Day 1: A kagura performance and sasamaki traditional sweets in Yutagawa Onsen

Your journey begins at Shonai Airport. First, head to Yutagawa Onsen, where your hot springs ryokan is located. The proprietress of your ryokan will show you how to make sasamaki, a traditional Japanese sweet traditionally eaten in Shonai in honor of the Feast of Banners, a holiday that takes place on May 5. As evening falls, take part in the onsen town tradition of donning yukata kimono and strolling the streets of the onsen town, enjoying foot baths and such along the way. Enjoy a brush with Japanese izakaya culture over dinner at a 70-year-old yakitori spot in the onsen town. After dinner, return to your ryokan to watch a performance of traditional Yutagawa Onsen kagura—a comical dance portraying the antics of Hyottoko and a lion.

Day 2: A moso bamboo shoot harvest and Matsugaoka Winery

Wake up bright and early for a morning of digging for the famous moso bamboo in a lush bamboo grove. Bamboo harvested in the morning is at its most juicy and tender. After returning to your ryokan for hearty breakfast, turn your freshly harvested bamboo into the local dish moso jiru soup under the guidance of one of the area’s best home cooks. After enjoying a light lunch of the dishes you’ve made together, it’s off to Matsugaoka Winery. Located within the historic Matsugaoka Reclamation Land the contrast between the land’s historical buildings and surrounding cherry blossoms is lovely. Take in the beautiful cherry blossoms with a stroll of the grounds. At Matsugaoka Winery itself, meet General Manager Mr. Kawashima, who will lead you on a tour of the vineyards and winemaking facilities. With Dewa Shonai being the birthplace of the Japanese wine grape Koshu, it is a great place to enjoy the delicate flavors of Japanese wine. Dinner also takes place at the winery. Enjoy a dinner incorporating seasonal local ingredients at the winery’s restaurant. Accommodation for the night is at Suiden Terrasse, a contemporary design–driven hotel set in the midst of rice paddies. Enjoy taking in this quintessential Japanese landscape from the comfort of your hotel.

Day 3: Dewa Sanzan pilgrimage hike and yamabushi shojin ryori cuisine

The hotel’s popular breakfast buffet boasts over 80% local ingredients. You can even enjoy comparing the flavors of various varieties of rice. After checking out, your destination is Dewa Sanzan Shrine on Mount Haguro, a sacred site for mountain worship and the veneration of nature. Reach the shrine by ascending the pilgrimage path of Mount Haguro. Consisting of 2,446 stone steps and lined with 400-year-old cedars, it is rated 3 stars in the Michelin Green Guide. After paying your respects at the shrine, dine in a sacred space on vegetarian cuisine prepared with sansai wild mountain vegetables as a yamabushi does, consuming these blessings of the mountain as a form of spiritual practice. Listen to a talk by the head chef, who specializes in sansai and shorjin ryori cuisine. Then, return to Shonai Airport, where the tour concludes.