Self-Guided Adventure

Tailor-made

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Gastronomic Adventure

14 Nights: from US$7487 per person (twin share) Trip Code: GADS

Tour Menu

This trip will take you on a gastronomic journey across Japan, from Tokyo to the Japanese Alps. Combining the tenets of freshness, variety and appearance, Japanese cooking never fails to delight the senses - and this trip is jam-packed with opportunities to experience it at its best. Read more >

This gastronomic adventure begins in Tokyo before journeying through the Japanese Alps to the cultural capital of Kyoto, with stays at your own traditional townhouse and a Buddhist temple lodging along the way. Needless to say, there will be a mouth-watering array of food opportunities and experiences in every location.

On your first night, you will eat out in a typical izakaya - Japan's idiosyncratic take on pub dining. These lively establishments are the preferred after-work dinner spot for Japan's legions of salarymen, and one of our Insider staff will accompany you for this experience to translate the menu and explain the all-important dining etiquette! Later in Tokyo we'll also take you on a guided lunchtime safari through the capital's best ramen joints.

In Osaka, you'll be treated to a mouth-watering evening tour of the city's street food with our resident local guide while in Matsumoto you'll try your hand at making the local specialty, soba noodles, before checking out the town's impressive "Black Crow" castle.

Aside from these foodie experiences, there will be plenty of time to explore the many sides of Tokyo, discover the charms of traditional towns in the Japanese Alps, get in touch with your spiritual side at Mount Koya, and wonder at the 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sights in the historic capital of Kyoto.

Throughout the trip we can make advance reservations for you to eat at Japan's best restaurants. We have lots of recommendations for great places to eat across the whole country from Michelin star sushi restaurants to tiny standing bars and street food stalls that only the locals know. From sushi to Kobe beef, from ramen to yakitori, from green tea Kit-Kats to sake - we have every confidence that this will be a gastronomic adventure to savour.

Dietary requirements: We know that not everyone enjoys or can eat the same food. But don't worry, we can adapt the itinerary to suit various dietary requirements, so just let us know and we'll tailor it to you. Do bear in mind that some dietary restrictions might mean that certain accommodation won't be the best choice for you, but we have plenty of alternative suggestions.

Please note: This trip is designed to start in Tokyo (either at Tokyo Narita or Tokyo Haneda Airports) and finish in Osaka with a departure from Osaka Kansai Airport. For this you will need an "open-jaw" flight ticket into Tokyo and out of Osaka Kansai. Alternatively if you would prefer to fly home from Tokyo we can tailor the itinerary to take you back to the capital - please contact us for more details.

At a glance

What's Included

What's included

14 nights' accommodation (three nights Japanese-style)
Breakfast every day, five lunches and four evening meals
Transport between all destinations
Airport transfers by private car
Manaca transport card with 2,500 yen credit for city transport
Dinner and drinks with a guide at a Tokyo izakaya
Private guided lunchtime ramen experience
Soba noodle-making class
Shojin ryori vegetarian dinner at Mount Koya temple stay
Evening street food tour of Osaka
Eight-hour private guide service in Tokyo and Kyoto including lunch and entrance fees
InsideJapan Tours' restaurant reservation service
Pocket WiFi device
Your personalised InsideJapan Info-Pack

What's NOT included:

International flights
Local transport (taxis, subways etc) unless otherwise specified
Entrance fees unless otherwise specified
Baggage handling and luggage forwarding

Trip Highlights

Try Buddhist shojin ryori at Mount Koya
Make your own soba noodles

Take a street food tour of Osaka

For more information email us: info@insidejapantours.com or call: + 44 117 244 3380

What, where, when and how...

Gastronomic Adventure - 15 Days

Destinations

Gastronomic Adventure - 15 Days - Day by Day

Gastronomic Adventure - 15 Days - Accommodation

Tokyo

Gate Hotel Tokyo

Superior
Matsumoto

Buena Vista Hotel

Superior
Hida Furukawa

Satoyama Stay Nino-machi

Moderate
Kanazawa

Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

Superior
Kyoto

Celestine Kyoto Gion

Superior
Mount Koya

Ichijo-in

Superior
Osaka

Osaka Marriott Miyako

Deluxe

Gastronomic Adventure - 15 Days - Experiences

Previous story Next story

Day 12

Get in touch with your spiritual side as you stay at a shukubo temple lodging and try traditional Buddhist cuisine at mysterious Mount Koya, the home of Shingon Buddhism.

The next stop on your adventure is Mount Koya, the spiritual home of Shingon Buddhism. You will take the train to the Kii Peninsula followed by the funicular railway to Mount Koya, arriving in time for the afternoon ritual at your shukubo temple lodging.

The eerie but beautiful Okunoin mausoleum, home to thousands of tombstones set amongst towering evergreen trees, makes for a hauntingly atmospheric visit – especially at dusk or in the early morning.

The temple where you'll be staying serves an elaborate, vegetarian shojin ryori feast in the evening, consisting of konyaku (root vegetable jelly), tempura vegetables, chrysanthemum flowers, tofu, noodles, and much more.

Overnight: Ichijo-in

Day 13-15

Wrap up your adventure in Osaka, the foodie capital of Japan

After breakfast and morning prayers at your temple lodging you will exchange the tranquillity of Mount Koya for bold, brash Osaka - and there could hardly be a more striking contrast.

Your final day will be free to continue exploring Osaka. We suggest visiting Osaka Castle or the architecturally dizzying Umeda Sky Building. Then in the evening, our resident local guide will be introducing you to the food paradise of Dotonbori on a street food tour of the city. The district you'll be exploring is where Osakans come to celebrate when their local baseball or football team win the league – or just whenever they can think of an excuse! Dinner is included tonight, and you'll have the opportunity to try all the local specialties – from kushikatsu (skewered vegetables and meat dishes), to takoyaki (the famous octopus balls) to okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pancakes).

On your last morning a private car will take you to Osaka Kansai Airport for your flight home.

Overnight: Osaka Marriott Miyako

Day 1-3

Discover a Japanese institution at an izakaya, check out the city's top sights with an expert local guide, and treat yourself to the world's best ramen on a guided lunchtime safari.

Welcome to Japan! On arrival at at the airport you will be driven by private car to your hotel. You'll be staying close to the Yurakucho and Shimbashi on one side, home to dinky noodle bars and eateries beloved by salarymen, and the glitzy Ginza district on the other.

The rest of the day will be free to explore at your leisure. Hamarikyu Gardens are nearby, offering you the opportunity to try a tea ceremony in the traditional teahouse overlooking the lake. From here we recommend taking the waterbus along the Sumida River to Asakusa, the most traditional district of Tokyo.

This evening, one of our Tokyo "Insiders" will take you out for dinner at a local izakaya restaurant for an introduction to Japanese cuisine, where they will show you some more unusual dishes and guide you through the etiquette of dining out in Japan. After dinner, let your Insider know if you fancy checking out some of the local bars as well.

On your second day you will be exploring Tokyo with a private local guide. The itinerary is completely flexible and your guide will have lots of great ideas for the day – as well as being on hand to answer any questions about Japanese culture, language and food. Take advantage of this time to visit Meiji Shrine, people-watch in Yoyogi Park, discover the museums of Ueno and much more. Lunch with the guide is included and your personalised Info-Pack will include lots of suggestions if you would like to think of some ideas in advance.

On day three we'll introduce to a self-proclaimed ramen obsessive who'll take you on a special lunchtime tour hopping between ramen joints! The rest of the day is free to continue discovering Tokyo at your leisure.

Overnight: Gate Hotel Tokyo
Day 4

Try your hand at the art of noodle-making in the highland town of Matsumoto, famous for its impressive original samurai castle.

The next stop on your itinerary will be Matsumoto, accessible by direct express train from Tokyo passing through the mountains of Nagano. The "Black Crow" castle here is one of Japan's finest, and looks particularly impressive set against its dramatic, mountainous backdrop.

We will arrange a soba noodle-making class for you this afternoon at a 130-year-old shop near the castle. Here you will be able to try your hand at making Matsumoto's speciality dish before spending the rest of the day exploring the town's traditional quarter or visiting the art museum. If you are feeling brave, try Matsumoto's other speciality – basashi (raw horse) – for dinner!

Overnight: Buena Vista Hotel
Day 5-6

Ease the pace as you wander old wooden streets and sip local sake in the alpine town of Hida Furukawa.

After breakfast in Matsumoto, you will make your way through the Japanese Alps to the Hida area, home to craft town of Takayama. For hundreds of years this town was completely cut off by snow during the winter months, and consequently has developed many of its own food specialties. You'll be back for a visit of Takayama tomorrow; but before that, you'll head to Hida Furukawa where you'll be based.

Although it sees far less foot traffic than its more famous cousin, Hida Furukawa is a charming little town with some fantastic culinary opportunities, and we love being able to promote tourism to a small community. On the first day a local guide will take you for an arrival exploration of the town.

Your second day can be spent over in Takayama. We recommend wandering the old wooden buildings of the Sannomachi district, where you'll have the chance to sample the other speciality of Takayama – sake. Don't miss the morning markets with their farmers selling local produce and various crafts, such as the local sarubobo good luck charms. Later, be sure to head out to the Hida Folk Village to admire the steeply-thatched gassho-zukuri buildings or visit the Takayama Float Museum to find out about the town's magnificent spring and autumn festivals.

In the evening of the second day, you can enjoy culinary delights of the local izakaya with a local guide.

Overnight: Satoyama Stay Nino-machi
Day 7-8

After a morning in the picturesque mountain village of Shirakawago, journey on to the gardens city of Kanazawa, known for its fresh seafood.

Next you will take a bus to Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses – some of which are more than 250 years old.

After exploring the village, you will continue on by bus to Kanazawa on Japan's western coast. Here you will have a full afternoon to explore the old Nagamachi samurai quarter, the traditional teahouse districts, the spectacular Kenrokuen (one of Japan's top three landscape gardens), or perhaps the intriguing 21st Century Art Museum. Most importantly, don't miss Omicho good market where you can find all manner of weird and wonderful fish and vegetables.

Your Info-Pack will include details on all these sights as well as restaurant suggestions for dinner.

Overnight: Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Day 9-11

Go geisha-spotting, eat elaborate kaiseki cuisine and visit local markets – all in Kyoto, the “City of Ten Thousand Temples”.

Travelling south from Kanazawa by the Hokuriku shinkansen via Tsuruga, you will arrive in Kyoto around lunchtime with the rest of the day to discover the city. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, so it's no surprise that the city is steeped in history and packed full of fascinating sights. Shrines, temples and gardens – 17 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites – are to be found on every corner, and you may even spot a geisha in the Gion district at dusk!

This evening we will arrange a reservation for you at the Tempura Endo Yasaka, one of InsideJapan's favourite restaurants. The restaurant is famous for its tempura dishes: lightly battered vegetables and seafood served piping hot with dipping sauce, salt or grated radish. (Please note that while we will make the Tempura Endo reservation, you will need to pay on the day for this meal.)

The next day, a private local guide will meet you at your hotel to take you on a full day tour of the city. There is no better way to get to know Kyoto than by experiencing it with a knowledgeable local, and you'll visit a mixture of major highlights – such as Kinkaku-ji's Golden Pavilion and Kiyomizu-dera – and less frequented locations like the gardens at Tofuku-ji. Lunch with the guide is included.

On your final day in Kyoto you will be at leisure. You can further explore Kyoto; we recommend relaxing by the Hozugawa River and bamboo groves in the Arashiyama district, or shopping for gifts in the streets around the Higashiyama temple area. Or you can head out of the city on a day trip, perhaps to sample to savoury okonomiyaki pancakes of Hiroshima, or journey south to Nara via Uji, a small town famous for its green tea.

Overnight: Celestine Kyoto Gion

Day 1-3

Discover a Japanese institution at an izakaya, check out the city's top sights with an expert local guide, and treat yourself to the world's best ramen on a guided lunchtime safari.

Welcome to Japan! On arrival at at the airport you will be driven by private car to your hotel. You'll be staying close to the Yurakucho and Shimbashi on one side, home to dinky noodle bars and eateries beloved by salarymen, and the glitzy Ginza district on the other.

The rest of the day will be free to explore at your leisure. Hamarikyu Gardens are nearby, offering you the opportunity to try a tea ceremony in the traditional teahouse overlooking the lake. From here we recommend taking the waterbus along the Sumida River to Asakusa, the most traditional district of Tokyo.

This evening, one of our Tokyo "Insiders" will take you out for dinner at a local izakaya restaurant for an introduction to Japanese cuisine, where they will show you some more unusual dishes and guide you through the etiquette of dining out in Japan. After dinner, let your Insider know if you fancy checking out some of the local bars as well.

On your second day you will be exploring Tokyo with a private local guide. The itinerary is completely flexible and your guide will have lots of great ideas for the day – as well as being on hand to answer any questions about Japanese culture, language and food. Take advantage of this time to visit Meiji Shrine, people-watch in Yoyogi Park, discover the museums of Ueno and much more. Lunch with the guide is included and your personalised Info-Pack will include lots of suggestions if you would like to think of some ideas in advance.

On day three we'll introduce to a self-proclaimed ramen obsessive who'll take you on a special lunchtime tour hopping between ramen joints! The rest of the day is free to continue discovering Tokyo at your leisure.

Overnight: Gate Hotel Tokyo

Previous story Next story

View all days

Day 1-3

Discover a Japanese institution at an izakaya, check out the city's top sights with an expert local guide, and treat yourself to the world's best ramen on a guided lunchtime safari.

Welcome to Japan! On arrival at at the airport you will be driven by private car to your hotel. You'll be staying close to the Yurakucho and Shimbashi on one side, home to dinky noodle bars and eateries beloved by salarymen, and the glitzy Ginza district on the other.

The rest of the day will be free to explore at your leisure. Hamarikyu Gardens are nearby, offering you the opportunity to try a tea ceremony in the traditional teahouse overlooking the lake. From here we recommend taking the waterbus along the Sumida River to Asakusa, the most traditional district of Tokyo.

This evening, one of our Tokyo "Insiders" will take you out for dinner at a local izakaya restaurant for an introduction to Japanese cuisine, where they will show you some more unusual dishes and guide you through the etiquette of dining out in Japan. After dinner, let your Insider know if you fancy checking out some of the local bars as well.

On your second day you will be exploring Tokyo with a private local guide. The itinerary is completely flexible and your guide will have lots of great ideas for the day – as well as being on hand to answer any questions about Japanese culture, language and food. Take advantage of this time to visit Meiji Shrine, people-watch in Yoyogi Park, discover the museums of Ueno and much more. Lunch with the guide is included and your personalised Info-Pack will include lots of suggestions if you would like to think of some ideas in advance.

On day three we'll introduce to a self-proclaimed ramen obsessive who'll take you on a special lunchtime tour hopping between ramen joints! The rest of the day is free to continue discovering Tokyo at your leisure.

Overnight: Gate Hotel Tokyo

Day 4

Try your hand at the art of noodle-making in the highland town of Matsumoto, famous for its impressive original samurai castle.

The next stop on your itinerary will be Matsumoto, accessible by direct express train from Tokyo passing through the mountains of Nagano. The "Black Crow" castle here is one of Japan's finest, and looks particularly impressive set against its dramatic, mountainous backdrop.

We will arrange a soba noodle-making class for you this afternoon at a 130-year-old shop near the castle. Here you will be able to try your hand at making Matsumoto's speciality dish before spending the rest of the day exploring the town's traditional quarter or visiting the art museum. If you are feeling brave, try Matsumoto's other speciality – basashi (raw horse) – for dinner!

Overnight: Buena Vista Hotel

Day 5-6

Ease the pace as you wander old wooden streets and sip local sake in the alpine town of Hida Furukawa.

After breakfast in Matsumoto, you will make your way through the Japanese Alps to the Hida area, home to craft town of Takayama. For hundreds of years this town was completely cut off by snow during the winter months, and consequently has developed many of its own food specialties. You'll be back for a visit of Takayama tomorrow; but before that, you'll head to Hida Furukawa where you'll be based.

Although it sees far less foot traffic than its more famous cousin, Hida Furukawa is a charming little town with some fantastic culinary opportunities, and we love being able to promote tourism to a small community. On the first day a local guide will take you for an arrival exploration of the town.

Your second day can be spent over in Takayama. We recommend wandering the old wooden buildings of the Sannomachi district, where you'll have the chance to sample the other speciality of Takayama – sake. Don't miss the morning markets with their farmers selling local produce and various crafts, such as the local sarubobo good luck charms. Later, be sure to head out to the Hida Folk Village to admire the steeply-thatched gassho-zukuri buildings or visit the Takayama Float Museum to find out about the town's magnificent spring and autumn festivals.

In the evening of the second day, you can enjoy culinary delights of the local izakaya with a local guide.

Overnight: Satoyama Stay Nino-machi

Day 7-8

After a morning in the picturesque mountain village of Shirakawago, journey on to the gardens city of Kanazawa, known for its fresh seafood.

Next you will take a bus to Shirakawago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses – some of which are more than 250 years old.

After exploring the village, you will continue on by bus to Kanazawa on Japan's western coast. Here you will have a full afternoon to explore the old Nagamachi samurai quarter, the traditional teahouse districts, the spectacular Kenrokuen (one of Japan's top three landscape gardens), or perhaps the intriguing 21st Century Art Museum. Most importantly, don't miss Omicho good market where you can find all manner of weird and wonderful fish and vegetables.

Your Info-Pack will include details on all these sights as well as restaurant suggestions for dinner.

Overnight: Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

Day 9-11

Go geisha-spotting, eat elaborate kaiseki cuisine and visit local markets – all in Kyoto, the “City of Ten Thousand Temples”.

Travelling south from Kanazawa by the Hokuriku shinkansen via Tsuruga, you will arrive in Kyoto around lunchtime with the rest of the day to discover the city. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, so it's no surprise that the city is steeped in history and packed full of fascinating sights. Shrines, temples and gardens – 17 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites – are to be found on every corner, and you may even spot a geisha in the Gion district at dusk!

This evening we will arrange a reservation for you at the Tempura Endo Yasaka, one of InsideJapan's favourite restaurants. The restaurant is famous for its tempura dishes: lightly battered vegetables and seafood served piping hot with dipping sauce, salt or grated radish. (Please note that while we will make the Tempura Endo reservation, you will need to pay on the day for this meal.)

The next day, a private local guide will meet you at your hotel to take you on a full day tour of the city. There is no better way to get to know Kyoto than by experiencing it with a knowledgeable local, and you'll visit a mixture of major highlights – such as Kinkaku-ji's Golden Pavilion and Kiyomizu-dera – and less frequented locations like the gardens at Tofuku-ji. Lunch with the guide is included.

On your final day in Kyoto you will be at leisure. You can further explore Kyoto; we recommend relaxing by the Hozugawa River and bamboo groves in the Arashiyama district, or shopping for gifts in the streets around the Higashiyama temple area. Or you can head out of the city on a day trip, perhaps to sample to savoury okonomiyaki pancakes of Hiroshima, or journey south to Nara via Uji, a small town famous for its green tea.

Overnight: Celestine Kyoto Gion

Day 12

Get in touch with your spiritual side as you stay at a shukubo temple lodging and try traditional Buddhist cuisine at mysterious Mount Koya, the home of Shingon Buddhism.

The next stop on your adventure is Mount Koya, the spiritual home of Shingon Buddhism. You will take the train to the Kii Peninsula followed by the funicular railway to Mount Koya, arriving in time for the afternoon ritual at your shukubo temple lodging.

The eerie but beautiful Okunoin mausoleum, home to thousands of tombstones set amongst towering evergreen trees, makes for a hauntingly atmospheric visit – especially at dusk or in the early morning.

The temple where you'll be staying serves an elaborate, vegetarian shojin ryori feast in the evening, consisting of konyaku (root vegetable jelly), tempura vegetables, chrysanthemum flowers, tofu, noodles, and much more.

Overnight: Ichijo-in

Day 13-15

Wrap up your adventure in Osaka, the foodie capital of Japan

After breakfast and morning prayers at your temple lodging you will exchange the tranquillity of Mount Koya for bold, brash Osaka - and there could hardly be a more striking contrast.

Your final day will be free to continue exploring Osaka. We suggest visiting Osaka Castle or the architecturally dizzying Umeda Sky Building. Then in the evening, our resident local guide will be introducing you to the food paradise of Dotonbori on a street food tour of the city. The district you'll be exploring is where Osakans come to celebrate when their local baseball or football team win the league – or just whenever they can think of an excuse! Dinner is included tonight, and you'll have the opportunity to try all the local specialties – from kushikatsu (skewered vegetables and meat dishes), to takoyaki (the famous octopus balls) to okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pancakes).

On your last morning a private car will take you to Osaka Kansai Airport for your flight home.

Overnight: Osaka Marriott Miyako

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Trip Reviews

(12 month average based on 6 reviews)

Self-Guided Adventure Gastronomic Adventure
Excellent
Services were all as expected and on time, with our hotels all having reservations and information that was correct, train tickets, portable wifi, and metro cards all…
Read more >
Self-Guided Adventure Gastronomic Adventure
Excellent
Excellent! This is our second time using Inside Japan and planning our trip with Karin and this was even better than last time!
Read more >

Tour Gallery

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Trip Reviews

Self-Guided Adventure Gastronomic Adventure
Excellent
Services were all as expected and on time, with our hotels all having reservations and information that was correct, train tickets, portable wifi, and metro cards all…
Read more >
Self-Guided Adventure Gastronomic Adventure
Excellent
Excellent! This is our second time using Inside Japan and planning our trip with Karin and this was even better than last time!
Read more >

(12 month average based on 6 reviews)

5.0 out of 5 from 6 reviews Show all Gastronomic Adventure Reviews

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