MIE / WAKAYAMA

HIGHLIGHTS

Matsusaka Beef, Tuna Market, Tuna Fram, Binchotan Charcoal, Oysters.

Sake – Zaku, Gensaka, Kuroushi (this is going to be shorter and lighter version of brewery visits compare to our regular tours. No actions during our visits.)

Onsen: 4 nights at onsen
Pearl, Meet ama women divers, Ise Katagami patterns
Beautiful nature in Ise-Shima, coastal side of Wakayama, River, Kumano Kodo path and deep mountains of Wakayama

Pre Depature – Sunday

Arrive at JR Nagoya Station. The hotel is a few minutes walk from the JR Nagoya Station.
We will likely set up an optional izakaya outing at night.

Hotel: Daiwa Roynet Nagoya Taikon Dori

Meals: Optional Izakaya Dinner

Day 1 (Monday)

Visit Shimizu Seisaburo Shoten, the producer of Zaku.
We will not go inside the brewery as we always do. At this brewery, you will find about Ise pattern that have been used for kimono for so many centuries. Lunch today will be Yakiniku BBQ of famous Matsusaka Wagyu. After lunch we will visit ISE shrine.

Our welcome dinner course will feature very creamy Matoya oysters prepared so many ways– raw, fried, and others. The final location of the dinner is announced in September.

Hotel: Ise-Shima Royal Hotel/onsen

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with sake

Day 2 (Tuesday)

Today we will visit a pearl culture farm at a beautiful bay in Shima. You will get to open one Akoya to find your a piece to bring home with you.We will meet the women ama divers and stop at a restaurant built modeling a traditional ama hut. There, real ama will speak to the group about their life. You will have a light snack during the talk. Lunch today will be at rustic yet beautiful country restaurant with thatched roof. We will then visit Gensaka Shuzo. Dinner tonight is on your own or you can join the group at an izakaya.

Hotel: Ise-Shima Royal Hotel/ onsen

Meals: Breakfast, lunch with sake

Day 3 (Wednesday)

Today we leave Mie for Wakayama. Explore the beautiful Onigajo site to see the wonders of nature and have a quick visit to Hanakutsu Shrine.We will stop by and visit the sacred Nachi Falls – the tallest waterfall in all of Japan. Tonight we will stay at an onsen ryokan in Nachi Katsura called Hotel Urashima which is famous for its Cave onsen by the ocean. For dinner we will travel into town to an izakaya that specializes in Maguro Tuna for which Nachi Katsura is famous for.

Hotel: Hotel Urashima/onsen (Japanese style rooms with toilet, Solo traveler will share a room)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner with sake

Day 4 (Thursday)

Very early in the morning, we will visit the local tuna wholsale market. From the 2nd-floor viewing area, you will observe the tuna brought in to the market from the boat. We may also be able to go in the wholesale section to see the tuna up-close.

After breakfast, we will visit the first commercial tuna farm in Japan developed by Kinki University. We will be on the boat to see Blue Fin Tuna farming pen just in time for feeding, we will also taste the farmed tuna (Kindai maguro).
Then enjoy a nice seafood lunch or curry, before heading North into the Dorokyo Gorge for an afternoon boat cruise. Late afternoon you can relax in an onsen right in the river. Bring your bathing suit for this one! Tonights Ryokan is beautiful, and at this time of the year, they will be just finishing off building a giant onsen by the river, Sen-nin-buro!

Hotel: Fujiya/Onsen (Japanese style rooms with bath and toilet)

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner with sake

Day 5 (Friday)

This morning we will take a stroll around the beautiful Kumano Taisha Shrine and visit the largest set of tori gates in the world, before heading deep into the woods to see a binchotan charcoal maker and his kiln. We will then walk a very short section of the famous Kumano Kodo before having a binchotan BBQ lunch.
Binchotan is the best charcoal in Japan and highly sought after by top chefs. After lunch we will head to Kainan and stop by the sake brewer Kuroushi for tasting, shopping and their sake museum.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch with sake