You can experience soba making in a traditional house that was built in the late Edo period. The soba you made can be eaten for lunch straight away, whilst enjoying the atmosphere of an old Japanese building and immersing yourself more into the culture.
Temari-zushi, also known as Kyo-zushi, is made for maiko (apprentice geisha) in an elegant, easy-to-eat, bite-size shape to prevent touching on the lips. Visitors can try to make the temari-zushi at “Hekitei”, a traditional samurai residence.
There are many fun activities to enjoy in the Sanuki area, including making Sanuki udon noodles.
In the Chichibu area, there are almost no major chain restaurants, but rather many individual eateries that are full of character. When you in Chichibu, you can enjoy local delicacies such as “Miso Potatoes”, “Pork Miso Bowl”, and “Waraji-Katsu”. There are also bars that serve Chichibu whiskey, Chichibu beer, cocktails made with Chichibu fruits and sweets made with Chichibu ingredients to go with the whiskey. We hope you will enjoy the Chichibu bar culture as much as we do!
You can also experience the “brewing food culture” through making miso and visiting wineries.
KURABITO STAY is where you can actually experience being a brewer, make sake in the brewery and also stay there. The brewery’s dormitory called Hiroshiki on the brewery site has been renovated into a brewery hotel, making it a accomodation space for those who visit the brewery experience. Throw yourself into being a brewer at the miracle moment sake is produced, sharpen your five senses, and enjoy the great art created by the predecessors.
Tea experience unique to the Oi-River basin With the “Tea room” experience (tea in tea garden space with a superb view), you can enjoy taste testing various teas, a high quality green tea / matcha tea room experience in a Japanese garden, tea farm visit, hand massage experience, tea girl experience, and tea factory tour.
Harvest vegetables and mushrooms grown in the clean water of the Miyagawa river stream, and cook organically grown homemade rice in a kamado to make Matsusaka beef sukiyaki with the “Food x Agriculture” experience.
Learning how to make new food is a great way to immerse yourself in local culture, and visitors can try their hand at making Tango barazushi or nigirizushi (hand-pressed sushi) with freshly caught fish.
While at Ichinoskei and Hiraizumi, make sure to partake in a mochi honzen meal or try your hand at pounding mochi while singing a mochi-tsuki song that has been handed down for generations.
