A 7-day gourmet exploration across western Japan, highlighting seafood in Yamaguchi, oysters in Hiroshima, fermentation cuisine in Kurashiki, wagyu and sake in Kobe, and refined kaiseki dining in Kyoto. Includes hands-on tastings, market visits, artisan workshops, and temple food experiences.
This seven-day culinary journey traces a gourmet path from the tranquil coasts of Yamaguchi to the refined dining culture of Kyoto. Along the way, guests enjoy curated food experiences that celebrate Japan’s regional ingredients, centuries-old techniques, and artistic presentation. From tasting freshly harvested oysters in Hiroshima to savoring wagyu in Kobe and dining on temple cuisine in Kyoto, each stop offers a deeper connection to place and tradition through flavor. Blending hands-on encounters, expert-guided tastings, and refined accommodations, this itinerary is designed for travelers who value authenticity, indulgence, and immersive cultural exploration.
Daily Itinerary:
Day 1 – Arrival in Yamaguchi: Flavors of the West
Arrive in Yamaguchi or Hagi and meet your private guide. Settle into a tranquil ryokan near the coast. Enjoy a seasonal seafood kaiseki dinner featuring fugu and a curated flight of sake. Optional visit to a sake shop or samurai neighborhood.
Overnight: Hagi Honjin or boutique ryokan
Day 2 – Hiroshima: Oysters, Okonomiyaki & Island Sweets
Travel to Hiroshima. Visit an oyster farm for a private tasting and guided food walk through the city center. Enjoy okonomiyaki for lunch and ferry to Miyajima Island for Itsukushima Shrine and maple-leaf sweets.
Overnight: Boutique hotel or ryokan in Hiroshima
Day 3 – Kurashiki: Craft & Fermentation
Transfer to Kurashiki and visit the preserved Bikan Quarter. Tour a miso or vinegar brewery and dine in a private machiya-style restaurant focusing on fermentation cuisine.
Overnight: Ryokan Kurashiki or Ivy Square Hotel
Day 4 – Kobe: Wagyu Craftsmanship & Sake Traditions
Arrive in Kobe. Visit a butcher for a wagyu education session followed by a tasting lunch at a teppanyaki counter. Optional tour of the Nada sake district and dinner at a harbor-view restaurant.
Overnight: Hotel La Suite Kobe Harborland or Oriental Hotel Kobe
Day 5 – Kyoto: Markets & Monastic Cuisine
Arrive in Kyoto. Walk through Nishiki Market sampling regional ingredients and visit a knife or pottery shop. Visit a Zen temple for a shōjin ryōri lunch. Evening free to explore or dine casually.
Overnight: Sowaka, Hoshinoya Kyoto, or luxury inn
Day 6 – Kyoto: Kaiseki & Seasonal Mastery
Participate in a wagashi workshop or tea tasting session. Your journey culminates with a private multi-course kaiseki dinner by a master chef in a Kyoto townhouse.
Overnight: Same as above
Day 7 – Departure
Private transfer to Kyoto Station or Kansai Airport. Optional culinary souvenir stop before departure.
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