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Japan – Culture and Cuisine

Uncover the secrets of Japan's cuisine and learn how this nation excels in technology innovation while preserving its traditions.

Explore the secrets of Japan’s cuisine with Evolve Tours, designed for chefs and culinary students. Immerse yourself in Japan’s rich culinary heritage, learning from local chefs, sampling traditional foods, and exploring bustling markets. Experience the perfect blend of technological innovation and timeless traditions, appreciating Japan’s commitment to sustainability, seasonality, and simplicity. Enhance your culinary skills while uncovering the beauty and depth of Japanese food culture.

 

Evolvetours Trip Japan 1
  • Evolve Tours Japan

    Program Highlights

    • Explore Tokyo’s atmospheric old fish market district, where you can sample fresh seafood and local delicacies.
    • Engage in enriching culinary workshops and discover local ingredients and traditional techniques from local chefs and experts.
    • Dive in the highlights of Yokohama and learn all about Japan’s famous cup noodle, Ramen.
    • Taste the distinctive culinary trends of Kobe, a key location of Yoshoku cuisine, where Japanese cuisine meets Western influences.
    • Participate in a matcha tea ceremony in the Uji tea fields and master the art of Japanese tea
Evolve Tours Japan

Sample Itinerary

Experience Japan: Culture and Cuisine

Day 1: Depart for Tokyo

Depart on an overnight flight to Tokyo, Japan via connections.

Day 2: Welcome to Tokyo, Japan!

Arrive in Tokyo excited to spend the upcoming days with your Evolve tour guide and the local groups, pastry chefs and students we will meet together. Check in to the hotel and freshen up. We will then get straight into the hectic Tokyo urban vibe by using the subway to get to the restaurant where we’ll enjoy our first meal in Japan. After dinner, head to Sky Tree to enjoy a stunning night view of Tokyo from 450 metres above. Weather permitting, we will be able to enjoy 360-degree panoramic view to distances of over 75km away.

Day 3: Tokyo

This morning, enjoy a culinary exchange with a local college. Then, continue the discovery of Japanese culinary traditions at the Museum of Food and Agriculture, which is on the Tokyo University of Agriculture campus. In the afternoon, visit the most popular destinations near Ryogoku Station. First, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, where you can experience the life of merchants, samurai culture, and lifestyle in the Edo period. Then, visit the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium and learn about one of the most famous sports that originated from Japan, Sumo wrestling! If we are lucky, we may also see some sumo events. In the evening, head to Tsukishima, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay, for free time to explore this unique Tokyo neighborhood. This area is well known for monjayaki, a pancake like dish with different ingredients such as seafood, meat and vegetables mixed into the batter (make sure to try the grasshoppers!).

Day 4: Yokohama

This morning, continue our study of local culinary traditions with pastry chefs and other experts in the field through another experiential learning experience. After the class, transfer to Yokohama, a short train journey from Tokyo and a prominent port city, as well as being the unofficial home to a variety of food museums. Spend the afternoon exploring the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, with its theme-park vibe and endless ramen restaurants. Afterwards, head to the Nissin Cup Noodle Museum for a bizarre immersion into the history of the cup noodle through contemporary art, film, visual media, and a hands-on laboratory. Stay in Yokohama for dinner at Cross Gate or along the Kishamichi Promenade, with its panoramic views over the bay. Return to Tokyo for the night.

Day 5: Kamakura

Today, take a day trip out of Tokyo to Kamakura. Begin with a visit to the Engaku-ji Temple, a Zen temple designated as a national historic site. Then visit the Kencho-ji Temple. the first Zen dojo (school) in Japan. The large wooden structures and the huge bell will help you to experience the Zen mindset, while the simple garden will bring feelings of wabi (austere refinement) and sabi (quiet simplicity).After lunch, visit the Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at the Kotokuin Temple. The Buddha statue here was made in 1252. Time permitting, we will also visit the Hase-dera Temple, an 8th Century Buddhist temple complex.Enjoy dinner and exploration along Komachi-dori Street, the busiest shopping street in Kamakura. Return to Tokyo at the end of the day.

Day 6: Arima Onsen & Kobe

This morning, transfer from Tokyo to Kobe, and up into the mountain hot spring town of Arima Onsen, Japan’s oldest hot springs resort town. Enjoy the opportunity to explore the winding streets and discover small shrines and temples along the way. Visit the Hot Spring Museum, then learn about the distinctive culinary trends of Kobe, a key location of Yoshoku cuisine - Japanese cuisine mixed with Western influences. The city is one of the major locations of beef eating and there is now a distinctive Kobe steak. Watch a local chef preparing Hyogo rice in a traditional cooking point, and then go for a stroll to Rokko Mountain to see the waterfall and cherry blossoms. As the sun sets, immerse yourself in the hot kinsen (gold) and ginsen (silver) waters and then enjoy the surrounding peace and tranquility overnight in Arima-Onsen.

Day 7: Transfer to Kyoto

This morning, take the bus to Kyoto, the food capital of Japan. First stop in central Kyoto is a visit to Nijo Castle (Nijojo), an UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered one of the best surviving castle palace architecture in Japan. Enjoy lunch at Kyoto Ramen Street (Kyoto Ramen Koji), a corridor of ramen noodle shops on the 10th floor of the station building. In the afternoon, enjoy learning about the differences and similarities in pastry techniques between Kyoto and Tokyo at a local Pastry and Bakery Art College. After dinner, embark on a guided evening walking tour of Kyoto. Highlights may include Gion, Japan’s largest Geisha district; Miyagawacho, an entertainment district; ancient alleyway Pontocho; and more!

Day 8: Uji

This morning, enjoy a day trip to the tea-planting town of Uji. Participate in a matcha tea ceremony at a traditional teahouse and stroll around the many shops and restaurants featuring a huge range of tea-filled foods. In May, the harvest is taking place, so if you are traveling around that time of the year, you could visit a Tea Farm and participate in this annual practice. In the evening, head out to a local restaurant for dinner in Kyoto. After dinner, enjoy an evening performance of traditional Japanese arts, including a tea ceremony, music, dance and theatre.

Day 9: Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine.

This morning, head to one of Kyoto’s most impressive sights, the Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine. This massive complex consists of five shrines spread across the wooded hills of Inari-San Mountain. This is the head shrine for approximately 40,000 Inari shrines that can be found across Japan. We will take our time to explore the site, which was dedicated in the 8th century to the gods of rice and sake, and climb up the mountain to see the Japanese tori (gates) all the way up.Transfer back to the hotel to collect bags and check out, then make our way to the airporto board your flight.

Day 10: Welcome back Home

Return home after an immersive and experiential learning trip to expand our knowledge of historic, cultural and culinary traditions of Japan.
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Learning Objectives

Participants on this culinary experience will be introduced to and experience first-hand several practices and systems that allow Japan’s network of artisan producers flourish in the ever-evolving modern world. Learn about the Japanese ways of seeing and appreciating sustainability, seasonality, terroir, beauty and simplicity. This trip will undoubtedly enrich your appreciation of food and highlight the importance of working with nature sustainably.

 

 

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We're happy to help answer any questions you might have about a trip to Japan – Culture and Cuisine: Accommodations, Meals, Flights, Activites, Itinerary and more!

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