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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. -
Hokuriku-Echizen Grandmaster Tour
The Hokuriku area is home to a large number of traditional folk crafts, 23 of which are nationally recognized. All have a long history, and have been carefully handed down to the present day.
The Tannan district in the Reihoku area of Fukui is truly unique, with five nationally designated traditional craft centers concentrated within 10 kilometers of each other. One such craft is Echizen washi paper, which has a 1,500-year history and is said to have been used by world-famous painters like Rembrandt and Picasso. Toyama is surrounded by the Tateyama mountain range, which provides easy access to high-quality timber, and many crafts that utilize wood have flourished there. Inami, a town known for sculptures, was recognized as a Japan Heritage site in 2018. Home to 36 traditional folk crafts, Ishikawa is also known as the “kingdom of crafts.” Ishikawa is particularly well known for its 10 traditional crafts specially designated by the Japanese government, and has it produced a remarkable number of artisans who are recognized as Living National Treasures.
Interact with the grandmasters of these nationally designated traditional crafts, whom tourists typically never get the opportunity to meet, and tour their workshops that are usually closed to the public. Enjoy a special dining experience in collaboration with area chefs which showcases local ingredients and makes use of the craft items crafted by these grandmasters. -
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.
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Exclusively Reserved Tour
Discover Ōyosami Jinja Shrine, where the gods of Japan have been worshiped for more than 2,000 years. Participants will be picked up from their hotel in Osaka by taxi to make traveling to the shrine stress-free. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a priest and make your way under the shrine's stone torii gate to begin this special program. First, you will don the robes of a Shinto priest and perform a formal shrine visit and prayer. The priest guide will then provide a detailed explanation of Japanese shrines and the Shinto faith that underpins the spirituality of the Japanese people. Afterwards, you will visit other areas of the shrine grounds, including a sacred "shinboku" tree.
After the Shinto experience, you will enter the sacred space of the Kaguraden for a special tea ceremony experience. After changing back into your clothes, try your hand at Japanese calligraphy.
All these participatory experiences are conducted by qualified professionals, allowing participants to learn about Japanese culture in-depth.
After these special lessons, participants will enjoy a kaiseki-style bento, a beautifully presented Japanese meal made with seasonal vegetables. Japanese sake and wine will also be available to pair with the dishes.
After the program is over, participants will be taken back to their hotel in Osaka.
Reservations must be made in advance for this tour. A dedicated guide and interpreter will be present throughout the tour, and the shrine will be booked out exclusively for the program. This will ensure you gain a better understanding of each cultural activity for a truly memorable Japanese experience. You may also ask any questions you may have about Japan. -
Fireworks, Yukata, and Live Music: Meiji Jingu Shrine's Prayer for Safety for Visitors Festival. Special One-Day Tour—Enjoy the Tokyo Summer Through a Shrine Fireworks Display
An extraordinarily special day at Meiji Jingu Shrine and Meiji Jingu Gaien, right in the heart of Tokyo. Take part in a special prayer ceremony for the safety of visitors to Japan at the Meiji Jingu Kaguraden, where you will be presented with a prayer talisman with your name written in katakana. Next, enjoy lunch at Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu inside Meiji Jingu Gaien. After a summer yukata dressing service, head to your special seats at Jingu stadium for a live show and fireworks. You will have an opportunity to take photos with live performer Ken Matsudaira (TBC) and watch a show of 400 fireworks to welcome you to Japan. Accomodation at a nearby hotel and arranged transport in special chartered vehicles will make your stay easy and comfortable. Enjoy all this and many other special perks and spend a summer in Tokyo unlike any other.
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Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Viewing Tour with a unique experience
A special viewing tour of the Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Festival—one of Tokyo’s largest festivals, which attracts approximately one million visitors a year.
The tour consists of three elements: (1) Learn, (2) Experience, and (3) Watch.
(1) Learn: First, a professional guide will explain the history of the Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Festival in an easy-to-understand manner and instruct you on how to dance at the festival.
(2) Experience: Next, you will have a rare opportunity to dance with the performers in the central performance hall, which is not open to general spectators. Dancing with the local dance troupes will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the festival experience.
(3) After the dancing is over, you will be guided to premium spectator seats. While the festival attracts nearly one million spectators, you will enjoy it from comfortable, spacious seating along with fantastic service.
Experience all the charms that Tokyo Koenji Awaodori Festival has to offer and create memories that will last a lifetime. -
Opening the door to Yomei Bunko: A bespoke experience of Japanese tradition
This tailor-made tour offers an exclusive glimpse into authentic Japanese culture with a special viewing of national treasures, such as The Tale of Genji and Mido Kanpakuki, and accompanying English commentary at Yomei Bunko.
Yomei Bunko is a treasure trove of historical materials that has been maintained for over 1,000 years by the Konoe, a branch of the noble Fujiwara family. For the first time ever, there will be a special lecture on waka poetry and related aspects of Japanese culture by the incoming head of the Konoe family (a presenter for the Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading); a Japanese calligraphy experience; and a special tour of Hoshun-in Temple on the Daitoku-ji Temple grounds (an Important Cultural Property usually closed to the public).
Several other traditional Japanese cultural experience programs are also available, giving you the freedom to customize your own tour. Activities include a tea ceremony, ikebana flower arrangement session, court dance and music performance, kemari (an ancient Japanese sport), and a Kyoto culinary experience. -
EUROJAPAN CUP 2024 Borussia Dortmund vs Cerezo Osaka
Choose from 3 different special packages.
(1) Premium Hospitality Package: Table seating + participation in exclusive activities through in-stadium hospitality programs
(2) Pitchside Seat Package: Seats to watch the game at pitch level, which is normally restricted to players and staff. A rare opportunity to experience the excitement pitchside
(3) City Tour Package: Enjoy a bus tour of Osaka City and a stadium tour before the match. Then watch the game from Category 1 seats. Also features a meet & greet with Dortmund alumni. -
World Natural Heritage Site of Shiretoko: Experience Fishing with Rausu Kelp Fishermen and Learn about Japanese “DASHI” Culture
The setting for this experience is the World Natural Heritage Site of Shiretoko. Rausu Kelp fishermen are traditional Japanese craftsmen, and one of their production sites will be made specially available to those wanting to experience the actual production of Rausu Kelp. Participants can see kelp fishing up close, try their hand at washing and drying kelp, and learn how kelp is made into different sorts of products. Some of the kelp fishermen will be offering tours on their fishing boats to help you get a sneak peek into the underwater world. You can use actual fishing gear to look down into the seabed to see how kelp grows. You can also help make some local dishes and special lunches with the fishermen’s wives. Finally, the tour will take you to the fish market (normally closed to the public) to see all the various types of fish caught in the local area and to watch the fish auction. Enjoy traditional Japanese culture at a deeper level. Seaside Cottage KOBUSTAY will open in February 2025, allowing guests to experience the kelp fisherman’s lifestyle in its entirety.