths of Whisky
The ultimate tasting seminar will be held at the historical Kagamida Yashiki building in the city of Ukiha.
Specialists from two highly popular distilleries—renowned not only in Japan but also worldwide—have been invited to hold exclusive, in-depth tasting seminars for a limited number of participants.
Please enjoy to your heart's content whiskies specially brought out from the distillery, as well as rare bottles no longer available for purchase.
Afterwards, during the Bar Time, participants will enjoy a meal, cocktails, and a variety of whiskies that offer a different perspective.
Appreciate precious moments in a serene atmosphere achieved by patience and time.
Overview:
Lecturer: Day 1: December 2; Day 2: December 3; Tatsuro Kusano, Chief Distilling Manager and Blender of Tsunuki Distillery, Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd
Day 3: December 9; Day 4: December 10; Yumi Yoshikawa, Brand Ambassador, Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery
Dates: December 2 (Sat.), December 3 (Sun.), December 9 (Sat.), December 10 (Sun.) 2023
Capacity: Limited to 18 individuals per session
Fee: With accommodation at Minamo: 50,000 yen (incl. tax); Tour-only ticket: 55,000 yen (incl. tax) -
A journey to experience the aesthetics of the Kumamoto samurai, the “samurai who loved art”
The spirit and culture of the "Kumamoto Samurai" still lives on in Kumamoto, where Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's leading swordsman, spent his later years. Miyamoto Musashi was a guest of Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the first lord of the Kumamoto domain, and spent five years in Kumamoto towards the end of his life. While there, he established the Niten Ichi-ryu style of swordsmanship and wrote The Book of Five Rings, which describes the spirit of the samurai and is loved worldwide today.
Now, 380 years later, the spirit of Niten Ichi-ryu is highly valued as a “cultural property symbolizing Japan's spiritual culture” and has been inherited by the 18th generation head of the school, a modern samurai who is working to spread that spirit. This is a unique opportunity to spend time with him and experience the special worldview and spirit of the Kumamoto samurai.
Furthermore, various cultural arts have been fostered in Kumamoto by the Hosokawa clan that ruled Higo Kumamoto. Among them, “Higo Zogan” metalworking was loved by samurai as ornaments and accessories, and the technique has developed into one of the representative crafts of Kumamoto Prefecture. The artisans who have inherited the techniques, which have been passed down for 400 years, create works that appeal to the sensibilities of a new era. Their expansion into new fields makes them like modern-day samurai! You can join them in making a “Higo Tsuba” sword hilt, and this chance to work with an artisan that has inherited the Higo Zogan techniques is certain to become a special memory.
Kumamoto is carrying on the samurai spirit of Miyamoto Musashi and the Hosokawa clan, as well as the art they loved. Why not take a trip to experience the aesthetics of the ancient Kumamoto samurai, who loved art and peace as much as battle, and then meet the modern Kumamoto samurai upholding their traditions? -
One Ariake Art Festival 2023
About One Ariake Art Festival 2023
One Ariake Art Festival is a walk-through art project that allows visitors to discover the charms of the region while walking around the Ariake Sea. The theme for the festival is "Composition of Local Resources." The objective is to create new experiences, products, and value by combining arts, crafts, sports, food, sake, tea, and other things unique to the areas around the Ariake Sea, which have been nurtured over a long period of time. Through cultural experiences and nature conservation activities only available here, visitors can fully enjoy the charm of the region. -
Adventure on the Amami Islands, a World Natural Heritage site
Amami Oshima Island is an island rich in nature located roughly halfway between the Japanese mainland and Okinawa. In July 2021, the area was registered as a World Natural Heritage site in recognition of its diverse range of wildlife living and growing in the area, including rare species such as the Amami rabbit.
The island has produced many unique traditional industries and cultures, such as Oshima tsumugi, one of the world's three major textiles, and brown sugar shochu. We will sell high value-added tours that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the natural and cultural attractions of Amami Oshima Island through trekking, cycling, kayaking, and wildlife observation.
Why are things like Oshima tsumugi and brown sugar shochu made only in the Amami Islands? There are still very few tours in Japan and other East Asian countries that offer such a unique opportunity to explore the connection between Amami's unique culture and nature through activities, making this tour a very special experience.
Come and experience the charm of Amami Oshima Island through this tour.