Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Bursting with contemporary urban culture, there are many sides of Tokyo to explore, from fascinating museums and world-class shopping, to neighbourhood backstreets lined with restaurants and karaoke bars. Before the trip starts, we recommend you take a walk around some of Tokyo's most well-known districts, including Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku and Ginza – variously known as the fashion centre, the skyscraper district, the home of quirky youth pop culture, and the upscale shopping area. Please be aware that there won't be much free time in Tokyo once the trip begins, so consider booking additional accommodation if you wish to cover anything not included in the trip itinerary. Your adventure begins with a Welcome Meeting at 6pm tonight. You can arrive at any time during the day, as there are no acti...

Today, learn the art of creating soba, Japan’s famed buckwheat noodle, in a hands-on cooking class. Slurp up your creations for lunch. This afternoon you’ll take some time sightseeing in the historic Asakusa area. This is one of the older and more traditional parts of Tokyo, and is often called the temple district. Here you’ll stop by Senso-ji, the city’s oldest temple – founded almost 1,400 years ago when Tokyo was nothing more than a fishing village. If you’ve got a sweet tooth then Asakusa is also a great place to satisfy a sugar craving – try fried sweet potatoes tossed in molasses, or sweet read bean paste sandwiched between baked pancake batter. Afterwards, consider heading to Tsukishima to enjoy one of Tokyo's most popular dishes that you've probably never heard of – monjayaki. It's a type of savoury pancake that...

Rise early for an eye-opening experience at Tokyo Fish Market – the world’s biggest – where you’ll dodge bargain hunters, fishmongers, and market trolleys piled high with crates of stock as you wander the narrow aisles of spectacular creatures. Afterwards, pop in to one of the restaurants at the market for a fresh sushi breakfast. After your market tour, wave goodbye to Tokyo at super speed as you ride the rails on a bullet train to the Edo period town of Takayama. Travelling by Shinkansen is an absolute buzz, as you’ll reach speeds of up to 270 kmh. Arrive in Takayama within approximately 5 hours (one stop). Takayama is a charming Edo period town located in the Japan alps. It’s famous for its traditional inns, sake breweries and Hida-gyu (Hida beef) – the beef from a black-haired Japanese cattle breed that has been rais...

The Gifu prefecture is known to produce excellent high altitude vegetables. Explore the morning markets that date back 600 years and browse the stalls of seasonal produce brought in from the surrounding countryside. Stalls are set up by local farm women from 6am every morning. Look out for the unique local style of pickles, the bags of miso wrapped in leaves, Genkotsu ame (soy bean candy), preserved fish, spices, and the delicious marshmallow treat of owara tamaten. Later, visit the nearby Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum where the traditional thatched-roof architecture unique to the area has been recreated in a delightful mountain setting. Discover the techniques used to build farmhouses that could withstand fierce winters and long periods of isolation due to snow-closed roads. The thick thatching kept in warmth and the ro...

Take the train from Takayama to the delightful seaside town of Kanazawa (approximately 2 hours), which is sometimes known as the hidden pearl of the Japan Sea. Having avoided bombing in WWII, it's a place where both modern and traditional Japan are found. The city is full of historic sights like Kanazawa castle, Korakuen gardens, Bukeyashiki (Samurai House), the very traditional Chaya gai (tea house district), geisha and samurai districts, but also home to the world class, ultra-modern 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. On arrival, your leader will take you on an orientation walk and the rest of the day is free for your own exploration. In the evening, your leader can assist you to make a booking at one of the city's renowned seafood restaurants for a truly memorable meal.

Wake early and head over to the Omicho market, where the city's quality foods and producers gather. Fish from Ishikawa prefecture is brought in from the port every morning and, as well as on sale fresh, there are also a number of restaurants in the market whip it up into special seafood rice bowls or sushi. There are almost 200 different stalls to get lost in. Later, you'll go out for dinner with the group and explore the city's unique food scene. Later on you may wish to visit the 17th-century Korakuen Gardens – highly landscaped acres of bridges, ponds, waterfalls and fountains that are beautiful no matter what the season. Alternatively, make your way to the 'Samurai House' in the Nagamachi district, where Maeda samurai lords provided their vassals with grand estates. Be transported back in time, with the house giving a good...

Hop on the train (approximately 1 hour) to arrive in Japan’s third-largest city and unofficial culinary capital, where the motto is 'Kuidaore' ('eat until you drop'). This is where some of Japan’s best street food is on offer. There are sprawling shopping hubs and tiny backstreets overflowing with restaurants and bars, serving up local delicacies as well as Japan's answer to fast food. Osaka is credited with the first kaiten-zushi (conveyer belt sushi) restaurants, after its inventor – the owner of a sushi restaurant with staffing issues – watched beer bottles on a conveyer belt at the nearby Asahi brewery and thought it might be a good way to solve this problem. The city is also renowned for its brand of okonomiyaki (a delicious savoury pancake) and kushikatsu (seasoned, deep fried meat on skewers). Take in some of the cit...

Take the train (approximately 1 hour) into an important region for Shingon Buddhism. Founded in the 8th century by the Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi, Koya-san has been a centre for religious activities for over 1,200 years. You’ll visit the temple complex of Kongobu-ji, the head of all Shingon sect temples in Japan. It features the largest rock garden in the country - a sublime creation of white raked pebbles and painstakingly positioned dark stones. Also impressive is Okuno-in, the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most revered people in the religious history of Japan. Your unique accommodation tonight is in one of the hundreds of temples still operating here. You’ll live alongside Buddhist monks and follow their routine of morning meditation and evening prayers. Temple lodgings, known as ...

Get acquainted with the beautiful city of Kyoto, home to numerous imperial sights and arguably the source of Japanese culinary tradition. The train from Koya-san to Kyoto takes approximately 3.5 hours. The beautiful city was originally founded as Heian-kyo (literally “tranquillity and peace capital”) by Emperor Kammu in 794 and had its golden age during the imperial court's heyday from 794 to 1185. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years (the name means “Capital City”) but the emperor and government are now located in Tokyo. With its many cultural landmarks and historical sites, and the abundance of traditional arts and literature, Kyoto is regarded as the cultural heart of Japan. When you arrive you’ll stroll through the glass-covered walkway of Nishiki Market, a seemingly never-ending wonderland for food love...

After breakfast today, venture out of Kyoto to explore the traditions, culture and history behind tea, which plays an important part in traditional Japanese society. Go behind the scenes of a local tea farm to learn about the long-lived customs surrounding this brew, which is more than simply a drink. Walk several beautiful tea fields in the surrounding mountains and learn about the farming process, then taste a variety of locally-grown brews: from everyday houjicha and genmaicha to premium sencha and matcha. The careful symbolism of Japanese society reaches its height in the tea ceremony, and here you might ask about the importance of the cleaning of tea utensils, the bow on receiving a cup and the three clockwise turns before a sip is taken. Return to Kyoto in the afternoon and spend some free time pursuing your culinary pass...

As the millennium-long home of the imperial kitchen, Kyoto is known as the centre of Japanese culinary tradition. From the aristocratic kaiseki ryori (Japan's haute cuisine), to the simple yet refined dishes of obanzai ryori (home-cooked cuisine), Kyoto is a city that takes food seriously. Today, you’ll experience the simple pleasures of obanzai ryori in a cooking class. Perhaps less well-known than kaiseki in the West, the ancient style of obanzai ryori also has strict rules that must be adhered to. It follows a strictly seasonal approach, and at least half of the ingredients must be Kyo-yasai (kyoto vegetables) and other locally sourced produce. It should also embody the spiritual elements of genuine things, balance, encounter, hospitality and not creating waste. Ingredients are prepared simply, often simmered in dashi with ...

Your delicious Real Food Adventure Japan concludes after breakfast. There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time.