Journey Through Miyagi
An excursion into the local communities of Northern Japan
Combining artisan workshops, local culinary delights, and charming local lodgings, the Miyagi Region offers a wonderful dive into traditional Japan for the open minded and curious traveler.
This tour is a customizable plan with a variety of options with the local people that can fit into existing travel itineraries thanks to the excellent access direct from Tokyo via the Tohoku Bullet Train. We recommend this for guests looking to break away from the main tourist sites of Japan for parts of their trip which mixes well with a visit to Tokyo and Kyoto.
This trip will take your through the small cities of Miyagi Prefecture above Sendai City and has been made in collaboration with the Miyagi Prefectural Government who have connected us with the local people and allowed us to craft this tour alongside the community.
Tour at a glance
Inclusions:
- All lodging and accommodation fees
- Breakfast at lodgings each morning
- Dinners at lodgings each night
- English-speaking interpreter-guide on all days
- On-trip remote support via WhatsApp or other instant messaging service
- Transportation by private charter vehicle on Day 1
- All experiences
Exclusions:
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Street food purchases
- Optional purchases during guided time (local sake, etc.)
Minimum number of participants
2 participants
Maximum number of participants
Please inquire as experience availability depends on number of participants
Cost
Please inquire
Tour Length
4 days, 3 nights
OR flexible
Tour availability
Year-round, please inquire
Tour Start/End Location
Sendai Station
Important notes
Dietary Restrictions:
Day 1: Traditional Crafts and Serene Nature
Day 1 Tour Highlights
Meet your guide at Sendai Station and take the Tohoku Shinkansen together to a small countryside city north of Sendai surrounded by rice fields and mountains.
Here you can take part in a traditional craft or culinary experience with the local farmers of Miyagi such as weaving rice straw into amulets or harvesting crops together in the fields and taking part in a cooking class together to learn local recipes. Those with a love for Japanese rice can even take part in a mochi pounding experience making this iconic Japanese sweet from the base cooked rice and enjoying it with a variety of local toppings of this community.
Following our afternoon experience with the local farmers transfer up to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hiraizumi to see the gorgeous temples that date back to the 12th century and hold over 3,000 National Treasures of Japan.
Tonights lodging for smaller groups will be at a converted Japanese home in a small village with a local dinner served by people of this town.
Day 2: Geibikei Gorge and Miyagi Sake
Day 2 Tour Highlights
After having breakfast in your lodging, depart for a relaxing river cruise in the Geibikei Gorge taking in the forests and towering rock faces with a local river guide on a private boat.
We will then visit a local family owned sake producer in Miyagi to learn about their brewing process of sake starting from the source of their water at a nearby waterfall. This young woman who is preparing to take charge of her family brewery alongside her father speaks fluent English and has a deep passion for conveying her art and love of sake to international visitors. This is a worthy tour even for those who do not like to drink as sake is such a central part of Japanese culinary, social, and religious culture.
Finish this day with a stay at a renovated Japanese home recognized as a registered cultural property of Japan by the Ministry of Culture with gorgeous Japanese rooms and a private bath looking out in to the mountain. The special experience staying in such a unique lodging is equally matched by the private dinner served by the family that runs this establishment, a local star chef who will prepare a seasonal dinner of the local ingredients of Miyagi in a dinner that may easily outclass any meal you will have on your trip to Japan.
Day 3: A Retreat Into the Mountains
Day 3 Tour Highlights
After breakfast at your hotel, explore the traditional shopping streets of Kurihara for local shopping and experiences making taiyaki sweets and take part in a tea ceremony with the people of this town. This region of Miyagi is also famous for its bear meat and you can choose to enjoy this unique dish if you are feeling especially adventurous.
After lunch head deep into the mountains to stay at a mountain lodge cut off from the power grid and isolated from cell connection.
Take a digital detox hiking about 15 minutes from the road to the lodge and enjoy the hot spring baths an pristine nature of the compound.
Dinner and breakfast will be served at the lodge and power is provided by generator until night time. After this the power shuts off and lighting in the home is all by oil lantern. This is an especially lovely experience as the family that runs this lodge welcomes each and everyone of their guests like their own personal friends and their smiling dog loves to keep tabs on the guests as they walk on the nearby trails.
Day 4: Return to Sendai
Day 4 Tour Highlights
After breakfast at the lodge, say farewell to your hosts and return to the station down the mountain where you can ride a bullet train back to Sendai City or to Tokyo.
Reservations
This is a new tour that will need consultation with one of our agents to book. Please send an inquiry below and we will get in touch with you.
Cancellation Policy
Our cancellation policy for this tour is below. Cancellation fees may vary according to exceptional circumstances.
21 days or more before date of tour
No penalty
20 days to 8 days before date of tour
30% of total price
7 days to 2 days before date of tour
80% of total price
2 days of less
100% of total price
