Oku Japan, the expert in immersive, community-focused journeys into the heart of Japanese culture, is thrilled to unveil its latest offering: a nine-day Japan’s Culinary Heritage: Winter Warmth tour.
Taking inspiration from its very popular Japan’s Culinary Heritage tour, this meticulously curated adventure focuses instead on the cozy traditions of the country’s colder months. Featuring a hands-on cooking class, visits to traditional markets, sake tasting at a brewery that has been passed down through 16 generations, and so much more, travellers will get a true taste of the many traditions that have sustained communities through the harshest season, while learning about the unique relationships that form around food and the land.
“Japanese cuisine is deeply rooted in seasonality, simplicity, and respect for ingredients – values that are reflected in every region and every meal,” says Hiroshi Kawaguchi, general manager at Oku Japan. “This new culinary adventure will show how food is one of the most intimate ways to uncover Japan’s history and culture, and at a time of year that is particularly special.”
“We’re excited to introduce our guests to a part of Japan’s culture that is usually only shared in intimate family settings,” adds Ilse Montald, a destination specialist at Oku Japan.
The adventure starts in Tōkyō, before transferring to the city of Kanazawa, where a visit to a local market with a culinary expert will be followed by a cooking class that focuses on seasonal specialties using the ingredients the group just picked up. It is then on to the village of Toga to sample rare unfiltered doburoku sake and specially fermented winter fare, then to Takayama, home to beautifully preserved traditional architecture.
After travelling along parts of the Nakasendō Trail, including through the post-town of Tsumago and tasting the specialties there, the tour will arrive in Ōsaka, the street food capital of Japan and a place historically known as tenka no daidokoro or “the nation’s kitchen.” Here, there will be a visit to Doguyasuji Shopping Street, an arcade with a truly mind-boggling array of cooking tools. Travellers will also visit a depa-chika, the term for the underground mazes of gourmet shops found here, before taking a local train to Sakai City, revered since the Edo period for the quality and craftsmanship of its knives. The tour will visit two workshops to learn about the forging process, as well as how to properly maintain these knives, and finally a chance to purchase a souvenir.
Kyōto is the last stop along the tour, with a visit to Nishiki Market, a bustling covered shopping area that has a well-deserved reputation as “Kyōto’s Kitchen.” Here, travellers will find a wide array of traditional foods common in winter and local specialty items such as seafood, pickled and dried Japanese vegetables, tea, sweets, and ceramics, as well as enjoy a lunch featuring Kyōto’s famous tofu cuisine – a showcase of just how versatile this key ingredient can be.
A few other of the many highlights include:
- A visit to a sake brewery in the Kiso Valley that was founded in 1650 where the group will learn about the brewing process, commonly started in winter, followed up by a special tasting.
- Exploring Takayama’s morning market with a local guide who will share information about fermenting and storing produce – an essential part of winter food preparation.
- A chance to join in mochitsuki, the pounding of rice with a wooden hammer and mortar to make rice cakes, a winter favourite.
- Sampling seasonal specialties, such as a hearty seasonal winter hotpot, a flavourful broth perfect in cold weather, as well as koicha, a special type of thick matcha green tea.
- And much more!
“Through this new tour, we invite travelers to go beyond the plate and discover the stories, techniques, and traditions that make Japan’s food culture so uniquely rich and rewarding,” concludes Kawaguchi.
Departures of the new Winter Warmth culinary tour are available Dec. 4-12, 2025, and Jan. 14-22, 2026, and pricing starts from AU$7,125.00 per person.
To learn more about this new culinary-focused winter tour, click here. For the company’s full range of guided and self-guided adventures across Japan, please visit OkuJapan.com.
