Art & Culture
Area
Season
-
Savor a sushi course dinner at the historic former residence of Kichirobe Yamaguchi
A sushi course dinner, available only as a part of this tour, will be served at the former residence of Kichirobe Yamaguchi (Tekisui Museum of Art), located in a tranquil area of Ashiya City.
The special course menu caters to various dietary needs, including halal and vegetarian options. It is overseen by Chef Ryosuke Kawai, a sous chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant (availability of halal and vegetarian options vary according to the date of the event).
The former residence of Kichirobe Yamaguchi (Tekisui Museum of Art) is a historic building constructed in 1932 and filled with Important Cultural Properties. It was included in the "DOCOMOMO 20 IN KANSAI,” a symposium celebrating architecture.
Tour participants will first solve a mystery in a program led by a heritage manager, who is an expert on historic buildings, as he helps them understand the building’s background. Guests can then enjoy themselves with a sushi course meal replete with Japanese vegetables in a space that previously served as a reception room. -
Tanba Saijiki: The Greatest Wabi-sabi Journey
Complete with a private teahouse and Noh stage, this special guest house offers a luxurious way for guests to experience Japanese culture in the mountains of Tanba. Wear a traditional kimono and immerse yourself in Japanese traditional aesthetics with the help of multilingual staff. Limited to groups of 4 to 10 people.
These lodgings are located in the middle of Tamba's scenic traditional landscape and provides services that allows guests to enjoy clothing, food, and living spaces designed with Tanba's four seasons in mind. The highlight of the package is a Noh experience where guests will be introduced to this world-famous traditional performing art by Living National Treasure and Noh actor, Genjiro Okura, on the guest house's private Noh stage.
Guests will not only take in seasonal-themed Noh performances, but also gain deeper insights into Japanese culture as they interact with Noh performers during their practice sessions. By staying at the guest house overnight, guests can go up on the Noh stage and immerse themselves in practice whenever they want.
Guests will also participate in a tea ceremony based on the 72 micro-seasons of Japan, enjoy Japanese food culture around the fire, and have a genuine wabi-sabi experience in Tanba's beautiful natural surroundings.
Immerse yourself into genuine Japanese culture, find true satisfaction, and make lifelong memories. -
Hinoki Experience Tour in HINOHARA
This tour includes several special experiences to relax both mind and body in a lush cypress forest in the outskirts of Tokyo through shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing"), a concept that originated in Japan.
The forest bathing sessions will be led by an internationally acclaimed forest therapy guide.
Learn how the forest and cypress trees continue to support daily life in Hinohara Village, where Japanese paper and multigrain dishes continued to be made in traditional buildings.
Stay at a thatched-roof inn that is over 250 years old.
Natural foods (vegan meals) are provided throughout the tour.
Travel is done via chartered vehicle, and there will be a translator-guide who will accompany you.
Take two splendid days to surround yourself with the smell of cypress. -
Accommodation Plan for Digital Nomads: Immerse Yourself in Ureshino's People and Culture
Ureshino, located in southern Japan, is famous for its hot springs, tea, and ceramics, nestled among picturesque mountains. In this unique experience, you’ll stay at the newly renovated Ureshino Wata-ya Villa, designed for digital nomads, and explore three of Ureshino’s most cherished traditional cultures: hot springs, tea, and ceramics.
At Wata-ya Villa, you’ll enjoy a comfortable long-term stay in a fully-equipped room with a dedicated workspace. You’ll also have access to a co-working space that includes a kitchen for added convenience.
The first experience is Ureshino’s renowned hot springs that are said to beautify and rejuvenate the skin. As part of the subscription plan, you can choose from 10 different options during your stay, including rental bicycles, spas, saunas, and Japanese sweets workshops.
The second experience involves the 500-year-old Ureshino tea tradition, where you’ll engage with local tea farmers and learn about the tea cultivation process, from farming to production, all while connecting with the local community.
The third experience is a hands-on pottery workshop featuring the 400-year-old tradition of Bizen Yoshida pottery. You’ll get the rare chance to take part in the pottery-making process, something not typically offered to the public.
Additionally, throughout your stay, interpreters will be available for support via online chat. You’ll also receive a guidebook with information on nearby restaurants and tourist attractions to make the most of your stay.
-
An Exclusive Dinner at Fukuzen-ji Temple's Historic Taishō-ro Reception Hall with a Special Fukuyama Koto Performance
Exclusive Nighttime Use of the Taishō-ro Reception Hall
Guests will partake in a private dinner at a reception hall overlooking the sea. The menu will be prepared by local chefs who will recreate dishes that were once served to Joseon Dynasty envoys. While dining, guests will enjoy a performance of "The Sea of Spring" (Haru no Umi), a famous song that was born in this picturesque town. After a meal in this exclusive setting, guests will enjoy an overnight stay at a traditional machiya house-turned-upscale hotel that is tucked away in the historic alleyways of Tomonoura. -
A Cultural Dining Experience: Offering a Prayer at Mitokoura, Originating from Itsukushima “A High-Value Local Entertainment Dining Journey Through the History of the Sacred Island, Miyajima”
Miyajima, long revered as a sacred island where the gods reside, offers an array of charms. From its mystical natural beauty to a variety of cultural experiences, including tea ceremonies, calligraphy, hiking, kayaking, SUP, and yacht cruises, Miyajima provides something for everyone. Just across from the island, Miyahama Hot Spring Village offers a luxurious retreat with panoramic views of the beautiful Seto Inland Sea.
In this plan, you will embark on a unique journey to enjoy what Miyajima has to offer in a new and exciting way. The experience starts aboard HANAIKADA, a restaurant boat designed to resemble a raft. The boat takes you to locations normally inaccessible by standard sightseeing boats, offering a guided tour of the majestic peaks of Miyajima from the waters surrounding Itsukushima Shrine.
Along the way, savor seasonal dishes crafted by local chefs and plated on Hiroshima’s traditional Osunayaki pottery. The highlight of the cruise is a live performance of Ujin Taiko, a traditional Hiroshima performing art, which will be held right on the boat.
Why not indulge in a premium stay that combines Japanese culture, entertainment, cuisine, and activities, all set within the awe-inspiring scenery of a World Heritage Site? -
Premium Dining at a Chartered Historical Site, Mt. Houdaiyama's Mitakayama Battery [A Unique Fusion of Food and Music in a Special Setting]
Premium Dining Experience on Mitakayama Battery at Mt. Houdaiyama
This event offers a fusion of opera, Noh, and fine dining, all in the name of peace. Enjoy an exclusive premium dining experience at a rented-out historic site of Mitakayama Battery on Mt. Houdaiyama, accompanied by a special concert by Maria Seiren, the first winner of Japan's Got Talent.
Acquiring Ingredients Locally with a Food Expert
Explore the local food scene by visiting food producers in Etajima, where you will personally select fresh, locally sourced ingredients. These will then be prepared right before your eyes by the head chef of Etajima-so, offering you a luxurious and one-of-a-kind dining experience that is distinctly Etajima. -
Immersive Kabuki & Ozashiki Experience
Participants will have the rare opportunity to rent out the historic and sacred Tomioka Hachiman Shrine. Transform into an Edo-era townsfolk by donning a kimono and take a stroll through the shrine grounds, engaging with kabuki characters and enjoying an intimate performance right before your eyes.
You’ll also be treated to a luxurious Fukagawa kaiseki meal while watching traditional geisha dances and shamisen performances by Fukagawa geisha. For those interested, a short movie, styled like a period drama, can be filmed with the participants as the stars. The video will be provided as a unique keepsake, perfect for sharing on social media to capture the unforgettable essence of your journey.
This event is a genuine Japanese cultural experience, supervised by former kabuki actors and masters of traditional performing arts, ensuring that even repeat visitors and discerning guests are fully satisfied. Held in the evening, this experience also makes for an ideal night event for travelers with busy schedules during the day. -
Zenkoji Temple Special Experience with Nagano Wine Premium Dinner featuring “The Drops of God”
Join us for a special tour of Shinshu Zenkoji Temple, a sacred site that has drawn believers from across Japan for over 1,400 years. The temple's main hall, designated a National Treasure, remains a revered symbol of faith. During the tour, you will also visit the two temples that have safeguarded Zenkoji’s legacy: Daihongan and Daikanjin.
At the end of the tour, indulge in a premium dinner pairing Nagano’s locally produced wines with a menu inspired by the popular manga “The Drops of God”. This exclusive dining experience will be supervised by the Karuizawa Marriott Hotel.
Packed with unique content you can only experience on this tour, it promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create lasting memories and expand your knowledge. -
Explore the Illusionary Ice Carousel and Exclusive Winter Activities at Taisetsu Dam Lake, Surrounded by the Untouched Beauty of Daisetsuzan National Park!
Winter activity events will be held at the Taisetsu Dam in Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido. This is a dammed lake you which you can't normally access!
Experience the illusionary “ice merry-go-rounds,” spinning blocks of ice on the lake's surface. This is one of the world's first in this new sensory activity, the “Pleasure Ice Carousel!” By day, enjoy the whimsical “ice merry-go-round” and other exciting winter activities, and by night, walk on illuminated ice while gazing at a starry sky draped in silver light.
● A world's-first in this new sensory experience: “Pleasure Ice Carousel”
≫ Enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the great outdoors from various angles as if you were on a pleasure boat, as you go around several ice carousels.
● Activities at the Taisetsu Dam Lake, which is located in a national park that is normally off-limits
≫ Cruising by snow raft with a local guide through the far-off, unexplored areas of the Taisetsu Dam Lake.
≫ Stargazing from the dam lake. Because it includes the view of the lit-up ice carousel, that makes this a never-before-seen sight!
● Kamikawa Marché & Ainu traditional craft experience
After enjoying the outdoors, you can also enjoy local food and traditional craft experiences.