Recommended Tours
- Cuisine
A journey to savor a rich culinary culture nurtured by the nature of northern Japan
The complex history of Dewa Shonai has given rise to a diverse culinary culture inspired by the region’s local bounty. In addition to delicious meals, enjoy hands-on experiences that explore the evolution of culinary traditions, and the transformation world-class ingredients make as they go from nature to palate.
Tour at a glance
Inclusions | Accommodation fees, Meals,Admission fees,Experience fees,Post-tour transportation fees,Guide Interpreter |
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Exclusions | Personal expenses,gratuities Drinks added to the prix fixe meals, Travel insurance |
Cost | from ¥370,000 (per person for a tour of two participants) |
Minimum number of participants |
2 |
Tour Length | 3 days, 2 nights |
Tour Availability | Year-round |
Meeting Location | Tsuruoka Station or Shonai airport |
Get to know nigiri sushi, Japan’s most iconic food
Stroll through rice paddies in one of Japan’s top growing regions, then savor nigiri sushi made with local fish caught just off the coast in the Sea of Japan, prepared right before your very eyes.
A BBQ with a view, and yamabushi shojin ryori cuisine
In the mountains of Shonai, yamabushi mountain monks continue their ascetic practices to this day. The wisdom developed through these practices gave birth to yamabushi shojin ryori cuisine. Learn how to cook some of the dishes most representative of this 1400-year-old culinary tradition. Later, dig for potatoes with a local farmer and enjoy a communal BBQ at a campsite offering stunning views of the surrounding nature.
Local homestyle cuisine at a farmhouse restaurant
Relax in an old-fashioned Japanese house while enjoying homestyle cuisine cooked by a local woman using homegrown rice and vegetables.
Arranged and guided by the editor-in-chief of a regional culture magazine
A 2-night, 3-day private tour exploring the cuisine of northern Japan, culinary traditions nurtured by the region’s beautiful but harsh nature. Guided by the editor-in-chief of local culture magazine Cradle and his experienced English interpreter, meet active members of the local culinary scene and savor the fruits of their labor.
Tsuruoka, Japan’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy
Surrounded by mountains on three sides and sea on the other, the tremendous snowfall the mountains receive every winter irrigates the rice paddies and fields come spring; the sea here itself is also a source of delicious ingredients.
tour itinerary
Delicious rice, fish, and sake—a deep dive into the culture of nigiri sushi.
Start your journey at Shonai Airport, where you’ll meet Cradle editor-in-chief Yoshio Kobayashi and his experienced English interpreter. First, check in at your hotel. Located in one of Japan’s most iconic rice-growing regions, Suiden Terrasse is a boutique hotel set amongst the rice paddies in such a way that it appears to float. Enjoy a light lunch at your hotel. After lunch, stroll the surrounding rice paddies where, as harvest season draws near, the fields turn a brilliant gold—a quintessential autumn-in-Japan view. Then, enjoy a tour of the Watari Honten Shuzo, a 400-year-old sake brewery still in operation to this day. Travel a short ways to the fishing port of Nezumigasaki to watch the landing of the day’s catch and seafood auction (*In the event of rain, only auction viewing will be offered.), and taste freshly caught beni-ebi prawns boiled in salt. Then, enjoy the privilege of eating a ryoshihan meal—a seafood meal so special, it’s traditionally reserved only for the fishermen themselves.
A BBQ with a view, and yamabushi shojin ryori cuisine
After breakfast at your hotel, head to Mt. Haguro, one of the Three Holy Mountains of Dewa. Possessing a more than 1,400-year history as a mountain for ascetic training, climb Mt. Haguro with a yamabushi mountain monk as your guide. The pilgrimage route here is a forested path consisting of 2,446 stone steps lined with 400-year-old cedars, awarded a rating of 3 stars in the Michelin Green Guide. At Saikan near the summit, receive a lesson in shojin ryori cooking under the guidance of Chef Ito. The shojin ryori of the holy mountains of Dewa is a traditional cuisine derived from the wisdom of the yamabushi mountain monks, based on the wild plants and mushrooms foraged on the slopes of the mountain. After paying respects at the shrine on the summit, descend back to the base of the mountain to refresh as you dig for potatoes on a local farm. At a private campsite featuring beautiful views of the surrounding nature, a local chef will prepare an al fresco meal for you, incorporating freshly harvested locally grown vegetables. After sunset, enjoy gazing at the star-filled sky as you chat with your chef and a farmer over a locavore dinner paired with wines of the region.
Grape picking at a vineyard and local homestyle cuisine
On Day 3, head to a vineyard to pick perfectly ripe grapes. Enjoy the variation in sweetness and acidity between different types, and perhaps discover a new variety you are fond of. After a morning in the vineyards, enjoy a lunch of old-fashioned homestyle cuisine. At her farmhouse restaurant, Ms. Chonan will serve you a meal centered around the rice and vegetables grown on her very own property. Enjoy her delicious cooking and relax in her old-fashioned Japanese house as you listen to her thoughts on the blessings of nature and health-giving foods.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
12:50 Arrive at Tsuruoka Station (via 12:15 Arrive at Shonai Airport)
13:00 Check-in at Hotel Suiden Terrasse and Lunch
14:20 Stroll along rice field paths around the hotel
15:00 Visit Oyama Sake Brewery Watarai Shuzo
16:40 Nezugaseki Port: Observe fish landing and auction
18:00 Enjoy Sushi dinner and sake at Sushi Restaurant Asahiya
20:30 Arrive at hotel
Day 2
9:00 Depart from hotel
9:30 Go from Mt. Haguro Zuishinmon gate to the top of the mountain
11:00 Experience cooking Shojin-Ryori cuisine at Saikan
12:30 Lunch: traditional Shojin-Ryori course
13:30 Visit Sanjin-Gousaiden of Dewa Sanzan Shrine
14:30 Potato digging at Mt. Gassan
17:00 BBQ with spectacular view
20:00 Arrive at hotel
Day 3
9:00 Departure from the hotel
9:30 Grape picking
11:00 Farmhouse restaurant Chikeiken
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Tsuruoka Station (13:40 Shonai Airport)
Reservations
Cancellation Policy
21 days before date of tour
No penalty
20 days before date of tour
20% of total price
7th day prior to the trip start date up to 2 days prior to the trip start date
30% of total price
1 day before date of tour
40% of total price
The day of trip start or no-show
100% of total price
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