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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 1Arrive TokyoPrivate arrival transfer to hotel for 3 nightsDay 2TokyoFull-day private city tour, including early-morning visit to fish auctionDay 3TokyoFull-day private city tour, including private sushi-making lessonDay 4Tokyo – KanazawaPrivate transfer to station for shinkansen to Kanazawa. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Afternoon private city tourDay 5KanazawaFull-day private tour, including visit to a miso factory and afternoon culinary experience at a farm in a rural villageDay 6Kanazawa – Yamanaka OnsenPrivate 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 lessonDay 7Yamanaka OnsenMorning private culinary and cultural touring. Kaiseki ryori dinnerDay 8Yamanaka Onsen – KyotoPrivate transfer to station for first-class express train to Kyoto. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 5 nights. Afternoon private tourDay 9KyotoFull-day private city tour, including vegetarian lunch at a temple and visit to a sake breweryDay 10Kyoto & OsakaFull-day private tour, including culinary specialty shops and private excursion to Osaka for whiskey distillery visit and evening street food tourDay 11KyotoHalf-day private city tour, including option for private cooking lesson at a machiya or tasting tour around the cityDay 12Kyoto, Nara & UjiFull-day private excursion to Uji and NaraDay 13Kyoto – TokyoPrivate transfer to station for first-class shinkansen to Tokyo. Private arrival transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Evening food, drinks and nightlife tour in ShinjukuDay 14TokyoHalf-day private city tour focused on food and cultureDay 15Depart TokyoPrivate airport transfer |
| Hotels |
| Tokyo:Aman Tokyo, Peninsula Tokyo and/or Park Hyatt TokyoKanazawa:Hyatt Centric Kanazawa or The Hotel SanrakuYamanaka Onsen:Kayotei RyokanKyoto: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 |
Booking Information >
All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.
Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.
The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:
- Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
- Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
- Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
- Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
- Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
- A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
- Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
- Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world
Client Testimonials
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“I just wanted to say big thank you for organizing such a magnificent Dubai trip. We had the best time!! Hotels, people, food, activities, everything was wonderful. In particular, our guide. We all loved her so, so much.”
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“We got back from Mexico and had a wonderful time. We loved the food we made with the chef in Oaxaca and the chef in San Miguel. We had great food in Mexico and I have to say, some of the best things we ate were the things we made in these two classes. They were both excellent teachers, great technique and ingredient specific teachers.”
“Everything worked out beautifully. Dubai was fantastic. Our guide was wonderful, hotel beautiful, food spectacular—we truly enjoyed. We thank you.”
“Our Colombia trip was extremely successful. We found Colombia to be a very beautiful country with a quite interesting political and cultural history. Our guides that you arranged did a very nice job of exposing us to all of that. We were particularly impressed that you were able to put together such a great itinerary on very short notice. We found all of the guides as well as the hotels and the transportation to be of very high quality. We greatly appreciate all the effort you put in to organizing it. Finally, we were very pleased with your work in putting all this together on short notice. Many thanks for helping us have a first class experience and a very memorable and enjoyable trip.”
“Our Italy and Switzerland trip was wonderful, our grandsons did not want to go home. Every one of the guides we had was amazing. The hotels were great too. We loved the watchmaking experience and all of the activities in the mountains. Looking forward to planning the next trip.”
“Thank you for organizing a wonderful Egypt trip! We had a fantastic time and our guide was amazing.”
“I had an amazing time in Vietnam. My guide was such a lovely guy. He was very personable and shared so much of his culture with me. Our trip out to Halong Bay was extra special. The trip was well put together and my guides were always present and punctual. Thank you so much for putting all this together for me!”
“We just got back from one of the best trips we've ever taken! Thanks so much for arranging the Morocco trip for us! The accommodations were fantastic! We loved all of them from Kasbah Tamadot to Royal Mansour to the tent in Sahara Desert and Dar Ahlam. They all have its own special charm and beauty. The entire trip went smoothly, and full of surprises along the way. I will definitely recommend your services to others. Look forward to the next adventure with World of Leisure.”
“Our Germany and Hungary trip was excellent. We loved spending time with the drivers and guides and learning about the history, culture, architecture, war and holocaust from their perspectives.”
“A sincere thank you for making my clients happy! The loved their Iceland tour. It's a pleasure doing business with you and hopefully we'll be working together again soon.”
“We had a wonderful time and your team synchronized everything very well. Many thanks for your professional and expert help. My granddaughter was thrilled to experience her 'dream' Italy vacation.”
“Thank you for arranging our honeymoon in Germany and Croatia! You made our trip stress-free, and the itinerary was comprehensive and clear. Thank you also for arranging experiences for us that we never would have discovered on our own! Our guides and drivers were professional, knowledgeable, and so friendly! We had such an amazing time!”
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