Tour of Japan - Japan Holidays

Japan Holidays & Taste Trekkers
Tour of Japan
Dates: 27th October-7th November 2013 Land Only from $4500 pp Twin Share
Tour Includes
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Escorted by Celebrity Chef—Sally Lynch
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Eleven (11) nights accommodation
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Daily Breakfast, 7 x Lunches, 8 x Dinners
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Chartered Bus as pre itinerary
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Shinkansen travel Osaka, Kumamoto, Kyoto
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English speaking guide and escorts
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Varying accommodation including Ryokan, Traditional Japanese
House and Hotels
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Cooking classes and food outlets visits
FOOD FROM THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN
It is said of Japanese cuisine that it is a cuisine to be looked at rather than eaten. Japanese cooking is a refined cooking, with subtle
and varied flavours. Although established around only four major ingredients: rice, fish, soy, and noodles, it offers a great
diversity of original dishes among which everyone can easily find his/her culinary pleasure.
Despite the popularity of Japanese food in the West today, remarkably little is known about the history of this unique cuisine.
This tour will provide the opportunity to learn and experience the food and dietary practices of the Japanese from earliest times to
the present day. From actual cooking lessons to shopping at the markets, on this tour we will study typical dishes, ingredients,
methods of preparation, origins, etiquette, the aesthetics of presentation, eating implements and cooking utensils.
For lovers of Japanese food, traditional dishes and regional specialities, along with everyday favourites of the 21st Century Japanese
housewives, this tour is for you.
RESERVATIONS—open until Mid September 2013 unless fully booked beforehand
T—07 33002396
E—[email protected]
www.japanholidays.com.au
E– [email protected] or 0408 321 822
www.tastetrekkers.com.au
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Taste Trekkers Tour of Japan Itinerary
Sun 27th Oct 18:20-Arrive at Kansai (KIX) International Airport & depart on chartered bus for Osaka.
After checking into the Hotel Granvia we will eat something light & local and have a few
Beverages to get us in the swing and primed for the feast ahead.
Mon 28th Oct 09:20-Today we experience the Kyushu Shinkansen Sakura 549.We will grab a bento box to
Enjoy on board and will arrive in Kumamoto after lunch. Ken Takenaga our ‘go to’ man will
Greet us on arrival and whisk us away to briefly settle into the hotel. Wandering through local
Streets to see what’s cooking for dinner and then a ‘must see” a Japanese food hall at Tsuruya
Department store– Amazing and will get you oriented for the next few days.
Accommodation at Kumamoto Castle Hotel
Tues 29th OctToday is our tour of main attractions day. We start with the fascinating and often gory history
Of Kumamoto. Then a visit to Jyosai-En Cultural Centre to learn
about Lord Kato Kiyomasa and the building of the impenetrable Kumamoto Castle.
A great little market here with all the local producers with their foods & products.
Today we will be having the same lunch that Lord Kato would have had in the 17th century.
Then we walk off lunch and visit Gyobutei Samurai House and the Suizenji Japanese garden.
Dinner at local restaurant & overnight at Kumamoto Castle Hotel.
Wed 30th Oct We leave Kumamoto today and head for the hills to visit local farmers living in a fertile ancient
Ancient volcanic crater. Mrs Maeda and her sons will show us around, let us pick some
Produce and then we cook. Lunch will be under vines with a killer view. On the way we go via
A ramen factory and to the local winery and collect some wine to have with lunch. This will be
A gorgeous day in the hills and the afternoon is free to enjoy how you wish.
Dinner will be on a whim at a local restaurant -Overnight at Kumamoto Castle Hotel
Thur 31st OctToday we depart for Mt. Aso. This is the world’s largest caldera and is over 120Km round and
looks over the 5 craters. Stunningly beautiful. This is a beautiful drive and later we visit
Mr. Ono’s beef farm & have his special wagu black & red cows for lunch with a few beers.
This afternoon is all about relaxing & settling into the ryokan.
Enjoy the famous Onsen hot spring spa before dinner.
Fri 1st Nov
Today we journey to the breathtakingly beautiful Gokanosho. We will pass through Izumi town, which is famous for tea and
ginger….this will be tea harvesting time so maybe we are lucky we can stop for a cup.
Gokanosho is the home of the Last Samurai and we will experience how the locals have lived in these mountains for
Centuries. Lunch will be at Double Tree restaurant, which specialises in local trout and buckwheat noodles.
This afternoon we will be taught how to make these noodles from scratch by our host and chef for the night.
Tonight will be a dinner to remember around the fire with local moonshine.
Accommodation at Heike-So
Sat 2nd Nov Today is the day of immersing yourself in with the locals and their life in the mountains.
Option One: Trout Fishing—Option Two: Cooking school -Accommodation at Heike-So
Sun 3rd Nov Time to leave the serenity of the mountains and head to Yatsushiro City. Here we will visit
the Moritaka Knife Factory where you will not be able to stop yourself from adding to your knife
collection. Thanks to Ken and his contacts, we will be able to enjoy a tea ceremony at Shohinken Tea House
built in 1688 by Lord Yatsushiro. After lunch we depart by train and make our trek to the gorgeous historical city
of Kyoto. Accommodation Sagano House , a traditional Japanese house in the area Sagano.
Mon 4th Nov Kyoto is famous for tofu, it is an art form– today we will visit an artisanal tofu maker and discover what real tofu is all
about...grilled, boiled, fried, custard, donuts. We will then wander across and make a visit to the
famous Nishiki Market—this is fabulous for photos, food , wall-hangings, and nick naks.
A wander around the Gion area which is famous for the stunning Maiko, small artisans food
stalls and restaurants. Dinner Kezako (Japanese/French fusion restaurant)
Accommodation Sagano House Kyoto
Tues5th Nov This morning we will visit one of the few remaining family run soy sauce manufacturers.
Shoyu (soy sauce) is a huge part of Japanese food and there are so many regional &
Complex differences that it can take a lifetime to uncover. The rest of the day is your own
to explore and shop at your leisure.
Wed 6th Nov Today is about sake, cooking and of course eating. We will visit Fushimi, the sake brewing area south of Kyoto city
which is famous for its underground spring water. We will walk the streets. Hands on learn to cook a local dish
and drink sakes of all types. We will also try sake cider!. This is our last night—so
it will be a bit of a knees up!
Thur 7th Nov Breakfast at Sagano house and the we all depart for airports, hotel or other
destinations or back to the comfort of home!!!
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