9 Days Foodies Culinary Tour in Japan
A Taste of Japan Spring Food Tour
Ideal for first-timers to Japan, Sobremesa Culinary Tours have custom-created this tour to introduce you to some classic spots, as well as highlight off-the-beaten-path sites and experiences. You will get to interact with locals thanks to Sobremesa's on the ground connections. This opportunity offers unforgettable experiences and meals, and it also allows free moments for processing, shopping, sightseeing, or eating more. If you are fascinated by Japan and what to experience the most from this beautiful country, then join this once-in-a-lifetime, artfully curated travel experience!
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Guided market visits
- Traditional Japanese tea ceremony
- Gourmet lunch in a family-run 150 year-old pickle shop
- Cook with local chefs and have meals in local hotspots / homes
- Japanese craft workshop in a traditional Kyoto machiya
- Ground transportation between trip locations
- Daily breakfast, 6 dinners, and 2 lunches
- 8 nights accommodation
Styles
Accommodation
You will be staying in double rooms in traditional Japanese guesthouses on private or shared basis. On the first three nights, you will stay in Kyoto, at a hotel which is a combination of a traditional Japanese guesthouse with tatami mats and futons, but with private bathrooms. The next two nights will be spent in Kanazawa, in a very traditional Japanese guesthouse. On day seven, you will be staying in a peaceful riverside hotel in a remote mountain village in Ukyo Ward, north of Kyoto. Your final night will be spent in Kyoto, at the same hotel we started out at (and there's the option to leave excess baggage there).
Program
If you love Japanese food and would like to engage with the culture, this trip is for you; seize the opportunity and sign up soon! Sobremesa Culinary Tours have spent lots of time researching, to construct an off-the-beaten-path trip for you that would be impossible to access on your own.
Sample daily itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
After arriving in Kyoto individually, the group will meet up on the first evening at your hotel, a combination between a traditional Japanese guesthouse with tatami mats and futons, but with private bathrooms. You will celebrate your first gathering over a Kyoto obanzai style dinner prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients in a very old machiya.
Day 2 - 3: Explore Kyoto
The next two days will be spent exploring Kyoto and experiencing the rich, enticing beauty its culture has to offer. In addition to delicious meals, in restaurants and even in local homes, you will take part actively in the culture by means of tea ceremony and a Japanese craft lesson in a machiya. There will also be some free time, to either visit more temples and gardens (Kyoto has so many!) or peruse some of Camila's favorite local shops. Spring is also the time of year for outside promenading by the Kamo river.
Day 4: Kyoto - Kanazawa
On the morning of the fourth day, you depart on the train towards Kanazawa, where you will visit Kenroku-en garden, known as one of the three great gardens of Japan. Its name means "garden which combines six characteristics" - the six aspects considered important for an ideal garden: spaciousness, serenity, venerability, scenic views, subtle design, and coolness.
Day 5: Explore Kanazawa
The next day has something very special in store: a visit, workshop, and lunch at a 150 year-old, family-run pickle shop. You never imagined pickles could be this good, or this varied. And don't get started about their gelato! Sobremesa Culinary Tours' personal favorites are the miso or the umeboshi flavors. In the afternoon, you will visit the geisha district; Kanazawa is one of the few cities in Japan to have a still functioning geisha district or chayagai.
Day 6 - 7: Arrive and explore the mountain village
The following morning, you will head towards your third destination tucked away in the mountains north of Kyoto. After enjoying a special local dinner prepared by your hostess, you will spend the night at your peaceful riverside accommodation preparing for the exciting things the next two days in the village have in store, which all explore themes of cooking and craft, and include some fun workshops as well as visits to local craftspeople in their element.
Day 8 - 9: Kyoto - Departure
Today, you head back to Kyoto, where you will have some free time for that last-minute whatever-I-want. A kaiseki style dinner will mark your last evening together, and in case you're still hungry, you will share a last traditional Japanese breakfast before saying goodbye on day nine, your hearts and bellies full and happy.
Included excursions
- Explore Kanazawa's geisha district
- Visit and explore Kyoto's markets
- Visit Kenroku-en garden
- Visit local craftspeople in the mountain village
Instructors
Camila Loew
Camila Loew, founder and CEO, is the daughter and grand-daughter of intercontinental migrants, and has spent a third of her life among three different countries (Argentina, the US, and Spain). Her cooking style can be described as Mediterranean and vegetable-forward. In addition to running Sobremesa, Camila teaches at culinary schools around the San Francisco Bay Area: The Cooking School at Cavallo Point (Sausalito), 18 Reasons (SF) and Ramekins (Sonoma). Camila holds a Ph.D. in Humanities and is a certified nutrition consultant. She cooks daily for her family of four.
Location
This culinary tour will take place in Japan. For this tour, you will visiting and exploring three destinations within Japan including Kyoto, Kanazawa, and a mountain village in the Ukyo ward, north of Kyoto.
Food
This culinary tour will include daily full breakfasts, six lunches, and two dinners. As part of the culinary tour, you will have guided market visits, get an opportunity to cook with local chefs. Participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and Japanese craft workshop in a traditional Kyoto machiya.
Attend a workshop and enjoy a gourmet lunch in a family-run 150 year-old pickle shop. Enjoy meals where the locals eat (and in some cases in local homes). Please let Sobremesa Culinary Tours know if you have any dietary restrictions well in advance so that they can plan accordingly.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
Things to do (optional)
This tour allows free moments for relaxing, exploring, shopping, and sightseeing on your own.
What's included
- Guided market visits
- Traditional Japanese tea ceremony
- Gourmet lunch in a family-run 150 year-old pickle shop
- Cook with local chefs and have meals in local hotspots / homes
- Japanese craft workshop in a traditional Kyoto machiya
- Visit Kanazawa's geisha district
- Visit and explore Kyoto's markets
- Visit Kenroku-en garden
- Visit local craftspeople in the mountain village
- Lovingly curated excursions
- Services of local guides
- Tips on best places to shop for artisanal goods
- Ground transportation between trip locations
- Daily full breakfast, 6 dinners, and 2 lunches
- 8 nights accommodation
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transportation
- Personal expenses
- Meals not included in the itinerary
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Kansai International Airport
80 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX), and from there take a train to Kyoto.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 10% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 200 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookCulinaryVacations.com. All major credit cards supported.