STREETS OF OLD JAPAN

Shibamata : Designated as an ‘important cultural landscape’ in Tokyo, Shibamata is a precious place among all the famous spots of Tokyo. It’s a town that retains the beauty and lingering romance of Tokyo’s ‘Shitamachi’. On the picturesque ‘Taishakuten Sando’ street leading to Shibamata Taishakuten, you can sample a wide variety of traditional Japanese rice crackers and sweets or visit a small time candy store that has run from old days. Kyoeizan Daikyoji Temple is a must see temple, and the Wood carving sculpture is incredible. You will be also able to enjoy a visit to Yamamoto mansion, where there is a traditional Japanese garden and you can rest with some tea and sweets in one of the wide rooms.

Lunch at Yabuchu Taishakuten Sando store : Shibamata is the stage of a famous movie series called ‘Otoko wa Tsurai yo’, and in this store you can see memorabilia of the still beloved protagonist ‘Tora-san’. The lunch is nicely presented and it’s a joy to just look at them, let alone eat. There’s a range of menu items and you can taste a variety of Japanese food.

Meiji Jingu Shrine : In the heart of fashion and youth-centred Harajuku, Meiji Shrine remains a calm getaway in the woodlands next to Yoyogi Park. The walk through the woods will take you to the main shrine grounds, where you can buy various protection charms, offer a prayer to the Shinto gods, stop by at a café on the way to relax or just enjoy the woodland stroll around the shrine itself.

Izakaya restaurant experience : This restaurant is a Japanese sake-loving tourist’s dream. The owner is a sake connoisseur and depending on the dishes you order and your preference of alcoholic drink, he’ll find and match the perfect sake for you to enjoy out of the about 300 brands he has. You can order single dishes, or if you’re feeling adventurous, choose a set menu where the owner will create a dish for you based on the ingredients of the day.

ANA domestic flight : Flying with ANA for domestic flights in Japan, both check-in and security are smooth and comfortable processes. The bilingual staff is pleasant. Once you land, you can collect your luggage very quickly too.

Lunch ("Sicilian" rice) Saga Restaurant Shino : At Saga Restaurant Shino, located in the top floor of Saga Prefectural Office, you can enjoy the various Saga beef dishes while overlooking a spectacular view of Saga city. Saga’s signature dish is ‘Sicilian rice’, which is rice with pieces of Saga beef and a poached egg on top, hidden under a mountain of salad with mayonnaise dressing, served with miso soup.

Mountainous area of Saga City (Nao Handmade Washi Paper/Farm Inn Guza) : Nao Washi Factory is the Japanese paper factory in its about 300 -year history to manually create traditional Japanese paper called ‘washi’ The Japanese handmade washi industry had preserved the old Japanese craft for over 1,400 year. t the paper creating workshop, you not only get to experience using traditional tools, but you can also design your own sheet of paper using various coloured flowers before having it dried for you to take home. A must-do on your itinerary for a unique, special experience.
At the farmhouse homestay ‘Guza’, you can experience rural life of a little old age. The lodging was built over 100 years ago and was renovated as an inn in 2006. At Guza, you’ll not only be charmed by the furniture, equipment and aesthetics of such an old home, but also charmed by the incredibly warm reception of your homestay family too. Experiencing a variety of activities here definitely installs a deep appreciation for nature and the food you grow and cook on your own, which many of us may not have the chance to experience otherwise. Guza Farmhouse Homestay will welcome those who love fresh air and wish to experience a simple but fulfilled old life with open arms.

Dinner at accommodation (Warakuen Teppanyaki En) : The ingredients and dishes are themed to the season you visit and the menu covers various styles of vegetable appetisers, meat and steamed dishes, the main rice dish, soups and dessert. All dishes can be catered and are served with very fresh fish and tender meat with rich flavours, enough to appease most culinary preferences. The above is a photo of Warakuen Teppanyaki En, the hotel’s restaurant.

Room and service Warakuen : The spread is the portioned room is nothing short of a colourful feast to satisfy all five senses of the human body. You’ll take time to sample all the traditional and nutritional dishes on offer in turn. Enjoy the most important meal of the day in a spacious and gracefully decorated space.
A traditional Japanese inn ryokan is very luxurious, with both a private bath that offers a greenery view and the outdoor bath private for the family. The woody aroma welcomes you as you walk through the corridors. All equipment is new so you can still experience modern comfort in a very traditional setting.

Ureshino (Tea Tourism) : Ureshino is a must see place for Japanese tea lovers, and they can really have good experiences here. There a few hands-on activities you can enjoy, one being experiencing ‘cha-doki’. An about hour-long tea ceremony performed outside on a raised tower platform, in the tea fields. The host will make and serve 3 kinds of fresh tea and 2 kinds of sweets to you, while you enjoy the fresh air and calm, leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated afterwards.

Kashima (Yutoku Inari Shrine/Hizen Hamashuku) : The sheer size of this Yutoku Inari shrine will take your breath away when you first see it. Like other famous Inari Shrines, it is protected by the fox deities who are seen at the entrances and around the shrines. The shrine’s grounds are vast, so a leisurely stroll can take at least thirty minutes but there is much to see. It also has been equipped with a lift to transport those with mobility restrictions to the top floor, where the main worshipping hall lies. It also offers an amazing view from the worshipping hall. There is a mini shopping street near the shrine, where you can grab a bite to eat or pick up some souvenirs. There is a bus service from JR Hizen-Kashima Station, so access is very easy. At Hizen Hamashuku, there still remains historic street, and the area called ‘sakagura-dori’ has been developed based on sake and soy sauce breweries from long ago. You can still visit the sake brewery that continues to make sake. I highly recommend ‘Minematsu Brewery’, which is catered to tourists who can enjoy a real Showa memorabilia exhibition as well as a huge sake brewery pot.

Lunch (Kashima Roadside Station) : Saga has a coast along the Ariake Sea. At Kashima Roadside station, you can eat grilled freshly caught oysters. Also, you can have grilled clams and various shellfish or some meat. The atmosphere is like having a mini barbecue party with your friends or family.

Tara (Floating Torii Gate ) : This torii is located in the Ariake Sea in Tara town, and the sea level’s lowest and highest points is a staggering about 6 meters. At its highest, the sea almost covers the gates, which provides a fascinating sight. During low tides, you can walk along the shell covered seabed through the three torii gates, enjoying the sea breeze in this fantastical landscape.

Dinner: Kanimabushi crab cuisine (Hoyoso) : Crab would be one of the keywords to describe the Hoyoso experience. The hotel offers a luxurious crab feast. Kanimabushi is the speciality of this hotel. The taste was amazing. I fully enjoyed the entire dinner time.

Room, breakfast, service (Hoyoso) : This hotel has outdoor bath that overlooks the sea and sky, and you can enjoy the moon and stars while bathing in the onsen at night. The lobby is cosy with books and a table to relax and read. The rooms, both Western and Japanese are clean, spacious and comfortable.

Saga City (Saga Castle History Museum, around The Saga City Cultural Museum) : The Saga Castle History Museum, which is built as a replica on the site of the actual Saga castle, lets you experience what it would have been like to live there as well as enjoy the various exhibitions of key figures from Saga who contributed towards the modernisation of Japan. Hizen Tsusentei offers an activity of sencha experience. During the ceremony activity, you can enjoy traditional Japanese sweets on beautiful traditional tatami mats before you savour the tea that you’ve prepared. As one of Saga’s traditional crafts, there is a form of brocading called Saga Nishiki. In this activity, we learned a delicate work process where gold, silver or lacquer covered paper is used as the warp. Saga Nishiki is some of the most beautiful fabric that Japan has to offer. The photos above are at Saga Castle History Museum and Hizen Tsusentei.

Making soba noodles (Nishiyamada Farm) : This experience offers an about 1-hour workshop to make your own soba using buckwheat flour and wheat flour. With the lovely host and a set of written English instructions, guests get to experience the entire cooking process, including mixing, kneading, rolling out the dough and cutting it in the traditional Japanese way.

Lunch (Nishiyamada Farm) : After your hard work, you can enjoy eating your own creations with both a hot and cold broth and relax. You’ll definitely appreciate eating fresh soba that you’ve worked on making with your friends! The above is a photo taken at Nishiyamada Farm where we took lunch.

From the hidden downtown gem of Shibamata in Tokyo’s Katsushika Ward, to enjoying Japan’s traditional green tea culture and industry as well as many Japanese unique craftsmanship, this tour will leave you with a piece of Japanese history that still survives today.
You’ll come to truly appreciate just how much traditional craftspeople and farmers in local areas truly contribute to some of Japan’s wonderful arts and food through various hands-on activities. Culinary-wise, you will always be eating some of the freshest, richest fish, meat and vegetables that Japan as to offer. Just a short about two-hour flight from Tokyo, this tour will bestow you with rare, incredible experiences that will connect you to Japan’s green tea industry and old good days’ atmosphere and world.