Food, Wine & Nightlife in Japan

Discover what makes Osaka a food city on this guided tour. Get a insider's perspective on local food culture missed by most visitors as your guide takes you to a department store marketplace, the famed Kuromon Ichiba Market, Korea Town, and a historic neighborhood. Along the way sample regional specialties and surprising delicacies.

For those new to the Japanese rice wine, sake can be something of a mystery. Unravel those mysteries on this tour to Kyoto's Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, which has been making sake since 1637. See how producers have made sake throughout the past few hundred years, and understand the techniques they use. Enjoy sampling some of the sake and then have lunch (included) in the restaurant.

Sit down for dinner with a sumo wrestler during this unique activity in Asakusa. Enjoy the opportunity to dine with one of Japan's celebrated athletes, a rare chance that even many local residents never get. Engage in conversation with the sumo champion, asking any questions you may have about their lives, their training and their diets. Dig in to a chanko (hot pot) dinner, a traditional sumo wrestler's dinner consisting of vegetables and big chunks of meat and fish, all cooked at the table.

With the world's highest number of bars per square meter, Tokyo's Shinjuku Golden Gai neighbourhood is a must-visit for travellers with a vibrant spirit. This 2.5-hour walking tour of Shinjuku Golden Gai showcases the best bars, restaurants, and food stalls the compact enclave has to offer. Feast on four Japanese dishes, including Tonkotsu Ramen, and char grilled chicken, and delve into the area's rich history with your guide. Small-group tour limited to 12 people.

Explore the amazing food scene in Kyoto on this action-packed tour. It'll save you time researching where to eat in the city, as a local guide will take you to hidden spots that locals love. You'll visit Izakaya (Japanese pubs) and Tachinomiya (standing bars) for drinks and snacks. The tour is a great way to get your bearings of Kyoto, learn about Japanese traditions, and taste delicious food too. Conveniently, select drinks and snacks are included.

Feel like a Japanese local during this 2-hour visit to two 'Izakayas' (Japanese pubs) in Tokyo's bustling Ginza district. Ditch your guidebook and let a Japanese local guide navigate you inside the closed-off world of these typical neighborhood pubs. With your guide's help, you'll order some tasty dishes off the non-English menu, grab a few beers, and soak up the unique atmosphere of these authentic Japanese establishment few foreigners ever see. One drink and two dishes, or two drinks and one dish are included.

Visit ancient shrines and temples of Kyoto-- Nanzen-ji Temple, Kiyomizudera Temple, and Yasaka Shrine. Your guide shows you how to respectfully cleanse yourself and offer prayers before entering the sacred places. This small group tour includes information about each stop and history of the area going back 2,677 years. Lunch is included, and the tour ends with shopping and sake tasting in the Gion district, where you may see Geisha and Maiko (apprentice Geisha).

Go on a culinary adventure in Kyoto with a guide to show you where to find the best wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), and other traditional treats. Take the stress out of language barrier obstacles by exploring Nishiki Market with a guide to translate. Your guide will teach you about staple ingredients in Japanese cuisine, and you'll enjoy tastings too. A highlight is visiting a tea house for matcha tea and sweets. It's a great way to discover top foodie spots in the city, and get local tips too.

Get a taste for the diverse world of Japanese sake, spanning both ancient traditions and modern innovations, during this 45-minute, small-group tour and tasting. Learn about more modern methods at the Matsui Shuzo sake brewery, and then sample a few brews of your own as your guide explains the flavor notes, ingredients, and nuances of your selection. This small-group experience, limited to just 10 participants, also includes a taxi to the brewery and all entrance fees.

Enjoy an action-packed evening in Kyoto learning about Japanese food and drink. You won't have to worry about navigating or getting lost as a guide will lead the way. By traveling in a small group, you'll have better access to your guide for questions. Explore Nishiki Market together, visit a secret bar, restaurants, and learn about Kyoto's Geisha culture in Pontocho. You'll enjoy food and drink tastings along the way, making it a fun and interactive experience.

Discover two sides to Kyoto as you visit one of its most famous shrines, then learn about sake production and tasting, during this 3.5-hour excursion in Kyoto. Begin with a visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine, an iconic religious site with striking red torii (gates). Then visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, to learn how the drink is made and try some samples. Finish with another tasting at a Kyoto sake store. This 3.5-hour visit includes a guide, train transport and all sake tastings and entrance fees.

Follow a knowledgeable guide through the world's largest fish market on this 5.5-hour food tour of east Tokyo. Start with a stroll around Tsukiji Market and taste specialty foods and drinks such as Japanese omelettes, fresh oysters and sushi, fried fish cakes, sake and tea - enough for lunch. Then continue on to the Asakusa district to sample sweets at a traditional cafe. You will experience Japanese culture through its food, just like the locals do.

Spend some time getting acquainted with the food and culture of two historically important and beautiful districts of Kyoto on this guided walking tour. Stroll over the ninth-century Togetsukyo bridge and make stops to sample Yuba soup, rice crackers, fried Yuba cake and leek pancakes. After a visit to the 14th-century Tenryu-ji temple, head to a beautiful bamboo garden and indulge in some traditional Japanese sweets. This tour of Arashiyama and Segano is a great way to get to know Kyoto.

Immerse yourself in the Japanese culinary tradition of Kaiseki Ryouri during this 3-hour evening food tour in Kyoto. Follow your guide through the Kamogawa and Gion areas, eating your way through a 10-course meal with beverages included.

Sushi is one of the most popular Japanese food for foreigners. It's easy to eat, but it can be difficult to make. During this tour, you can learn how to make sushi from a professional Sushi master. To be a Sushi master, you have to practice for more than 10 years, but in this workshop, you will learn the simple ins and outs of making Sushi so you can make delicious Sushi yourself. Before the workshop, you will explore the Kuromon Market and Namba area learn about Japanese food and Osaka culture. At the end we will take you to the Dotonbori bridge. Why don't we take a photo like a famous Glico man?

Immerse yourself in Japan's kawaii (cute) culture - and pleasure your palate in the meantime - on a 3-hour food tour of Harajuku and Omotesando in Tokyo. On this small-group walking tour, limited to eight people, you'll explore the back streets of the districts, stopping to sample creative pastries, vibrant candy and local specialties. Six food samples, including lunch, are included on this family-friendly experience.

It can be hard to know where to go to get the best local food in a city as full of delicacies as Kyoto. Join a professional guide for a 3-hour tour of the Nishiki Market, Gion district and beautiful Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. Visit 'Kyoto's kitchen, learning about the history of food and tasting unique dishes such as tofu skin, pickled vegetables, and sake. Your guide takes you through Gion to see historic landmarks, spot Geisha, and give you a glimpse of Japanese spirituality.

The Nishiki Food Market, known to locals as the "Kitchen of Kyoto," is a huge 400-year-old market sprawling with food vendors. Navigate what can be an overwhelming space with the help of your guide, whose insight into the local food scene will give you a taste of Japanese culture - and plenty of food. All food tastings are included as per itinerary.

Become a sushi chef for the day, and then enjoy your creations for dinner, during this small-group, 90 minute sushi-making lesson with instructor in Kyoto. Join your professional instructor inside a traditional Japanese townhouse as you immerse yourself in the techniques for 'makizushi,' a rolled form of sushi made with dried seaweed. After a short demo, try your hand at making this uniquely Japanese cuisine, using your choice of ingredients. This small group class, limited to no more than 7 guests, also includes an English-speaking guide to help with translation.

Make a food-lover's journey through Kyoto, stopping at its best food shops, famous Nishiki Food Market and a sake brewery before finishing with a cooking class during this small-group, 3.5-hour excursion limited to 7 participants. Learn about Japanese ingredients at Kyoto's top market, check out the city's lesser known food shops and stop by a sake brewery for a tasting. End your food experience with a 1.5-hour cooking class making sushi, soup and salad. This small-group excursion also includes admission and tasting at the sake brewery.