![Food & Drink](https://unique-experience.go.jp/wp-content/themes/open-the-treasure-of-japan/assets/img/header_bg_foodanddrink.jpg)
Food & Drink
Area
Season
-
A New Nighttime Economy of Food and Myth in Aoshima, Miyazaki
This tour is an opportunity to try special foods and drinks, as well as traditional culture on the miraculous island of Aoshima. Surrounding the island, which has a circumference of 1.5 km, are irregular, visually pleasing rock formations created over the course of 6 million years. The island is covered in subtropical vegetation, the northernmost of its kind in the northern hemisphere, with scenery that makes you feel like time seems to have stood still.
On Aoshima, you will be able to enjoy a Miyazaki Prefecture gastronomy course prepared by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can also enjoy special cocktails made by a bartender named in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022. Nature, culture, and you. Enjoy a night where everything comes together in a timeless moment.
Aoshima by night: TIMELESS MOMENTO Menu
- Special dinner and cocktails
- One Plate・One Drink A moment to experience the charm of Miyazaki with all five senses
- Guided night tour of Aoshima Shrine
- Japanese calligraphy experience
Key players
Kojiro Kashiwada: Owner and chef of Kasane in Akasaka, Tokyo. Michelin-starred since 2011. Will serve creative Japanese meals that evoke the island’s culture and traditions.
Shuzo Nagumo: Owner of SBAR (Asia Top 50). Nagumo is one of Japan's foremost mixologists, and his cocktails made with local Miyazaki Prefecture sake have proved a game changer.
Yasutaka Nagatomo: Until 1737, only priests were allowed to set foot on the mysterious isle of Aoshima. The chief priest himself will guide you through the history, culture, and sacred kagura dance rituals of Aoshima.
Satoshi Iwao: Highly praised for his 'shodo' performances, Iwao became a qualified instructor at the age of just 16, though he did not begin to work professionally as a calligrapher until the age of 29.Performing on the streets of Miyazaki, Japan, Iwao has also performed in Paris - exhibiting at the Japan Expo Paris in both 2018 and 2019. -
FIA World Rally Championship FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024 - Hospitality Program
This hospitality program will make the experience of watching Rally Japan 2024 (the final match of the season in the FIA World Rally Championship) even more special than it already is.
Stadium hospitality: Watch the rally from the best seats, enjoy a meal at the stadium restaurant, attend a meet & greet, and more
Mountain hospitality: Includes transportation to and from the exclusive SS area in the mountains, and watching the race from amidst the great outdoors
Room hospitality: The top-of-the-line plan includes a comfortable stay in a Super Room at Toyota Stadium
Helicopter experience: The executive plan allows you to charter a helicopter to watch multiple SS races
This hospitality program includes special spectator seating, meals, rest areas, activity experiences, and more. That makes it the best way to watch up close and personal how the rally cars race at full speed and how the world’s top rallyists and mechanics working furiously to maintain them.
Take in the end of the WRC 2024 season in the best possible way!
◆ Services & activities:
- Rally car ride-along
- Meet & greet with special guests
- Priority entry to the course walk
- Service park tour
- Concierge service
- Rally Japan merchandise
- 20% discount on WRC merchandise
- Special pass gift -
Exclusive Four-Day Tour of Lake Kawaguchi, Nikko, and Ibaraki
On this exclusive four-day plan, you will be accompanied by an interpreter guide for the entire tour, take in the autumn foliage from the sky, and relax in your own private space.
View the splendid autumn foliage in comfort with unusual methods like helicopter rides and early morning private guided tours.
First, depart Tokyo by helicopter to enjoy a dynamic, spectacular view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi. Then, after landing at Fuji-Oshino, enjoy sightseeing in the Lake Kawaguchi area. The next morning, you will visit Kawaguchiko Museum of Art, with its extraordinary view of Lake Kawaguchi. It will be privately booked out before its opening hours for a special viewing of rare original ukiyo-e prints by Katsushika Hokusai that are not normally shown to the public.
On the second day, ride the helicopter from Fuji-Oshino to Nikko. Take in the view of the famous Irohazaka slope. It's known for its autumn foliage, and this way you can see it from the skies without getting stuck in traffic. Once in Nikko, enjoy a private breakfast and special guided tour of the Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park, which was once the retreat of Emperor Taisho. You will also be able to experience Zen meditation at Rinnoji Temple, which is a World Heritage site, and take a tour not offered to the public.
Afterwards, enjoy spectacular aerial views of the Ryujin Suspension Bridge, Japan’s largest pedestrian suspension bridge. At Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan’s three most famous waterfalls, enjoy special admission in the morning when no one else is around for a quiet moment in the crisp, clean air. This special plan concludes with a helicopter ride from Ibaraki Prefecture back to Tokyo. -
Enjoy Nasushiobara's Food, Hot Springs, and History with a Unique Garden Party at the Former Villa of Aoki Shuzo, Designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese Government
Nasushiobara has fantastic natural and cultural resources, including the great Nikko National Park, located in the Nasu and Nikko mountain ranges, as well as 178 cultural properties designated by the national and prefectural governments. Although the idea has always been to protect these resources, this program aims to use them in new and unprecedented ways in order to increase their appeal as tourism resources and pass them on to future generations.
This tour will offer special experiences such as a unique nighttime garden party at the villa of former Foreign Minister Aoki Shuzo (an Important Cultural Property that is also designated by the Japanese government as a Japan Heritage site); a wedding event set on the Momijidani Suspension Bridge which spansa the valley of Nikko National Park and is known as a ""sacred place for lovers""; and other special events that offer a glimpse of the local culture of Nasushiobara.
There will also be a premium gastronomy walking tour, which explores the nature, history, and cuisine of Shiobara Onsen and Itamuro Onsen in Nikko National Park. -
Dance the Traditional Bon Odori in Nagarekawa
Immerse yourself in Japanese festival traditions through Bon Odori dance. This event includes instruction in how to perform the Bon Odori dance, as well as assistance in dressing in a rental yukata, a light kimono that is popular at summer festivals. There will also be a booth where you can write prayers from Hiroshima for world peace on strips of paper. Professional interpreters will be present at the event.
The Hashigo-zake tour and Hiroshima bar district tour will also be available in conjunction with this Bon Odori dance program.
The Hiroshima bar district tour allows participants to enjoy drinking and dining at restaurants around Nagarekawa at discounted rates. A tour-specific map and tickets will be provided to make getting around very easy. Each location has English menus for participants' ease and enjoyment.
The Hashigo-zake tour is a guided tour of the food establishments around the Nagarekawa area. You will be guided through the history and culture of Nagarekawa as you navigate its alleyways and shrines. Enjoy all-new dishes made with local Hiroshima produce with expert guides. -
NAKED “OMATSURI” Eat, Play, and Dance!
A new sightseeing destination on the 7th floor of the Marunouchi Building lets you enjoy Japanese festivals to the fullest!
NAKED, Inc., a creative company that has created novel experiences at leading Tokyo spots such as Tokyo Tower and Shinjuku Gyoen Park, is hosting a festival experience at Marunouchi Building Hall on the 7th floor of the Marunouchi Building.
The event will feature a festival entertainment with daily performances of traditional dances from all over Japan.
Visitors can also get a taste of regional Japanese festivals in the heart of Tokyo by donning festival garb in front of a projection-mapped ukiyoe-style backdrop simulating festivals from various regions of Japan.
The area near Marunouchi and Tokyo Station is a tourist hotspot that attracts many visitors.
This event is a collaboration between Mitsubishi Estate and Naked, Inc., to host a summer festival in the Marunouchi area that enables visitors to enjoy the traditional summer events and culture of Japan. The event will be open until 10 P.M. to allow visitors, especially those staying at hotels near Tokyo Station, to enjoy unique Japanese experiences well into the night. -
Stay in Echizen and Try Your Hand at Making Hammered Blades and Japanese Umbrellas Under the Instruction of Traditional Artisans
Learn traditional crafts from craftsmen and artisans who have preserved and passed down the traditional industries of Fukui Prefecture's city of Echizen for generations. In this program, you will have the opportunity to make your own one-of-a-kind traditional craft items.
Learn how to make Echizen hammered blades from the artisan Takeshi Saji in a workshop not usually open to the public. Next, the artisan Naganobu Komamoto will teach you how to apply maki-e lacquer decoration to the handle to match the knife made in the workshop.
Artisans will also teach you the meticulous art of making Japanese umbrellas using Echizen washi paper.
Back at your accommodation, you can try your hand at cooking shabu-shabu using renowned Wakasa beef from Fukui Prefecture.
On each part of the tour, you will be accompanied by a professional interpreter.
Private hire cars are also available for transport from the meeting point and the accommodation. -
A Fishing Tour Where You Will Learn How to Maneuver a Boat, Read the Tides, and Catch Fish
● Even beginners have a high chance of catching fish, as you will be accompanied by highly skilled boatmen and professional anglers certified by fishing tackle manufacturer Shimano.
● All fishing equipment is provided: you can show up to the tour empty-handed!
● Any fresh fish you catch will be cooked and served to you at the restaurant.
● Stay at a five-star hotel in the Umeda or Namba areas of Osaka.
● Take a hired car to and from the hotel to the fishing port.
● Enjoy shopping at a popular roadside station in Misaki, where you can buy fresh local vegetables and fish. -
Natural Wine Stand
The town of Tamba Sasayama is well known for its remarkably preserved Edo Period atmosphere. Located in a renovated former bank in this historical town is a classic but modern wine bar. Enjoy a guided tasting of Japanese wines, with a focus on natural wines produced in the Tamba region. The second floor also serves as lodging, transforming this former bank into an inn where you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time. There is also a travel plan that includes the Natural Wine Stand event combined with an overnight stay in the inn. The Tatsumachi area of Tamba Sasayama features local cuisine only available in the region, as well as a Michelin Bib Gourmand-listed restaurant in an old Japanese-style house that has been renovated. Hop from one place to the next at your own leisure. Special desserts are available in addition to the wine, made by pâtissiers from local restaurants using mainly local ingredients. These are served alongside the wine, so feel free to grab a bite with your drink!
July 20 (Sat.), 2024, 3:00 P.M. - 10 P.M.
40 Tatsumachi, Tamba Sasayama, Hyogo, Japan
*Please use the nearby municipal parking lot. -
Enjoy the Tenjin Festival, One of Japan's Three Major Festivals, Aboard a Ceremonial Boat
(1) Participants will ride the official boat used for the festival's religious ceremony. Known as the gubusen, or attendant boat, this ceremonial boat functions to welcome the the gods.
(2) For the first time, special viewing seats will be set up on the grounds of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine for the general public to view the fireworks.
(3) Commentary by a former chief priest of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine will be interpreted into English.
(4) Visitors will be able to take pictures with the hanamusume (flower girls) appointed by the Tenjinbashi-suji shopping district. Hanamusume will also be on board the attendant boat.
(5) The lunch on July 25, included in the Premium Plan, will be served at Osaka Geihinkan (Osaka Former State Guest House).
(6) The dinner on July 25 will be an original bento box from an upscale, long-established ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) in Osaka.
(7) Lunch and dinner will be served with complimentary drinks.