A Culinary Tour of Southern Japan

9^th to 17^th of November

食い倒れ,くいだおれ : kuidaore

Embark on a culinary tour of Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost island, and discover a world of flavours unique to its volcanic landscape and rich history. From the famous Hakata Ramen and dishes influenced by the Chinese and Portuguese to the incredible seafood, vegetables and fruits such as kabosu and yuzu. To the succulent, melt-in-your-mouth Kurobuta pork, and the indescribable delicacy and adventure of expertly prepared fugu.

Enjoy visiting some of the country’s oldest and finest sake and signature shochu, and of course the world’s rarest and finest ‘Phantom Wagyu’ from Mr. Ozaki.

This will be the culinary trip of a lifetime, with our local born-and-bred friend and chef, the wonderful Larissa Yulika as our guide. Raised in the region and with her local know-how, we will visit breathtaking sites, historical structures and incredible countryside, a once-in-a-lifetime, absolutely unforgettable experience and definitely one not to be missed.

OSAKA – KYOTO

in Osaka on Saturday the 9^th of November

We start in Osaka , the undisputed culinary capital of Japan, where Osakans have a saying about themselves, kuidaore, which means they ruin themselves and go bankrupt by spending too much on extravagant food.

We will visit the Matsui Brewery in Kyoto and enjoy Omakase in Kyoto, we will then head back to Osaka, (the food capital of Japan) for an Izakaya dinner.

This is the oldest Sake brewery in Kyoto, it is surrounded by the thirty-six peaks of the Higashiyama Mountain range and the Kamogawa River, the sake brewery overlooks the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Shimogamo Shrine.

MIYAJIMA – FUKUOKA

On the 10^th we will travel to Hiroshima and Miyajima to visit the Itsukushima Shrine in Yokaichi

Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, Itsukushima-jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its “floating” torii.[1] It is in the city of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, accessible from the mainland by ferry at Miyajimaguchi Station. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures.

From there we will head to Fukuoka for dinner and spend the evening in Hakata

Hakata is one of the oldest cities in Japan, here we will eat the famous fugu.

SAGA

On the 11^th we will head in our private bus to Saga to visit the fish markets and the Amabuki Brewery.

YOBUKO FISH MARKET

The Yobuko fish market is one of the three biggest morning markets in Japan. It is located in Karatsu, in the Saga-prefecture of Kyushu. The market first opened during the Taisho period sometime between 1912-1926 and is today one of Japan’s largest and most fascinating fish markets. 

AMABUKI BREWERY

Amabuki Brewery is located in northwest Kyushu, in Saga Prefecture, at the foot of Amabukiyama Mountain. With more than three hundred years of history, it was founded during the Genroku period (1688-1704), it specializes in the extraction and use of yeasts from the various flowers from their direct environment. Used in the production of their sakes, they impart exuberant aromas, an unmistakable style that makes all the originality of the brewery.

The rice used is grown in the Saga plain using the so-called “aïgamo” method, which consists of raising ducks in the rice fields to feed on weeds and insects. The water used is soft, it comes from the Sefuri mountain, and they present a selection of different sakes produced from different yeasts.

We will then have lunch in the Japanese Garden, before a boat cruise along the beautiful canals of Yanagawa. We will then have dinner; if you love Unagi, this is your city.

That evening, we will stay in this amazing city known as the ‘City of Water’ or the ‘Venice of Japan.’

KUMAMOTO

On the 12^th we head to Kumamoto, where we will have lunch in Hashimoto, wander around the castle and enjoy an Izakaya ‘crawl’ before spending the night there.

Kumamoto Castle‘s history dates to 1467, when fortifications were established by Ideta Hidenobu. In 1496, these fortifications were expanded by Kanokogi Chikakazu. In 1588, Katō Kiyomasa was transferred to the early incarnation of Kumamoto Castle. From 1601 to 1607, Kiyomasa greatly expanded the castle, transforming it into a castle complex with forty-nine turrets, eighteen turret gates, and twenty-nine smaller gates. The smaller castle tower, built sometime after the keep, had several facilities including a well and kitchen. In 1610, the Honmaru Goten Palace was completed.

The castle complex measures roughly 1.6 kilometres from east to west and measures 1.2 kilometres from north to south. The castle keep is 30.3 meters tall. It is one of the most impressive and historic buildings in all of Japan.

ASO

On the 13^th we head to Aso where we will enjoy the Shirakawa Springs, lunch and a tour of the Yamamura Brewery. 

SHIRAKAWA SPRINGS

Mount Aso, whose five central peaks include the active Mount Nakadake Volcano. The Aso Volcano Museum explains volcanic activity. Aso Shrine, partly destroyed by a 2016 earthquake, is one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Uchinomaki Hot Spring and Kurokawa Onsen feature traditional outdoor baths.

Located at Shirakwa Yoshimi Jinja (shrine), Shirakawa Springs (Shirakawa Suigen) is selected as one of the one hundred best spring waters in Japan. It is well known for its excellent quality and clarity. The temperature of the water is constant 14℃ throughout the year, and it has sixty tons of water flowing per minute. It is a major tourist spot and since ancient times there has been the belief that the perfectly clear waters are sacred and grant beauty, longevity, and ward off disease. The guardian deities of Shirakawa Fountainhead, Kunitatsu Daimyojin and Mitsuhanome-no-Kami are enshrined on the grounds.

YAMAMURA SAKE BREWERY

Yamamura Sake Brewery is over 250 years old and family-owned, renowned for the purity, clarity, elegance, and finesse of their sake. Their Reizan sake must be tried to be believed.

Reizan is loved by many in the Aso region, “When I was young, during the sake-making season, every day I would go to the staff rooms and say goodnight to them, and they always seemed to be having such a good time drinking together,” reminisces Yataro Yamamura. To Yamamura, sake creates happiness among people. Reizan is a sake you can drink for a couple of hours and still enjoy.”

MOUNT ASO – KIKUCHI

We will then drive up Mount Aso to the famous Daikanbo viewpoint, before heading to Kikuchi and check in to our traditional Japanese Ryokan.

Ryokan are Japanese-style inns found throughout the country, especially in hot spring resorts. More than just a place to sleep, ryokan are an opportunity to experience the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality, incorporating elements such as tatami rooms, futon beds, Japanese-style baths, and local cuisine.

After a local robatayaki dinner, we will then head off on a ‘Pub Crawl.’ It must be noted that Kikuchi is famous as some of the most beautiful forest and countryside and on the next day we will have to the incredible Kikuchi Gorge.

KIKUCHI VALLEY

14^th November, Larissa grew up in Kikuchi and lived there until she was18yo. Many establishments she enjoyed over 20 years ago are still in business, attracting repeat guests over many years.

The area is home to several waterfalls, which have made Japan’s top one hundred waterfalls list, and rapids ad is one of the most beautiful places in all Japan. It is also home to some of the most magnificent onsen, (bathing springs) which we will enjoy after the gorge.

Kikuchi Valley is the source of the Kikuchi River. The valley is an area known for its resorts and autumn leaves. The area around the outer rim of Mount Aso is concealed by fir, hemlock, elm, and broadleaf trees.

Water from the Aso Kujū National Park has been chosen as one of Japan’s top one hundred sources of mineral water by the Ministry of the Environment.

MIYAZAKI

On the 15^th of November, Larissa will drive us to Miyazaki, where we will have lunch and visit the Takachiho Gorge where you can either paddle or walk through the gorge.

A narrow chasm cut through the rock by the Gokase River. The sheer cliffs lining the gorge are made of volcanic basalt columns which resemble the scales of a dragon where the stone twisted and flowed as it formed.

Partway along the gorge is the 17-meter high Minainotaki waterfall cascading down to the river below, and it is truly impressive to see the waterfall against a backdrop of dense green foliage and the surrounding grey cliffs.

From there, we will drive on to Osuzuyama to visit the amazing Osuzuyama Distillery.

Owned and run by the Kuroki family of legendary Kuroki Honten Distillery, the Osuzuyama Distillery was started in 1998 as a distillery specializing in traditional craft shochu where all koji is made by hand without automated equipment and using only the finest ingredients grown by the family on their own farms. It is located in the middle of the woods on top of Mount Osuzu to get access to a pure, untainted water source and clean, clear air for fermentation.

The spirits they make here have set a new benchmark for quality in the industry, from the spicy and deep Yamasemi rice shochu to the tropical and aromatic Yamaneko sweet potato shochu, both named after local fauna that inhabit the woods around the brewery. In recent years they have expanded into highly distinctive shochu based gin made from botanicals they grow themselves and fully handcrafted malt whiskey.

OZAKI WAGYU

We will then drive back to Miyazaki for a dinner of Ozaki Beef before spending the night in Miyazaki.

Ozaki Beef is an exclusive quality beef that comes from Wagyu cattle raised on a single farm, owned by the renowned farmer Muneharu Ozaki. Ozaki is a legend in the Japanese cattle industry and his beef is some of the most unique and finest in the world.

The feed for the cattle is mixed every morning and evening during an extremely labour-intensive process lasting two hours. It comprises fifteen kinds of feed, such as grass from the meadow, moist barley mash (a by-product of beer brewing), maize, barley, and so forth, with no preservatives or antibiotics whatsoever.

Where most Japanese Wagyu brands are under local agricultural co-ops, Ozaki beef is a privately owned brand exported to over thirty countries, and he only release 30 cows heack month, beleiving this allows him to give each beast more personal care. The beef is only sold by the head-count, which is to say, you must buy the whole carcass. Sometimes called ‘Phantom Wagyu’ because of its scarcety, Mr. Ozaki enjoys the privilege of being the only farmer in all of Japan who can market beef using his own personal name, many regard it as the finest beef in all the world. 

BEPPU

On the 16^th, we will drive to the world-famous Spa resort town of Beppu in Oita to enjoy a magnificent lunch and bathe in a traditional Onsen.

FUKUOKA

We will then drive on to Fukuoka, check into our hotel for the final night and enjoy our last dinner together before flying home the next day. 

17^th Flights Home

LOGISTICS & BOOKING

Pricing: 9 nights USD $4950, 6 nights USD $4190

50% deposit now, 50% paid before we leave.

Price covers

• Flights
• Inland travel (trains and van hire)
• Accommodation
• main daily meals
• tour site fees.

Additional Information 

• Numbers are very limited, do not miss out on this tour of a lifetime.
• Flight costs are from Phnom Penh only.
• Other departure locations, and flight ticket prices will need to be confirmed.
• The itinerary may only change if weather, time, or any unforeseen circumstances force us to make minor adjustments.

Expected temperature range is: Highest temperatures should be in the low 20C range, lows in the range of 5C and the average around 16C.

Please contact:

Darren Gall at Vindochine to secure your booking

[email protected]

+855 (0)96 212 9429

or

Mr Larissa Yulika

[email protected]

+855 (0)89 951 071

Darren Gall