Katsuyama Townscape & Fermentation Day Tour (Okayama)
Go beyond the beaten path and discover the unique food culture and traditional townscape of Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, in a day tour filled with gourmet adventures.
Highlights
Sample sake, hard and soft water from the mountains, miso, vinegar and enjoy lunch prepared with fermented ingredients from the area
Explore the Katsuyama Townscape Preservation District on a guided walking tour and enjoy free time to shop for souvenirs or participate in workshops and interact with locals
Enjoy a fresh lunch made with local fermentation methods, taste sake and different kinds of water, and taste an assortment of fermented foods from the area
Transportation between each
10 meals
Experience Details
Many towns and cities in Japan are known for their production of fermented condiments like soy sauce and miso. But Maniwa in Okayama Prefecture is unique in that it offers a variety of fermented products both originating in Japan and abroad, including cheese, wine, and craft beer. Making ample use of the pure water flow from the Hiruzen Highlands in the northern part of the prefecture, its unique fermentation food culture has been passed down through generations and now blends innovative methods with tradition.
On this 6-hour tour, you'll explore the Katsuyama Townscape Preservation District, sample sake and miso made with local fermentation methods, and learn about the area's traditional culture from locals.
Experience Flow:
- Meet your host at JR Chugoku Katsuyama Station at 9:50
- Enjoy a walking tour of the Katsuyama Townscape Preservation District, a former post town that retains its traditional atmosphere with merchant houses and cobblestone streets (30 min)
- Visit a local brewery and learn about its fermentation methods (1 h)
- Enjoy lunch with fermented foods, taste hard and soft water and sample sake (1 h 15 min)
- Stroll through the Katsuyama Townscape Preservation District freely (go souvenir shopping, look for fermented condiments and roasted sake, or activities like indigo dyeing) (1 h)
- Travel by private bus or taxi (30 min)
- Visit a vinegar and miso factory and brewery and learn more about the local fermentation food culture (1 h)
- Drop off at JR Chugoku Katsuyama Station (around 16:00)
Located between Hiroshima and Osaka, Okayama is a picturesque prefecture with plenty of authentic experiences and a distinct culture that makes a great addition to any travel itinerary in Western Japan.
Inclusions
Lunch
Two sake tastings
Katsuyama walking tour
Transportation within the tour
Facility visits, experience fees, tour guide and interpreter
Exclusions
Transportation to the meeting point and from the drop off point
Beverages
Meeting Point and Meeting Time
Meet your host at Chugoku-Katsuyama Station. More detailed information and a Google Maps link will be provided upon booking.
Remarks
When booking, please inform the host of your nationality.
Please wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes.
Please note that the tour itinerary may change due to weather or traffic conditions.
Please inform your host of any food restrictions or allergies in advance.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel your booking at least 2 weeks before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.
Experience Location
The home of Japan’s favorite folkloric character, some of its best-preserved historical sites, and amazing seafood from the Seto Inland Sea.
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10 meals
Explore Okayama, located between Osaka and Hiroshima, in a 2-day tour centered on its unique local fermentation culture. Taste sake and wine, stroll through the Katsuyama Historic District, stay overnight and enjoy delicious local meals.
In this 5-hour tour of the Hiruzen Highlands, experience this area’s unique character through mountain grape wine and fermented cheese tastings, a generous fondue lunch, a tour of the avant-garde GREENable HIRUZEN and more.
Explore a rural town in Western Japan on two wheels in this cycling tour of Maniwa, Okayama. Breeze through a preserved post town, learn about the culture and traditions of the area, miso and vinegar breweries and enjoy a delicious local lunch.