Art & Culture
Area
Season
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Setonaikai National Park: Teshima Sustainable Tour - "Island Life in Japan"
This tour offers a hands-on experience of island life, including agricultural and fishing activities, as well as interactions with local artisans. You'll get to participate in a private farm tour, connecting you to the sea and land through its food that only uses the island's organic vegetables.
You can also enjoy cycling around the island on an E-bike, which promotes carbon neutrality, while appreciating the art that harmonizes with the natural beauty of Teshima. The tour includes a private viewing of art installations, which makes for a special experience in a unique space. This sustainable tour provides an exclusive chance to immerse yourself in the island lifestyle and art, allowing you to fully appreciate the tranquil beauty of Teshima. -
Experience life as it was in the authentic Japanese fishing village of Sagiura – Next-generation living in a traditional house made from reclaimed materials
Take a guided walk through Sagiura Village, and experience one of Japan’s most well-retained landscapes to understand why the traditions and culture here have been preserved and passed down to the present. Stay at a traditional inn made of materials reclaimed from vacant houses, and become one with the nature and life of Sagiura as you reflect on your own past and future.
[What you will experience]
・A guided walk around Sagiura village
・Make salt using seaweed from the Sea of Japan based on a traditional method unique to Sagiura, and take home the salt as a souvenir
・Stay at Wajimaya, which is a traditional inn made from reclaimed lumber
・Take a fishing boat cruise on the Sea of Japan and visit a “blue cave” geopark spot, which is a rare cave where light shines deep inside
・Watch a video to experience a local festival held every New Year’s with "Shagiri," a type of music played with a short flute
・Gaze out at the Sea of Japan as you take a private bath with arame, a type of seaweed that is a specialty of Sagiura
・Enjoy a Japanese dinner made with local ingredients
・Have a traditional Sagiura fisherman's breakfast prepared by a local -
Urban Legend Taxi
A first of its kind, Urban Legend Taxi is an hour-long immersive horror experience tour that is brought to life with surround sound and 3D video using the latest technology from Sony, the pride of Japan. With the help of 3D video, 360 Reality Audio, and sound AR technology, you will be taken on a tour of secret urban legend spots around Tokyo. Escorted along in one of S.RIDE's premium vehicles, you will experience fear and horror in luxury!
Inside the vehicle, you can watch a program about the urban legends on a Sony Spatial Reality Display. Strange things will start to occur as you see thrilling urban legends take place in real time. The sound AR app Locatone™ is used to enhance the audio experience and make each spot you visit even more immersive.
This horror experience has been overseen by Haunted House Obaken, which has produced numerous haunted houses and horror events in Japan and overseas, so you will be sure to have an authentic horror experience.
Guidance on the tour is available in Japanese, English, and Chinese, so tourists from outside Japan are also welcome. Investigating urban legend spots with the help of a chauffeur brings the experience to life and makes the horror even more real. Whether you are someone who loves urban legends or you just want to a new way to experience horror, this tour is for you. Who knows? Perhaps in the darkness and terrors of Tokyo, you will create a new urban legend of your own…
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Satsuma Samurai Spirit Tour in Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture
Samurai existed in Japan from the medieval to the modern eras. They trained in swordsmanship and other arts in order to protect their lord, their families, and themselves. However, they also emphasized spiritual training through the learning of etiquette, tea ceremonies, and other cultural practices. Their bravery, wisdom, and aesthetic sensibilities were passed on to future generations, and have given rise to many cultures, traditions, and ideas.
Satsumasendai City in Kagoshima Prefecture is a historically “samurai” city, where the spirit of the Satsuma samurai remains strong. The Samurai Program includes a guided tour of the largest scale armor-production site in Japan, an experience dressing in premium armor, an iaido experience, and a samurai dinner to deeply get in touch with the life and philosophy of the Satsuma samurai. -
MT.IWAFUNE EXPLOSION EXPERIENCE
1. "Henshin with Kamen Rider #1: Transformation and Explosion with Hiroshi Fujioka"
In this exclusive experience, you’ll learn the iconic “henshin pose” from Hiroshi Fujioka, the original Kamen Rider #1, and join him in an electrifying explosion scene.
2. "Become a Hero: Wire Action and Explosion"
Step into the role of a hero where you'll perform wire-action stunts. Guided by a former stuntman, you'll experience high-flying action and cinematic explosions.
3. "Anniversary Explosion Shoot in a Kimono"
Wear a beautiful kimono and capture unforgettable moments with a unique explosion photo shoot. Perfect setting to make your special day a cinematic masterpiece. -
The Tradition of Japan's Ama Divers: Ocean Lunch Tour
This tour will give you an authentic ama experience, allowing you to forge a connection with the earth and nature through food. The accommodation, Oyado the Earth, is located within Ise-Shima National Park. The tour begins on the grounds of the hotel. Participants will cross a beach only accessible at low tide to reach a private beach with small, isolated ama huts. Walking along the pebbled beach, with its natural hills and valleys, and listening to the crash of the waves, participants will gain firsthand insight into the unique lives of these ama divers. They will witness the cycles of nature, the lived experience of the ama divers as the seasons change, and the ways in which this culture has been preserved. Participants will arrive on the beach around the time that the ama divers return from their dive. The sight of these ama divers, emerging drenched from the waves, speaks to a hidden world that lies within the ocean. On the beach in front of the ama huts, close enough to feel the spray of the waves, participants will be treated to an aperitif selected by the accommodation’s sommelier and a chef’s lunch made with the ama’s catch. Afterwards, participants will head to the harbor to take in the lively scene of the ama divers unloading their catch of turban shells and abalone so they can be taken to market. Outside the fishing season or in case of bad weather, special permission is granted to enter the ama huts. Participants will be able to speak to the ama divers and gain deep insight into their experiences as they prepare for their dive. It is a truly special experience to able to visit a real ama hut rather than a reconstruction. The tour offers not only a walk on the unspoiled beaches of Ise-Shima National Park but also a glimpse into the real fishing and daily life of the working ama divers.
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Overnight Tour in Sabae, Including a Workshop on Echizen’s Most Treasured Craft, True Lacquer Kintsugi
Learn kintsugi (the art of repairing broken pottery with urushi lacquer) from traditional craftsman Takenobu Komamoto, who has preserved and passed down the traditional crafts of the city of Echizen in Fukui Prefecture for generations.
Takenobu himself will teach participants the techniques involved in kintsugi using real gold. This is a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
Kintsugi is applied to Echizen ware ceramics that have been discarded due to chips that occur in the manufacturing process. These chips prevent them from being sold as products.
A bowl restored by one's own hands will become a treasure for a lifetime.
Upon completing the workshop, those interested will receive a certificate of apprenticeship acknowledging the master-apprentice relationship with Takenobu. A cup of limited-edition local sake will be presented to solidify this master-apprentice relationship.
On each part of the tour, participants will be accompanied by a professional interpreter.
Private cars with chauffeurs are also available for transport from the meeting point and the accommodation. -
Wagyu and Yakatabune Boat in TOKYO
A fusion of a nighttime cruise on a yakatabune boat, a symbol of Tokyo's Edo period culture, with a full-course French meal prepared by Chef Kakegawa from a Michelin-starred restaurant.
The secret ingredient that will bring this amazing collaboration to even greater heights is Japan's world-renowned wagyu beef.
This luxury dinner cruise also includes a gift of Tokyo sake and an ochoko sake cup made of Edo kiriko glass.
This special tour is designed to offer a different taste of Tokyo, with a focus on Tokyo products—Wagyu beef, sake that brings out the flavor of the meals, and souvenirs and handicrafts.
Chef Kakegawa's Michelin star cuisine is sure to impress the senses with its delicacy and concentrated umami.
The original Wagyu beef full-course menu created especially for this tour and the unique Tokyo nightscape cruise on a yakatabune boat are sure to make for an unforgettable night for all visitors to Tokyo. -
Seto Inland Sea Gastronomy Cruise
Travel by yacht and enjoy a gastronomy experience with a private chef, exploring the nature and gastronomy of the Seto Inland Sea, while delving deep into the local culture through interactions with local fishermen and farmers. This one-of-a-kind cruise, which includes special programs such as private viewings at museums and a mindfulness workshop based on Zen philosophy, is sure to leave a lasting impression.
◾️ Contemporary art island tour: Take a tour of Naoshima, Inujima, Teshima, and other islands for a special chance to view artworks by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and other artists.
◾️ Onboard gastronomy with private chefs: Special dishes made with the freshest ingredients from the Seto Inland Sea, served onboard the yacht by dedicated private chefs.
◾️ Interactions with local fishers and farmers Interact closely with locals to delve deeper into the culture and lifestyle of the islands.
◾️ Mindfulness workshop: A special mindfulness program called UNDOING. It is based on Zen philosophy and aims to help you achieve harmony of body and mind.
◾️ Luxury accommodations: Includes lodging at special accommodations such as suites at Benesse House.
◾️ Custom itinerary: Itineraries are flexible and can be adjusted to suit your preferences and maximize your enjoyment of this special experience
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Explore the Secrets of the Jomon Period and Its 10,000 Years of Peace 「JOMON Peaceful Spirits Tour」
Japan’s Jomon period was a period of peace that lasted for over 10,000 years, making it a unique period of time in the world. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russo-Ukrainian War and Israel-Hamas War in Gaza have threatened world peace. In addition to the food crises caused by these wars, more and more attention is being given to food crises caused by climate change. A growing number of people believe that the Jomon culture of Japan can provide us with insights to achieve world peace and live in harmony with nature in order to protect the Earth. This hands-on program held in the Yatsugatake Mountains and the village of Hara in Nagano Prefecture—an area that flourished during the Jomon period and is considered a Japan Heritage Cultural Property—will explore the peaceful spirit behind the Jomon era and the secrets behind its peace.