Nature & the Outdoors
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Discover Hyogo: Harmony of Nature and Tradition, a Journey to Meet Artisans
This special experience tour takes you on a journey through Hyogo Prefecture, where you can immerse yourself in the vibrant traditional culture shaped by rich natural beauty and deep history. Connecting the traditional crafts passed down through generations of artisans with the abundant, seasonal ingredients of each region, this journey is a feast for all five senses.
Tamba pottery boasts over 800 years of history and a rich heritage as one of Japan's Six Ancient Kilns. On this tour, you can make pottery alongside skilled artisans, connecting you with their traditional techniques. In Miki City, witness the traditional swordsmithing techniques up close and gain a deeper understanding of this ancient art.
A highlight of the tour is a visit to the Akashiura Fishery Cooperative, known for its high-quality fish, where you can watch the lively fish auctions and savor the luxurious taste of sushi made on the spot with fresh fish. This tour, which allows you to fully savor the charm of Hyogo through its local culture and cuisine, is a perfect opportunity to create unforgettable memories. -
Listen to the Voices of the Yambaru Forest, a World Heritage Site, on the "Yambaru Experience Tour"
- This is an extraordinary tour unlike any other, where you can fully experience the nature and daily life of "Yambaru," a World Heritage Site located in the northern part of Okinawa Island.
- You can join the local forest road patrol team, dedicated to environmental conservation, participate in their frontline conservation activities, and experience the "symbiosis between people and nature" that defines the Yambaru region.
- The tour is packed with activities, including guided trekking on unexplored routes accessible only by boat and a thrilling downhill mountain bike ride.
- You will also have the opportunity to prepare Ryukyu cuisine using local ingredients while chatting with elderly locals. -
Noboribetsu Onsen: New Discoveries and Experiences
(1) Demon Fireworks Show
Demon Fireworks (oni hanabi) are fireworks that are launched to dispel people’s worries and bring them happiness. They are inspired by legends of the fireworks set off by Yukijin, the demons who inhabit Hell Valley (Jigokudani), that are said to have a force similar to a volcanic eruption.
(2) Demon Fireworks Experience
Once the show is over, dress up as a Yukijin and try setting off hand-held tezutsu fireworks yourself. Limited to small groups.
(3) Tour of Hell Valley Hot Spring Prohibited Zone
There are many craters and fumeroles that line Hell Valley, and the sight of water bubbling up from the earth is the origin of its name as "the hell where demons live." More than 10,000 tons of hot water bubble up from this area daily, supplying nearby hotels with a hot spring source.
Tours are available with an English-speaking guide that will take participants into areas of Hell Valley that are usually off limits to the general public.
(4) Noboribetsu Karurusu Copper Mine Site Ice Bamboo Tour
In winter, stalactites and stalagmites known as "ice bamboo" grow up to 2 meters in length at the Noboribetsu Karurusu Copper Mine site. Enjoy a walking tour to take in the fantastical ice spikes and trek over the snowy landscape in snowshoes. -
ALPS OUTDOOR SUMMIT 2024
Following last year's successful debut, the ALPS OUTDOOR SUMMIT will be held for the second time. In 2023, the event attracted 118 brands across Japan and worldwide, drawing approximately 25,000 visitors in two days, excluding the press day. With the founding concept and message of "LOVE CRAFTSMANSHIP," the ALPS OUTDOOR SUMMIT focuses on the craftsmanship of gear related to mountains and camping. This event aims to create a platform and provide support for showcasing the excellence of Matsumoto to the world.
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Sound&Chair '24
Visit Kawasaki, the home of the first music record in Japan. In recent years, the Tama River Basin, which runs between Kawasaki and Tokyo, has seen droves of micro-breweries pop up one after another, popularizing craft beer.
Sound&Chair '24 is a free-entry beer festival with a theme of records, music, and craft beer held at the Tamagawa River Maruko Bridge No. 2 Plaza and Picnic Plaza.
Enjoy a drink on outdoor chairs along the picturesque banks of the river and listen to live music from over 30 DJs and artist groups. Sample some of the over 50 types of craft beer from 15 breweries in the Tama River Basin, as well as a variety of food. On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, the event will host a record market featuring labels and record shops, as well as another market selling amusing everyday goods. Other events are to be held concurrently, such as Fuwafuwa Tama Land, a large collection of inflatable attractions, and Candlescape Kawasaki, which boasts around 3,000 lit candles.
In a spacious natural environment not far from the city center, spend time away from your cares with a beer in hand and groove to some great music. -
A First for Japan: a DJ Event in the Extraordinary Space of a Hot-Spring Bath at a Ski Resort.
For the first time in Japan: an extraordinary DJ event in a special venue fusing snowy mountains and an onsen hot-spring!
This winter, the first ever DJ event at a ski and hot-spring resort will be held at Hakuba Norikura Aqua Oasis. With majestic, snowy mountains as a backdrop, forget your worries and savor the moment in a special space fusing snow, a hot-spring, and music in spectacular fashion.
The event will take place at the Hakuba Alps Hotel located at the foot of a ski resort. Listen to great music while soaking in the warm jet bath and gazing at the snowy landscape. We invite you into an extraordinary world enveloped by music and the fantastic feeling of relaxing hot-spring waters, all within the tranquility of falling snow.
Hakuba Norikura Aqua Oasis, complete with an outdoor pool, a sauna, and hot spring!
On days with no DJ event, you can use Hakuba Norikura Aqua Oasis as an après ski resort. -
Kansai Festival in Kyoto: Special Autumn Visit to Higashi Honganji Temple
The first ever illumination event on the grounds of Higashi Honganji Temple, located near Kyoto Station. Creative company NAKED, INC. will organize this fantastical light-up event.
Light and art in NAKED’s style will illuminate Goei-do and Amida-do Halls, Important Cultural Properties that are among the largest wooden structures in the world. Harmonized with ikebana flower art by master Ikenobo, this event will transform the temple into a space of ornate color. Don’t miss this special autumn event, held for two nights only.
The temple's area of Shiroshoin is not normally open to the public, but a limited number of premium tickets for a Noh theater performance in the area will be on sale, together with a meal from long-established Kyoto restaurant Kinobu. The highlight of Shiroshoin is its partition paintings, glittering with gold dust. Savor your exquisite seasonal meal as your admire these paintings before watching a special Noh theater production with English commentary. The traditional stage, an Important Cultural Property, stands across from a moss garden. -
Explore the Japanese Countryside: Natural and Cultural Landscapes of Tenryukyo, Iida City
This tour allows you to experience the beautiful nature and traditional culture of Minami-Shinshu. The tour offers an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a profound taste of authentic Japan in the tranquil Tenryukyo Gorge region of Iida City, Nagano Prefecture. Travel in a chartered express train car from Toyohashi Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen and enjoy special snacks and drinks courtesy of Yukimoto, a renowned local restaurant and one of only 35 establishments awarded “Gold” by a famous Japanese restaurant review website out of 850,000 nationwide restaurants. We offer a variety of fantastic experiences that will leave a deep impression: Tenryukyo rafting amid beautiful seasonal scenery; food and farming with Tenryukyo kurobuta (black pork) and specialty apples that can only be harvested locally; and lodging at a local farmhouse to experience rural life in Japan. Visitors can also check out wayuraku traditional Japanese music and dance, and Ningyo Joruri puppet theater. The area is steeped in ancient Japanese traditions—a mystical festival held in the area is meant to entertain the gods with hot spring water and is said to have inspired a world-renowned animated film. All itineraries include transportation and the option of dinner at Yukimoto, which is often difficult to book for tours. This experience goes beyond tourism. It allows you to feel a deep connection with the local people while learning and being inspired by the region. We invite you to join this special trip to enjoy nature, culture, and the charms of Japan.
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Enjoy a snowshoe trail, snowy mountain biking experience, and a snowtop restaurant on a lookout deck in in Kamifurano, Hokkaido
This guided snowshoe trail and snowy mountain biking program is a special winter experience in which you'll bike on snow and hike in snowshoes. You can freely explore the undulating hills of Kamifurano surrounded by powdery snow. Even first-timers can confidently enjoy this experience by receiving extensive instruction in mountain biking and walking in snowshoes. Snowshoes and other equipment are available for rent, so you do not need to bring your own. If you are lucky, you may even spot wild animals such as foxes, mountain hares, and deer. After these snow activities, enjoy a lunch prepared with local Kamifurano ingredients at a pop-up restaurant on a snow lookout deck. Savor special Kamifurano pork, pork skirt, local vegetables, and Japanese cuisine made with yama-wasabi horseradish. Lunch is paired with local beer brewed by Hop Kotan Brewing using Kamifurano hops, Japanese wine from the local Tada Farm, and sake brewed with rice grown in an area that underwent extensive recovery after being damaged in a volcanic mudslide in 1926.
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Experience Traditional Culture in the Historic City of Himeji
On this traditional culture tour, spend meaningful time in Himeji, a city where history abounds, and meet the people who keep Japanese traditions alive. Your travels in Himeji will transform normal sightseeing to meaningful encounters.
The tour includes an exclusive nighttime visit to Himeji Castle accompanied by one of Japan's leading researchers on Himeji Castle, who will also provide commentary. The tour also includes a seminar on Japanese swords directly from the Myochin family, who have carried on the swordsmithing tradition in Himeji for 53 generations.
The Japanese sword seminar takes place at the Myochin family's own workshop, where you will learn about the process of making swords from special tamahagane steel using ancient Japanese methods. After learning about the process, visitors can handle a genuine Japanese sword and experience forming the hot steel with a mallet.
Next, receive instruction in Zen meditation at the prestigious Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, founded over 1,000 years ago, directly from the temple's 141st abbot. The secluded mountaintop location and sacred atmosphere, far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, is a great spot for a moment to relax. The temple also offers a chance to experience traditional monastic vegetarian cooking and to work with artisans who produce shosha-nuri lacquerware which is unique to the region.
If you want to learn more about art and other aspects of Japanese culture, tours of the Himeji City Museum of Art with commentary by curators are also available.
This is a private tour, so you are able to choose the experiences that interest you and combine them to make your ideal trip.