Inside Japan
Eleven days from Osaka's backstreet izakayas to a private wasabi farm with the chefs, monks and artisans who open doors most travelers never see.
Imagine yourself…
Ducking through Osaka backstreets for street food, sharing a quiet Buddhist meal in a secret tea house in Kyoto, hiking to a private wasabi farm, and rolling sushi with the freshest catch above the old Tsukiji Fish Market.
From the tea fields and the fish market, all the way to the table.
Most food tours start at the plate. We start where the food does and follow it the whole way. Japan isn't one kind of meal, so we don't build one kind of trip. Here's what that range looks like:
The fields
A green tea farm, and a wasabi farm you hike to reach.
The makers
A famous knife shop, a lacquerware studio, a sake brewery.
The hands
Rolling sushi with fish you chose at the market yourself.
The history
Zazen with a head monk, and a tea ceremony done properly.
The table
Kaiseki at a ryokan, and dinner in a 200-year-old home.
Friends You Haven't Met Yet
Our friendships in Japan open the door to experiences most travelers never have. Connect with artisans who have spent generations perfecting their craft and graciously welcome you into their world.
Kenji - Osaka & Kyoto
Wander the market with her, then step into her kitchen for a hands-on cooking class in the heart of Porto.
Yoko - Osaka
Pick vegetables straight from her garden, then cook traditional Alentejo dishes together in her kitchen.
Mrs. Konishi - Kyoto
An invitation into their home for dinner of traditional dishes and unhurried conversation.
Yasu - Onsen Town
Wine tasting with Ines at her family's estate poured by someone who knows the vineyard by heart.
Be fully present. We’ve handled everything else.
✓ 4-5* Boutique Accommodations
✓ Airport meet and greet with private transfers
✓All ground transportation
✓ All meals listed in the itinerary
✓ Wine tastings and select alcoholic beverages with most meals
✓ All activities, experiences, tours, and sightseeing
✓ All taxes and tips for all drivers, guides, restaurants, and more
✓ 24/7 Tour Host
Exclusions: mandatory travel insurance, transportation or airfare to/from Portugal, hotel incidentals, and premium alcoholic beverages.
Just 6 – 12 travelers — small enough to fit inside a family kitchen.
"It got me outside my comfort zone."
"This Japan culinary tour has tremendously expanded my cultural awareness and knowledge withnew foods, Japanese traditions, and an inside look at the culture and the people."
"The focus on food and the locals was perfect."
"Their organization and personal service are unmatched."
They bring in experts with deep roots in the locations visited and help you fully experience the culture and cuisine like no other tour I’ve taken.
Nine days, three regions, a friend waiting in each.
Izakaya to izakaya, with a local
A private car brings you from the airport into the heart of the city, and your tour leader meets you at the hotel. Then we meet Kenji, who introduces us to Osaka on a walking food tour of his own neighborhood — hopping izakaya to izakaya through Japan’s most iconic street foods, in some of the unlikeliest settings.
Her market, a knife lesson, her kitchen
A market tour with Yoko, then a day tasting our way through markets, shotengai, and a few hidden spots you would not expect to find food. A hands-on hot pot lunch, a private knife sharpening lesson at Osaka’s most famous knife shop, and in the evening Yoko leads a cooking class in the dishes particular to this city.
A tea farm, then Gion after dark
We drive to a small tea town outside Kyoto to meet our friend for a tour of his tea farm and how Japanese green tea is really made — then a tasting and a light lunch made entirely from tea. On to Kyoto and the Gion District with Kenji, ending with a traditional kaiseki dinner and a very special guest.
Zazen with the head monk
A private Zazen meditation session in one of Kyoto’s most important temples, guided by the head monk himself. Then shojin ryori — traditional Buddhist cuisine built on seasonal ingredients and Zen principles — in a secret tea house. The evening is yours.
Tea in her home, sake by the river
We drive to Mrs. Konishi’s home for a private tea ceremony with her and a trained practitioner. Then the train to the sake brewery district of Fushimi, toward the Uji River, where Kenji joins us for lunch and an introduction to sake — and dinner at a brewery.
Hot springs, and a friend’s hometown
A train from Kyoto Station to a small hot spring town, where our friend Yasu gives us an in-depth introduction alongside a few very special local friends. A leisurely stroll to the ryokan, then a regional kaiseki meal that reads like a portrait of the season.
Lacquerware, looms and a wasabi farm
We meet artisans and producers around the peninsula — making lacquerware in a tiny studio, weaving on a loom, hiking to a privately owned wasabi farm — all with the locals who keep those crafts alive. The afternoon is yours. We regroup for a progressive dinner prepared by the owner of a 200-year-old home.
A Shinto morning, a bullet train, a food crawl
A local specialty for lunch and a Shinto experience typically reserved for locals, then the bullet train to Tokyo. After settling in, we head to an iconic neighborhood for a progressive food tour dinner.
The city with someone who lives here
We hit the streets with Lauren, a Tokyo ex-pat who knows the secret spots — Shibuya Crossing and the headline sights, but also the quieter neighborhoods in between, ending at a farm-to-table lunch worth licking the plate for. The rest of the day is yours.
The fish market, then our favorite table
A food tour through the fish market with Michie, who knows the vendors by name. We pick up in-season provisions, then roll sushi with some of the freshest fish in the world. Our final meal is at one of our favorite restaurants in Tokyo — we have the place to ourselves.
Mata ne
An optional group breakfast at the hotel before a private transfer takes you to Haneda or Narita for your journey home.
Our itinerary is always evolving as we coordinate with our friends in Japan around their schedules. Consider it a vivid preview of what travel with us feels like.
Let's start with a conversation.
There's no commitment in asking. Whether you're wondering about the group dynamic, the activity level, or exactly what happens on day 7 — we're here. We'll reply within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked
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Travelers should be comfortable engaging in activities like walking tours (lasting up to 4 hours), walking over sometimes uneven terrain like cobblestone streets, climbing stairs, and standing for extended periods. This tour is appropriate for those who are comfortable with some longer and moderately active tour days. If you have any specific questions you’d like to discuss with the tour host, contact us!
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There are only 6 - 12 travelers on this group trip. With fewer travelers, we can explore unique, off-the-beaten-path spaces that larger groups can't access, such as family-owned kitchens, bustling markets, and private homes.
This small size also fosters meaningful connections - whether it’s sharing stories over a meal with a local host or bonding with fellow travelers, our trips feel more personal.
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The $9,950 per person price (double occupancy) includes 4–5 star boutique accommodations, airport meet-and-greet with private transfers, all ground transportation, all meals listed in the itinerary, wine tastings and select alcoholic beverages with most meals, all activities and tours, and all taxes and tips for drivers, guides, and restaurants. A 24/7 tour host travels with the group the entire trip. Not included: mandatory travel insurance, airfare to and from Portugal, hotel incidentals, and premium alcoholic beverages.