Intrepid Japan Real Food Adventure

• Meals: 11 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
• Transport: Bus, Train, Bullet train
• Accommodation: Hotel (6 nights), Ryokan (4 nights), Monastery (1 night)
• Included activities

• Tokyo – Memory Lane Yakitori Dinner
• Tokyo – Metropolitan Government Building
• Tokyo – Asakusa Guided Walk
• Tokyo – Soba-noodle Class
• Tokyo – Sensoji Temple
• Tokyo – Seafood Market & Sushi Breakfast
• Takayama – Sake Brewery Tasting
• Takayama – Hida Folk Village
• Kanazawa – Orientation Walk
• Kanazawa – Wagashi (sweets) cooking demonstration
• Kanazawa – Omicho Market
• Osaka – Street Food Tour
• Kyoto – Gion District walk
• Kyoto – Obanzai Cooking Class
• Kyoto – Tea Farm Visit

Day 1: Tokyo

Your adventure begins with a Welcome Meeting at 6pm tonight. You can arrive at any time during the day, as there are no activities planned until this important meeting.

Day 2: Tokyo

Today, your tour leader will take you for a morning walk around the famous Tsukiji Outer Market, where fresh seafood from Tokyo’s largest fish market (recently relocated to a new site at Toyosu) is delivered daily. You can wander the narrow aisles of this atmospheric marketplace to find all sorts of amazing food – from fish and shellfish to barrels of green tea, dried seaweed and all manner of pickled vegetables.

Day 3: Takayama

Wave goodbye to Tokyo at super speed as you ride the rails on a bullet train to the Edo period town of Takayama. Travelling by Shinkansen is an absolute buzz, as you’ll reach speeds of up to 270 kmh. Arrive in Takayama within approximately 5 hours (one stop). Takayama is a charming Edo period town located in the Japan alps.

Day 4: Takayama

The Gifu prefecture is known to produce excellent high altitude vegetables. Explore the morning markets that date back 600 years and browse the stalls of seasonal produce brought in from the surrounding countryside. Stalls are set up by local farm women from 6am every morning. Look out for the unique local style of pickles, the bags of miso wrapped in leaves, Genkotsu ame (soy bean candy), preserved fish, spices, and the delicious marshmallow treat of owara tamaten.

Day 5: Kanazawa

Take the train from Takayama to the delightful seaside town of Kanazawa (approximately 2 hours), which is sometimes known as the hidden pearl of the Japan Sea. In the evening, your leader can assist you to make a booking at one of the city’s renowned seafood restaurants for a truly memorable meal.

Day 6: Kanazawa

Wake early and head over to the Omicho market, where the city’s quality foods and producers gather. Fish from Ishikawa prefecture is brought in from the port every morning and, as well as on sale fresh, there are also a number of restaurants in the market whip it up into special seafood rice bowls or sushi.

Day 7: Osaka

Hop on the train (approximately 1 hour) to arrive in Japan’s third-largest city and unofficial culinary capital, where the motto is ‘Kuidaore’ (‘eat until you drop’). This is where some of Japan’s best street food is on offer. There are sprawling shopping hubs and tiny backstreets overflowing with restaurants and bars, serving up local delicacies as well as Japan’s answer to fast food.

Day 8: Koya-San

Take the train (approximately 2 hours) into an important region for Shingon Buddhism. Founded in the 8th century by the Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi, Koya-san has been a centre for religious activities for over 1,200 years. You’ll visit Okuno-in, the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most revered people in the religious history of Japan.

Day 9: Kyoto

Get acquainted with the beautiful city of Kyoto, home to numerous imperial sights and arguably the source of Japanese culinary tradition.

Day 10: Kyoto

As the millennium-long home of the imperial kitchen, Kyoto is known as the centre of Japanese culinary tradition. From the aristocratic kaiseki ryori (Japan’s haute cuisine), to the simple yet refined dishes of obanzai ryori (home-cooked cuisine), Kyoto is a city that takes food seriously.

Day 11: Kyoto

After breakfast today, venture out of Kyoto to explore the traditions, culture and history behind tea, which plays an important part in traditional Japanese society. Go behind the scenes of a local tea farm to learn about the long-lived customs surrounding this brew, which is more than simply a drink.

Day 12: Kyoto

Your delicious Real Food Adventure Japan concludes after breakfast. There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time.

Please note, prices listed are guide prices only and are based on 2 people sharing and don’t include any additional supplements. Holiday prices are fluid and dynamic and may be changed at a moment’s notice, prior to booking, at which point they are confirmed. Please call the team free on 0800 707 6229 for more departure dates available and a quote.