Fall Gifu Culinary Tour
Oct
9
to Oct 13

Fall Gifu Culinary Tour

  • We meet in JR Gifu station (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS
Culinary Tour // Gifu // Fall 2026
A small-group culinary journey

Gifu, Japan
Fall 2026

5 days · 4 nights · Guided by Yoko Isassi
Oct 9 – 13
Seki, Gifu
Small Group

Tucked between mountains and rivers, Gifu prefecture is one of Japan's best-kept culinary secrets. Join Yoko for five days of exceptional food, living traditions, and landscapes that few travelers ever discover.

· · ·
10/9
Fri
Day 1 · Arrival
Kaiseki Lunch & Cormorant Fishing at Night
🍽 Kaiseki Lunch 🪔 Ukai Cormorant Fishing 🥩 Hamburg Steak Dinner 🏯 Gifu Castle
10/10
Sat
Day 2 · Seki & Mino
World-Famous Knife Festival & Sushi Dinner
🔪 Hamono Matsuri 🍣 Sushi Konno 🐟 Grilled Unagi Lunch 📜 Mino Washi Paper Town
10/11
Sun
Day 3 · Takayama
Morning Markets, Historic Village & French Dinner
🏮 Takayama Morning Market 🏚 Hida Open Air Museum 🥢 Country-Style Bento Lunch 🍷 Dinner at Ravi (subject to change)
10/12
Mon
Day 4 · Tajimi & Magome
Mino Pottery, Old Post Town Walk & Irori Dinner
🏺 Mino-Yaki Kiln Visit 🚶 Nakasendo Trail 🍡 Japanese Confectionery 🔥 Irori Dinner at Yanagiya
10/13
Tue
Day 5 · Farewell
Wagashi Making & Departure
🍡 Wagashi Workshop 🚌 Easy Access to Nagoya

What's Included

🏡
4 nights at Isaji Residence
Seki, Gifu
🍽
Select meals as noted
in the detailed itinerary
🚗
Private transport
on Days 3 & 4
🐗
Personal guidance
by Yoko throughout
🎌
Curated local
experiences & reservations
📋
Full detailed itinerary
sent upon interest

Past participant Carly Maltzman wrote beautifully about her time in Gifu — read her story here.

Interested in joining?

Space is limited to a small group.
Request the full detailed itinerary and we'll be in touch.

Request Full Itinerary
Starting from $2,800 per person · No commitment required · Detailed itinerary sent by email
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Spring Shikoku Tour (Tokushima-Kochi)
Nov
6
to Nov 11

Spring Shikoku Tour (Tokushima-Kochi)

  • We meet at the hotel lounge near Shinkansen Shin Kobe station (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Day 1 — Kobe → Awaji Island → Tokushima

  • Depart Kobe/Shin-Kobe by car

  • Meditation & lunch, Awaji Island

  • Naruto whirlpools at Road Station Uzushio

  • Ryōzenji, first temple of the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage

  • Kaiseki dinner in Kochi featuring Naruto sea bream

  • Awa Odori folk dance performance

Day 2 — Tokushima → Kōchi

  • Hands-on indigo dyeing workshop at Indigo Museum

  • Handa-sōmen noodle lunch

  • Yamauchi Shrine and Kōchi Castle

  • Tosa no Sato market — yuzu vinegar, dried bonito, local goods

  • Kochi Izakaya Dinner

Day 3 — Kōchi: Sunday Market & Garden

  • Kōchi's Sunday Farmers' Market along the castle road

  • Street sushi, pickles & local tea tasting

  • Makino Botanical Garden

  • Chikurinji Temple, hilltop city views

  • Dinner

Day 4 — Kōchi: Castle & Local Life

  • Niyodo River — famous turquoise-blue waters, riverside hike

  • Chinkabashi — railing-free "submersible" bridges built to let floodwaters pass over rather than sweep them away

  • Katsuo no tataki — Kōchi's signature bonito, seared over blazing straw (wara-yaki)

  • Onsen & Sauna

Day 5 — Kōchi: Farewell

  • Final morning at leisure in Kōchi

  • Farewell brunch

  • Tour concludes in Kōchi (transfer to airport)

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Spring Culinary Tour
Mar
30
to Apr 3

Spring Culinary Tour

  • We meet in JR Nagoya station (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Features

  • Experience the beauty of rural Japan during cherry blossom season. To ensure flexibility and avoid heavy traffic, a private car service will be arranged for three consecutive days.

  • Nagoya, Japan’s third-largest city, is a hidden culinary gem known for its umami-rich aka-miso dishes and famous chicken wings. On our first day, we’ll explore the flavors that define Nagoya’s food culture.

  • Inhale the aromas of a “sweets sanctuary.” La Collina is a sweet-themed park where we’ll experience the craftsmanship behind wagashi—traditional Japanese sweets—and indulge in freshly made baumkuchen.

  • Explore Ōmi-Hachiman, a historic merchant town shaped by waterways and trade since the 17th century. Scenic canals link Lake Biwa, the castle, and the old town, offering timeless views that have drawn filmmakers for decades. We’ll take a leisurely boat ride and enjoy a bento box filled with local flavors.

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