Discover the hidden gems of Japanese Vegan Cuisine with the famous Vegan influential expert Miyoko Schinner
This 10-day tour will take you on an unforgettable journey across seven prefectures and introduce you to treasured historical sites, time-honored traditions, and of course, delectable vegan cuisine. In between the local artisan-run workshops, vegan meals, and breathtaking landscapes, you will lodge at high-end ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) where Japanese hospitality meets utter relaxation. With your tour guides’ friendly support, you can enjoy a stress-free Japanese experience without any language barrier worries. To top it all off, this tour will be held during one of Japan’s most beautiful times of year—cherry blossom season.
Highlights on the tour
Exclusive high-end stay experience at Japanese hot springs ryokans serving local Vegan delicacies
Private visit to local artisans workshops including real hands-on experiences such as Suruga bamboo craft, Yamanaka lacquerware Maki-e and Matcha Calligraphy
Local cooking demonstration in Minobu, Azumino and Obuse about fermented Japanese food specialties such as Shinshu Miso
Incredible natural sceneries with Shizuoka tea plantations, Mt.Fuji, Japanese Alps and Biwa Lake during Japanese cherry blossoms sakura season
Zen program in Eiheiji, including meditation and traditional shojinryori cuisine
Day 1 - Tokyo Arrival
Reach Tokyo Haneda or Narita Airport where our local guides, who will be with you for the entirety of the tour, will meet you up and guide you to your private shuttle bus to reach Ana Intercontinental Tokyo hotel. Check-in and enjoy your free time in your first night in Japan in the vibrant Tokyo.
Included accommodations
Ana Intercontinental Tokyo
ANA InterContinental Tokyo is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Akasaka in the heart of Tokyo.
Day 2 - Shizuoka: Discover Green Tea varieties and flavors
We start our quest for authentic Japanese Vegan food in Shizuoka, the capital of Japanese Green Tea. Our first stop will be a local vegan restaurant where you will be served tea along with a premium vegan course featuring seasonal and local products of Shizuoka. After lunch, we will also make a stop at a local tea farm where we would be granted exclusive access to the factory to learn about tea cultivation process and the different varieties consumed in Japan by having a first tasting experience. For the evening, we will be welcomed in a traditional onsen ryokan nestled inside the Izu peninsula. Enjoy a kaiseki dinner and enjoy the health benefits of the hot springs by soaking into natural onsen.
Included attractions
Green Tea farm visit
Taste the different varieties of green tea consumed in Japan and tour a plantation to learn about harvesting and cultivation processes
Included accommodations
Onsen Ryokan Shirakabe
Beautiful Japanese Ryokan in Izu with delicious vegan culinary choices and natural hot springs.
Day 3 - Shizuoka: Arts & Crafts
On this day, we will head back to Shizuoka where we will attend a workshop based on Shizuoka traditional Suruga Bamboo Lattice Ware at Takumishuku. Discover the elegance of this traditional craft recognized for its cultural importance by the Japanese government and create your own unique flower vase using “maruhigo” or rounded bamboo strips. Afterwards, we will head to Gyokuro no Sato. Situated along the beautiful cherry trees lined banks of the Asahina River, it is one of Japan's three largest Gyokuro (high quality) green tea-producing areas. At the tea house “Hyogetsutei”, in front of the gourd-shaped pond, you will be able to enjoy the traditional tea ceremony experience with either Gyokuro or matcha-powdered tea. A tea ceremony master will serve you excellent green tea and teach you the manners of the tea ceremony and how to appreciate the tea utensils. Later, you will also attend a "matcha" calligraphy session, a new concept of writing letters using matcha green tea instead of ink. The vivid green color gradually changes to brown when exposed to air, which is the charm of this calligraphy style. For the evening, back to our onsen ryokan in Izu.
Included attractions
Gyokuro No Sato: Tea Ceremony Experience
Learn the traditional manners of the tea ceremony from a tea master and learn how to appreciate this ritual.
Gyokuro No Sato: Matcha Calligraphy
"matcha" calligraphy is a new concept of writing letters using matcha green tea instead of ink. The vivid green color gradually changes to brown when exposed to air, which is the charm of this calligraphy style.
Suruga Bamboo Lattice Ware Workshop
Discover the elegance of this traditional craft recognized for its cultural importance by the Japanese government and create your own unique flower vase using “maruhigo” or rounded bamboo strips.
Included accommodations
Onsen Ryokan Shirakabe
Beautiful Japanese Ryokan in Izu with delicious vegan culinary choices and natural hot springs.
Day 4 - From Yamanashi to Nagano: Castle Towns and Local vegan gems
Today, we leave Shizuoka prefecture behind and we move north costing Mt. Fuji. Along the road, enjoy the views of the most famous volcano around the world before reaching the temple of Kuon-ji. Here, we will tour the temple and attend a vegan-class based on local specialties. As we reach Nagano, we will be making our first stop at Takashima Castle with its spectacular sakura cherry trees starting to blossom as we enter spring season. For evening, we reach Matsumoto, a vibrant city surrounded by the beautiful Japanese Alps. Enjoy your free time walking around the old town or relax yourself in your accommodation just in front of the Matsumoto Castle.
Included attractions
Cooking class at Kuonji Temple
Vegan-class based on local specialties from Minobu town.
Takasaki Castle
Takashima Castle was built by Lord Hineno in 1592 and is the highest elevated castle ever constructed in Japan.
For this reason is known as the “Floating Castle”.
Included accommodations
Matsumoto Marunouchi Hotel
Located in the cultural heart of the Matsumoto area, close to the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle, is a comfortable hotel to explore the city and nearby attractions.
Day 5 - Nagano: Azumino Wasabi's paradise
On this day, we have a short day trip to Azumino, famous visit the Daio Wasabi Farm, Japan's largest wasabi town. Here, together with our local guide, you will visit the great wasabi plantation of Daiou Wasabi Farm and taste for lunch a local handmade Shinshu Soba with fresh grated wasabi. At the end of your visit in Azumino, you will also stop by the farm of our local guide, learn about her farming life and taste her homemade soy sauce variety. Back to Matsumoto for dinner time.
Included attractions
Local Wasabi and Soy Sauce Tasting Experience
Learn about Azumino Wasabi and local soy sauce varieties produced in Nagano.
Included accommodations
Matsumoto Marunouchi Hotel
Located in the cultural heart of the Matsumoto area, close to the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle, is a comfortable hotel to explore the city and nearby attractions.
Day 6 - Nagano: Obuse Miso and Sake Gastronomic excellence
In your last day in Matsumoto, we will be visiting Obuse, an artistic and vibrant small town rich of local artisan shops where the heritage of Katsushika Hokusai is still strong nowadays in its masterpieces. Here we will tour first a miso shop with more than 250 years where we will learn about the unique flavor of Shinshu Miso and try to make our own in a miso-making experience. Later, we will stop for lunch at a ramen restaurant nearby which makes use of the same miso variety for its famous vegan ramen. We will continue our trip by having a factory and sake tasting tour at Matsubaya, a Sake brewery rewarded first-place last year for its excellent quality among the new brews of sake. In the afternoon, we will also visit the Ukiyo-e master Hokusai Museum to appreciate its artistic heritage and relax hopping shop by shop in the old town. At the end of your day, you will be able to unwind yourself at Tobira Onsen Myojinkan, a luxury hot spring resort nestled in the mountains of Matsumoto.
Included attractions
Matsubaya Sake Brewery
Sake factory tour and tasting experience atMatsubaya Honten, a long-established sake brewery founded in the Edo period, with a history spanning over 200 years.
Miso Making Experience
Hands-on experience at Kokuhei brewery, a 250-year-old miso shop in Obuse.
Katsushika Hokusai Museum
The Hokusaikan Museum is a diverse tribute to the renowned Japanese artist Hokusai Katsushika who spent several years near the end of his life in Obuse
Included accommodations
Matsumoto Marunouchi Hotel
Located in the cultural heart of the Matsumoto area, close to the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle, is a comfortable hotel to explore the city and nearby attractions.
Day 7 - Kanazawa: Japanese gardens and geisha districts
Today, we leave Nagano behind and transfer by bullet train "Shinkansen" to Kanazawa. Upon arrival, have an exclusive Kenroku-en Garden Tour, one of Japan's most beautiful landscape gardens. For dinner, savor local Vegan Sushi and enjoy your free time strolling around Higashichaya, the famous geisha district of the city. Your accommodation for the following two nights would be Hyatt Centric Kanazawa.
Included attractions
Kenrokuen Garden Tour
Tea ceremony experience
and special guided tour of Kenrokuen Garden, one of the top three traditional gardens in Japan.
Included accommodations
Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Situated just seconds from Kanazawa Station, Hyatt Centric Kanazawa is the perfect launchpad for exploring the city's authentic art, shops and restaurants.
Day 8 - Kanazawa: Day trip to Yamanaka Onsen
On this day, we will explore the area of Yamanaka Onsen, famous for its arts and crafts. We will be granted exclusive access to a performance and guided tour at the Yamanakaza. This theater is dedicated to preserving Yamanaka-bushi, Yamanaka Onsen’s iconic folk song. Get entertained by geisha and her musical instruments and enjoy the authentic atmosphere. After lunch, visit Nata-dera Temple, a historic Buddhist temple worshipping mother nature. The forest surrounding the temple provides a place for healing and unwinding yourself during this eventful trip. Our last activity of the day would be a workshop based on Yamanaka Natural Lacquerware. Decorate a beautiful bento box with Japanese motifs and bring it back home as souvenir of your trip. Conclude the day with a gourmet dinner in Kanazawa.
Included attractions
Yamanaka-za theater
Enjoy geisha performances of Yamanaka Onsen's famous folk song. Yamanaka-za is a theater in the main square of Yamanaka Onsen, a hot-spring village.
Yamanaka Natural Lacquerware workshop
Yamanaka Lacquerware style - Bento Box making experience
Nata Dera Temple
Natadera is a Buddhist temple enshrining Kannon. The temple continues to be an expression of Taicho's belief in the harmony between nature and human life.
Included accommodations
Hyatt Centric Kanazawa
Situated just seconds from Kanazawa Station, Hyatt Centric Kanazawa is the perfect launchpad for exploring the city's authentic art, shops and restaurants.
Day 9 - Fukui: Spiritual Zen retreat in Eiheiji temple
Today, we head south to reach the famous buddhist monastery of Eiheiji, originally founded by Zen Master Dōgen in 1244. Retreat yourself for a day and actively partake into monk's life by attending an authentic meditation session before relaxing at your ryokan and enjoying buddhism vegan cuisine "shojinryori".
Included attractions
Eiheiji temple
One of the most notorious buddhist monastery of Japan, originally founded by Zen Master Dōgen in 1244.
Zen Meditation experience
Zen program for the pilgrims visiting Eiheiji Temple.
Included accommodations
Hakujukan
Hakujukan, located at the entrance of the approach to Eiheiji Temple, is a modern Japanese style hotel that offers Zen retreat to its customers.
Day 10 - From Biwa Lake to Kyoto through the romantic canal city of Omihachiman
On your final day, we will head Kansai area and cross the beautiful Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake with its famous Shirahige Shrine. Take a memorable picture of your journey to Japan with your dears and Miyoko before reaching the romantic canal city of Omihachiman. Navigate on a boat tour through the canals of the city surrounded by sakura cherry trees and feel the spring at its best.
Your day concludes in the ancient capital of Kyoto, where you will spend your last wonderful night at Dusit Thani hotel.
It is time to say goodbye and greet our fantastic guides, unless you would like to book an extension tour with us through other wonderful vegan-friendly destinations in Japan!
Included attractions
Biwa Lake: Shirahige Shrine
Shirahige Shrine is located north-west of Lake Biwa and was built about 2000 years ago. It is said to will bring a variety of fortunes.
Omihachiman Boat Tour experience
Omihachiman developed as a commercial canal city in the modern era by the famous Merchants of Omi.
Enjoy a boat tour through the canals of the old town and under wonderful cherry blossoms trees.
Included accommodations
Dusit Thani Kyoto
5-star luxury hotel in Kyoto with visual nods to both Japanese and Thai cultures and traditions.
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