Stray well off the beaten path and into the heart of Akita Prefecture’s historical merchant culture. Tour uniquely constructed homes where wealthy locals hid their treasures in extravagantly decorated storehouses, and discover the depth of food fermentation culture in this northern region where winters are long and require hearty, well-preserved food. This overnight experience combines culture and gastronomy, with several meals focused on local ingredients and specialized recipes that cannot be found elsewhere in Japan.

Itinerary

📍 Time: Start: Car pickup at 9:00, Guided tour at 11:00 Duration (from guided tour start to hotel arrival): 10 h *including pick-up/drop-off, and transit timesDistance: Kakunodate – Jumonji Station: 1.5 h

Meet a private car at the hotel and go to Jumonji station to meet today’s local guide. (Other transportations arrangements are available based on hotel location and trip logistics. Ask a Travel Consultant for more information)

Spend a day exploring the historic merchant town of Masuda. The streets here are lined with wooden buildings from as far back as the 17th century, and the lanes are perfect for strolling.

Make a stop at two fascinating locations. Enter some of the traditional merchant homes, lavish domiciles that combine storage facilities with living quarters, a rarity seen only in this area. Of note are the ornately decorated kura storehouses, where merchants held their treasures. One of these storehouses has been transformed into a sake cellar at an active brewery, where guests can sample drinks and shop for local sake. (Locations will be chosen based on daily availability)

Make a stop for lunch during the day, and once the sightseeing in Masuda is complete, hop in a taxi to tonight’s dinner venue in Yuzawa.

In Akita, the need to preserve food during the snowy winter has led to a rich food culture based on fermentation. Enjoy a fascinating dinner in a historic miso and soy sauce brewery. The host, a seventh generation brewer and something of a fermentation iconoclast, guides guests through a gastronomic journey using homemade fermentation technology and clever recipes to product singularly unique dishes.

Dinner is spaced out among five different sites in the brewery, including the historic warehouse and an elegant tea house. A course is served in each location, with accompanying demonstrations and explanations from the host. For example, in the brewery’ storeroom, watch as he mixes fermented microorganisms with ingredients to create impossibly fresh salad dressing. Something this homegrown and experimental is rare to find in Japan, where food artisans rarely divert from established traditions.

Take a short walk to tonight’s lodging, a renovated private home that retains a historic atmosphere of the Meiji era. 
 

Inclusions:

🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Time: Breakfast delivery time: 7:00 Hotel departure: 10:00 with driverDistance: Yuzawa – Kakunodate: 1.5 h

For breakfast, guests will prepare their own meal at the accommodation using fresh local ingredients delivered directly to them.

At the designated time, leave Yuzawa and return to Kakunodate by private car.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

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