Nature & the Outdoors
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Find Your Oasis in Minakami Japan's Adventure Capital
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and discover the tranquility of Minakami, nestled between two national parks and home to over 20 thrilling outdoor adventures. Whether you're seeking adrenaline-pumping thrills or a peaceful retreat in nature, Minakami offers the perfect oasis for your next Japan adventure.
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Black Pine Restaurant and Sightseeing Train
Board the Kyoto Tango Railway Kuro-Matsu (Black Pine) restaurant train and make your journey by rail while taking in the spectacular views from the windows, as well as enjoy a meal prepared by a top chef with plenty of local ingredients.
You can choose from three different courses (lunch course, dessert course, etc.) that differ depending on the time of year, and purchase limited-edition gifts and souvenirs on the train.
The train will stop at Nagu Kaigan in Tango-Amanohashidate-Oeyama Quasi-National Park so that passengers can take in the spectacular view, and will travel slowly along the Yura River Bridge—a famed photography spot—to give passengers the magical sensation of traveling over the sea.
Enjoy sightseeing in Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, together with this journey by rail. -
Michinoku Coastal Hiking Trail - 7 Days
The Tohoku region consists of six prefectures in the northernmost part of Honshu (Japan’s main island), and boasts beautiful nature and abundant natural resources, including delicious fresh seafood.
On March 11, 2011, the Pacific Coast of the Tohoku region was devastated by the destructive Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. More than 10 years have passed since this disaster, and reconstruction is still underway in the Tohoku region. However, many of Tohoku's beautiful landscapes still remain, and you can encounter the day-to-day lives of the many people who have overcome this adversity.
In this tour, indulge in local culture, cycling, kayaking, and other activities unique to this region, as well as walk along the Michinoku Coastal Hiking Trail, a national trail with a total length of over 1,000 kilometers that opened on June 9, 2019.
This seven-day tour also allows you to learn about the disaster, interact with locals, and reflect on the significance of life. We hope you will join us on this walking tour in the Tohoku region. -
Joetsu's World-Class Nighttime Economy
This event will be held at the Kobayashi Kokei Residence, a designated National Important Cultural Property. The parlor will open its doors to 20 guests per night for an exclusive Japanese meal using locally produced ingredients. Drinks will include Japanese sake and Yukimuro wine, a highly sought-after rarity. The garden will be artfully illuminated, and guests can enjoy their meal while listening to live music performed by an orchestra from Joetsu City. This is a fun, content-packed experience for visitors to Japan.
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Lake Biwa Sunset & Fireworks Dinner Cruise
Make your very own fireworks at the Kakinoki fireworks workshop in the city of Nagahama on the northern shore of Lake Biwa, the largest and oldest lake in Japan.
This experience includes commentary by Hiroyuki Kakinoki, an award-winning pyrotechnician who has won awards at fireworks festivals throughout Japan.
After making the fireworks, you will select a kimono to wear, take a stroll around the traditional streets, and finally board a yakatabune boat for a sunset cruise along Lake Biwa.
A fireworks-themed Italian dinner using a variety of ingredients from Shiga Prefecture has been specially created for this sunset cruise.
For the finale, enjoy a premium, one-of-a-kind fireworks display that feature the fireworks you created earlier!
This is your chance to truly appreciate Japan’s fireworks traditions and the scenery of Lake Biwa. -
A Unique Artisanal Experience
Tsubame-Sanjo is home to many of Japan's leading artisans.
The entire town functions like a single historical workshop that continues to produce tools essential for daily life, using traditions passed down from the days of old.
Experience this town of craftspeople and witness the amazing handiwork of these artisanal masters firsthand. Become an artisan for a day in your very own workshop, explore the story of Japanese manufacturing and utility in daily life, and enjoy a bike ride along the Shinano River. You certainly won't find this extraordinary crafting journey in a guidebook!
The tour begins with a visit to an iconic 85-year-old vacant warehouse where you will learn about the region’s history.
You will then depart from the warehouse and go for a bike ride through the streets of Tsubame-Sanjo, where you can enjoy the Shinano River breeze against your skin.
Finally, create your own personalized kitchen knife engraved with your name, or perhaps your very own original frying pan at a blacksmith's forge with over a century of history. You will learn specialized techniques from a master artisan to complete your project.
The methods you learn to create lightweight and easy-to-use utensils that last a lifetime will surely leave lasting memories. -
JAPAN NATIONAL STADIUM TOUR Special Events & Content
The Japan National Stadium was the main venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Japan National Stadium Tour aims to honor and pass on this legacy. This program comprises a tour of the athlete locker rooms, athletic track, as well as other areas normally closed to the public, which visitors can enjoy alongside their memories of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In addition to the regular tour, we have prepared a variety of events and content so that visitors can enjoy their time in Japan to the fullest.
・Talk by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma and Akutagawa Prize-winning author Rie Qudan. Includes lunch by a famous chef.
・Japanese cuisine or French-Japanese fusion cuisine lunch by a famous chef. Includes a Japanese cultural experience.
・Christmas lunch by Hiroyuki Sakai, owner and chef of the famous French cuisine restaurant La Rochelle Minami Aoyama. Includes a Japanese culture experience.
・Stadium tour with athletes and running inside the Japan National Stadium
・Take commemorative photos at Japan National Stadium's most scenic spot using a state-of-the-art Machikame selfie system
Enjoy extraordinary experiences at the Japan National Stadium, Japan's leading stadium.
We look forward to you joining us. -
Marvel at Mother Nature at Fukushimagata Lagoon: A Private Cultural Experience and Tour
Niigata Prefecture is famous for its delicious rice and sake. Niigata City, the prefecture’s capital, is home to a vast expanse of rice paddies, an iconic symbol of the plains of Niigata. It also contains another iconic landscape of Niigata: the lagoon. The Fukushimagata Lagoon of present-day Niigata City gave rise to a lifestyle and culture that was inseparable from the lagoon.
Now you too can experience the unique lifestyle and food culture of this region through interactions with local fisherfolk and storytellers.
Try some snacks made from unique ingredients obtained by lagoon fishing paired with sake produced by one of the local breweries, and chat with local residents around the warm fire of a sunken hearth.
The Fukushimagata Lagoon is also a favorite stop for rare bird species such as white swans and bean geese, a designated Natural Monument of Japan. Watch the wildlife fly around the rice paddies in the early morning with a local ranger guide.
Main contents of the tour
(1) Special lagoon cultural experience: Board a traditional wooden boat and try your hand at fishing with active lagoon fishermen. Try traditional cuisine made with ingredients caught in the lagoon and paired with Niigata sake while chatting with local residents around a sunken hearth.
(2) Early morning birdwatching: See the rare wild birds that flock to Fukushimagata Lagoon, includings white swans and bean geese (designated Natural Monument of Japan).
(3) Special sake brewery tour in Niigata: Try sake pairings of leading Niigata sake varieties (*includes a souvenir Niigata sake cup) -
Snow Safari & Wagyu Glamping in Tokachi, Hokkaido
Join us on a private winter tour of the Naitai Kogen Farm. That's 1,700 hectares of snowy wilderness all to yourself! Go on a thrilling, extraordinary ride up to the peak of Daisetsuzan National Park, 800 meters above sea level, in a tracked 4WD vehicle with an expert local guide. Once you've arrived at the peak, explore the vast snowfields with snowshoes or snowmobiles. Then, once you've had your fill of fun in the snow, enjoy a sukiyaki BBQ at the glamping site, featuring renowned Tokachi Naitai wagyu beef from Kamishihoro. This is the ultimate nature experience to enjoy the Tokachi winter to the fullest—with body, spirit, and stomach!
The Naitai Highlands are closed over winter, so this tour is the only way to experience the region's winter landscape and activities.
Tours are limited to one group per day, with the vast snowfields of the Highlands reserved for your exclusive use. -
HIDAKA TRAIL DAYS
Mount Apoi, located near Samani in eastern Hidaka, Hokkaido, features some of the world's most unusual geological features and is home to many endemic species. It is treasured as both a premier hiking spot and a place of scientific study.
In June 2024, the Hidaka Mountain Range, including Mount Apoi, and Cape Erimo were designated as Japan's largest national park.
To celebrate this designation, we are hosting the park's first outdoor event!
The event will showcase outdoor brands that are highly popular among Japanese hikers.
Don't miss the chance to come and try unique and exclusive gear that is not available overseas.
The local conservation society will offer Ainu cultural experiences at the event. Try your hand at making trail food using local ingredients, test-ride an E-MTB, and buy local delicacies to take home or enjoy on the spot!
In the evening, three prominent figures in the Japanese long-distance hiking community will talk about long trails while gathered around a bonfire.
Enjoy two days of relaxed interactions with Japanese hikers and celebrate with us.