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Japan Real Food Adventure

11 Days | Feast your way from Tokyo to Osaka on a food lover’s adventure

4.4 out of 5 based on 11 reviews submitted.
Food
From
GBP £3,188
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Take your tastebuds on an 11-day culinary journey through Japan’s most delicious hotspots, relishing the flavours of the land of the rising sun. Uncover the secrets of sushi in Tokyo, pick local produce with an expert in Kanazawa, feast on plant-based monastic cuisine in Koya-san, meet local farmers in Uji and go on a food crawl in Osaka. Take part in cooking classes, cooking demonstrations and market visits, feasting on local delights along the way. From temples to tempura, shrines to sashimi, seafood markets to sake breweries, you’ll join a local leader on a food-focused adventure that has all the best Japanese ingredients.

Trip overview

Map of Japan Real Food Adventure including Japan
Start
Tokyo, Japan
Finish
Osaka, Japan
Theme
Food
Destinations
Japan
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
CJZF
This trip generates 31 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Learn the tricks of the trade when you take part in a hands-on sushi-making class in Tokyo, pick local produce from the market before a cooking class in Kanazawa and make your own okonomiyaki in Osaka.
  • Meet local farmers during a day trip from Kyoto to Uji, the home of green tea production. Tour the green tea and matcha farms, enjoy a hot cuppa, then tour a vegetable farm full of fresh, organic produce.
  • When you’re not busy eating, enjoy iconic experiences like wandering the streets of Tokyo, Kenroku-en garden in Kyoto, the glowing signs of Osaka’s Dotonbori district, learning Buddhist history in Koya-san and walking through Kyoto’s Gion district.
  • Feast on delicious Japanese cuisine, from street food to restaurant favourites – including ekiben, sushi, matcha, takoyaki, okonomiyaki and fresh seafood.
  • Sip on sake, the national drink of Japan, during a visit to a local sake brewery in Kyoto. Learn how sake is made and maybe even pick up a bottle (or two) to take home.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

Is this trip right for you?
  • The cuisine of Japan includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Japan which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.
  • During the monastery stay in Koya-san, you'll get to experience traditional Japanese accommodation. It’s a great cultural experience, but not everyone finds futon mattresses on tatami mat floors, tiny bathrooms and proximity to other guests as comfortable as more western-style hotels and beds. Read more in the ‘Accommodation’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
  • This trip involves a lot of walking, 10 km/6 mi or more each day. You’ll also be going up and down stairs frequently, particularly at train stations. Bring comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to spend a lot of time on your feet.
  • We recommend packing light and smart for this trip as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and to hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs in crowded areas. There’s an optional luggage transfer offered on this trip, so if you’d like to take up this option, bring a small backpack or overnight bag for one night.

Itinerary

Map of Japan Real Food Adventure including Japan

Inclusions

Meals

10 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners

Transport

Bus, Train, Bullet train

Accommodation

Hotel (9 nights), Temple (1 night)

Activities
  • Tokyo - Welcome dinner
  • Tokyo - Asakusa guided walk & Sensoji Temple
  • Tokyo - Tsukiji Outer Market & Sushi Tasting
  • Tokyo - Art of Sushi-making class
  • Kanazawa - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Kanazawa – Chaya gai district walking tour
  • Kanazawa - Kenroku-en Garden
  • Kanazawa - Home cooking class
  • Kanazawa - Omicho market tour
  • Kyoto - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Kyoto - Gion District walk
  • Uji - Green tea & vegetable farm visit with tastings
  • Kyoto - Nishiki Market walk
  • Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Shrine
  • Kyoto - Sake Brewery & tasting
  • Koya-san - Okuno-in Mausoleum
  • Osaka – Tour of Kuromon Market and Doguyasuji Arcade
  • Osaka - Dotonbori Tour
  • Osaka – Depachika visit

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is currently not available for this trip due to limited rooms at many of our properties.

2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

3. It is essential that you pack light and compact for rail travel in Japan. There are size restrictions for luggage on Shinkansen trains. Luggage from 160cm to 250cm may require an additional JPY1000 oversize luggage fee per train journey. Luggage over 251cm will NOT be permitted on the Shinkansen trains at all. Please notify your tour leader at your Welcome Meeting if your luggage is from 160cm to 250cm so they can make the necessary arrangements.

4. We are currently unable to book pre or post trip accommodation at our start and finish point hotels due to limited room availability. We recommend booking a hotel of your choice through your booking agent.

5. We are not able to book airport shuttle service for Japan now. Japan has an extensive and efficient public transport system and the joining and finishing point instructions are listed in the Essential Trip Information.

6. Please note that there are generally less double rooms in Japanese hotels, even those in Western style. While every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests, this may not always be possible.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 based on 11 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Andrew · Traveled September 2023
Our food trip was the trip of a lifetime. It was not just about food. Between sampling delicious Japanese cuisine we got to see a lot of local culture, and sampled food in places normally only visited by locals. It really could not have been better. Thank you to Yuko our awesome guide and thanks to Intrepid
Review submitted 05 Oct 2023

julie · Traveled September 2023
Had a really great time on Japan Real Food Tour- while not fine dining the food was varied and interesting. We had a wonderful group, up for anything. Hotels were a bit hit and miss and some of the breakfasts were shocking , while others were gorgeous. Our leader was fantastic and she really helped make this tour special.
Review submitted 20 Sep 2023

Victoria · Traveled May 2023
Small size of the group, carefully chosen itinerary and excellent choice of the leader made this trip very comfortable, interesting and worth every penny.
Review submitted 12 Jun 2023

Leah · Traveled May 2023
Real food Japan was everything and more than we expected. The tour leader’s knowledge was expanse , everything Japan , trains, buses,bars, restaurants ,amazing desserts ,shopping suggestions , Yuki had all the answers . We found her assistance took the guess work out of ordering whilst teaching us along the way . The cooking classes were A highlight. Our group was fantastic , all like minded people who loved food , fun ,laughs and a couple of beers .
Review submitted 09 Jun 2023

Margaret · Traveled May 2023
A fabulous window into the food and culture of Japan. Made all the more worthwhile by our guide Yuki. Going home with great memories, new friends and a huge admiration for the Japanese people. Arigato🙏🙏
Review submitted 11 Jun 2023
Japan Real Food Adventure
From
GBP £3,188