Exclusive Sake Tour by Nippon Travel Agency

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Snow Monkeys

Travel in luxury through central Japan to experience sake, food, culture and nature. The journey takes you from urban Tokyo past Mt. Fuji to the striking Japan Alps in Nagano. Then we continue through the beautiful countryside to the snowy Sea of Japan coast of Niigata.

This tour is offered by Nippon Travel Agency and its affiliates. Sake Brewery Tours collaborates with NTA to plan a special sake journey and Etsuko from Sake Brewery Tours will accompany the tour as a guide. Please contact us at Sake Brewery Tours to find more about the tour.

Highlights

Sake

  • Learn about sake from the world's leading expert, John Gauntner, in an intimate class setting.
  • Explore central Japan's snow covered mountains to visit three breweries. Each visit will introduce you to different aspects of the brewing tradition.

    • Food

  • Sample the flavor of Japan with carefully selected lunches and a special lunch at a sake brewery.
  • Sake-centric dinners are planned during the tour. In Niigata, dinner at the French restaurant run by Koshi no Kanbai gives you new perspectives on pairing fine French cuisine and sake.
  • Visit Daio Wasabi Farm to see rows of delicate wasabi plants grown over the years in the clearest natural springs.

    • Culture & Nature

  • Experience rich cultural heritage of Nagano by visiting Matsumoto Castle and Zenkoji Temple.
  • See Jigokudani Monkey Park where a troop of snow monkeys soak in open air baths in the snow.
  • Enjoy relaxing in the natural hot spring, or onset, at a traditional Japanese-style inn.

    • Tour Schedule

    1. Sunday, January 27 through Saturday, February 2, 2013 6 nights/7days
    2. Sunday, March 10 through Saturday, March 16, 2013 6 nights/7days

    Itinerary - 6 nights/7days days

    Sake Brewery

    Day 1 Jan 27, 2013 (Sunday) Tokyo
    Guests travel to Narita Air Port and met by NTA representative at arrival lobby. Board Airport Limousine Bus to Royal Park Shiodome Tower.

    Hotel: Royal Park Shiodome
    Meals: None

    Day 2 Jan 28, 2013 (Monday) Tokyo - Mt. Fuji- Yamanashi
    The day begins with a lecture by John Gauntner to prepare you for our brewery visits. Mr. Gauntner's special lecture is held at Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association in Tokyo.
    Drive through the countryside by a private coach with panoramic views of snow covered Mt. Fuji on the way to the first brewery, Shichiken in Yamanashi. Simple but savory Japanese-style lunch is at Shichiken's restaurant, Daimin. After lunch, enjoy the tour of the brewery and tasting. A special viewing of the room from the visit of Meiji Emperor in 1880 and treasures from the family take you back to different era. Relax at onsen, natural hot springs, and luxuriate with multi-course dinner served right at ryokan, Japanese style inn by Lake Suwa surrounded by the snow-covered mountains.

    Hotel: Hama no Yu, Japanese style inn
    Meals: Breakfast, lunch, banquet style dinner with sake

    Day 3 Jan 29, 2013 (Tuesday) Suwa, Matsumoto, Nagano
    Visit the producer of Masumi, Miyasaka Brewery in the morning to discover their heritage that goes back to 17th century and their global approach to bring sake to the world. A private car takes you to Daio Wasabi Farm where green roots are grown in abundant spring water. Enjoy soba lunch at the farm. In the afternoon, admire the splendid view of Matsumoto Castle with its beautiful deep black facade and its reflection in the still water in the moat. Then, clamber the steep stairs of the original five-tiered tower built in the 16th century. The stunning views of mountains are your reward.

    Hotel: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano or similar
    Meals: Breakfast; lunch

    Day 4 Jan 30, 2013 (Wednesday) Nagano
    In the morning, hike up a valley through mountains to see Snow Monkeys up-close in nature. Jigokudani is the home of the hot spring bathing, wild Japanese monkeys. In the afternoon, drive back to Nagano and explore the 1300-year-old temple which has been a popular place of pilgrimage. At the temple, enjoy shojin ryori, vegetarian lunch.

    Hotel: Hotel Metropolitan Nagano or similar
    Meals: Breakfast; lunch;

    Day 5 Jan 31, 2013 (Thursday) Takada, Niigata
    Drive through the mountains to visit the final brewery on the tour, Musashino Shuzo in Takada, Niigata. After the tour and tasting of the brewery, enjoy lunch specially prepared for the guests at the family's guest house with beautiful Japanese garden. Drive along the coast to the final destination, Niigata and en route, check out local food and crafts at Niigata Furusato Village to bring some memories from the trip back home with you. Tonight's dinner is at Manjia, run by Koshi no Kanbai. Discover new perspectives through a stimulating dinner pairing of sake and French cuisine.

    Hotel: Hotel Okura Niigata
    Meals:　Breakfast, lunch, dinner with sake

    Day 6 Feb 1, 2013 (Friday) Niigata, Tokyo
    Travel to Tokyo on the Shinkansen bullet train in comfort in the morning. Enjoy tempura lunch in shitamachi to get the feel of old Tokyo. Explore Tokyo on your own in the afternoon after lunch. Farewell dinner is at local Izakaya, sake pub, with hearty food and specially selected sake.

    Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Hotel: Royal Park Shiodome Tower

    Hotel: Royal Park Shiodome Tower
    Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner with sake

    Day 7 Feb 2, 2013 (Saturday)
    Board airport limousine bus to Narita Airport to fly back.

    Meal: Breakfast

    Hotel: Royal Park Shiodome Tower
    Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner with sake

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    Matsumoto Castle

    Price includes

    1. Sake lecture by sake expert, John Gauntner in Tokyo.
    2. Three special tours and tastings at sake breweries. These brewers are not open to the general public.
    3. Accommodations for 6 nights based on double occupancy.
    4. 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners..
    5. Admission to all cultural sites on the tour.
    6. All transportation during the tour except for your own exploration in Tokyo on Day 6.
    7. A qualified tour leader who is an Advanced Sake Professional and a Government Certified Bilingual English Guide provides translation and informative commentary throughout the trip.

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    Cost

    Please contact us or Nippon Travel Agency International Travel Division for cost.

    About Nippon Travel Agency

    Nippon Travel Agency (here after NTA) was established in 1905, and are in business for more than 100 years.
    The International Travel Division, officially started in 1961, offers international exchange services for travelers visiting Japan. Since then, NTA has built business know-how as a leader in the travel industry. Currently, NTA hosts large volume of incoming travelers from all over the world a year, with customer satisfaction as top priority and, offers best quality of products through full use of its network of over 150 locations in Japan and overseas.
    To satisfy the various demands of travelers visiting Japan, NTA offers the unique SIT (special interest tour) such as Manga & Anime, Bonsai, Golf, Ski, etc. With the partnership with Sake Brewery Tours, we proudly present the Exclusive Sake Tours in 2013.

     

    Contact Information
    E-mail: agent_itd@nta.co.jp
    Tel: +81-(0)3-3572-8744
    Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30-18:00 (Japan local time)

    Contact Us

    To book a tour or any questios, please contact us at info@saketours.com or by using our contact form.

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