Top Kansai Unique Experiences - page 2

Dressing in a kimono is the quintessential traditional Kyoto experience but they are very expensive to buy and difficult to put on. With this experience, an expert will dress you in a kimono and set your hair then you can stroll around the ancient city at leisure.

Make the most of a short time on land with this private shore excursion to Kobe. Instead of rushing around with a large group, slow down and appreciate the quieter side of Kobe. Visit the Herb Gardens, the Nunobiki Ropeway, and Kobe Harborland. Visit a sake brewery and learn more about this Japanese drink. If you get hungry, you can also opt to dine at a restaurant serving Kobe beef.

Even the most dedicated shoppers can feel overwhelmed in Osaka, with its huge variety to suit all tastes. Remove the hassle from your shopping trip by going with a personal guide. You'll answer a brief questionnaire and be matched with the best host for your interests, who will design a customizable itinerary just for you. Save time and have fun with invaluable insider tips.

The springtime “sakura” season in Kyoto is best celebrated with a personal guide to show you the best spots for “hanami,” or cherry blossom viewing. In local style you’ll head off the tourist trail and join traditional festivities. Feast on typical Japanese snacks and seasonal dishes with a picnic under the drifting blossoms. Then experience “yozakura”— nighttime blossom-viewing of weeping cherry trees illuminated against the sky.

This personalized full-day Kyoto tour with a local is ideal for first-time visitors to the "City of Temples." You won’t waste a moment visiting places that don’t interest you as this tour is fully customizable based on your interests. Choose the neighborhoods you’d like to visit, and see many of Kyoto’s top sites. Exploring the city with a guide means you won’t get lost, and you'll learn lots of local tips that you wouldn’t discover otherwise.

Learn about the uniqueness of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), made from natural ingredients such as rice flour and beans, during this small-group experience in Osaka. Prepare nerikiri, a high-quality wagashi, (from white bean paste and glutinous rice flour) and color and customize your sweets to your liking, which you can enjoy at the end of class.

Discover the ways of a true Japanese warrior during this 90-minute lesson covering sword skills, poses and Shuriken (star) throwing. Gain some inspiration for your training as you watch a performance by three Samurai and a ninja. Then suit up in a traditional kimono, ninja costume or samurai armor as you learn the sword cutting technique of ‘tate,’ combining a balance of posture and mental focus. Finish your day by performing a ninja scene and try throwing a rubber version of the Shuriken (ninja star). An instructor and costume are included.

Making sushi is a skill that is difficult to master alone. Get a hands-on experience under the guidance of an expert in this class at an Osaka restaurant. In a small group of no more than 14 participants, learn how to make sushi, as well as other typical Japanese dishes including miso soup and yakitori chicken.

Travelers who love Japanese food and want to learn how to make it at home will enjoy this cooking lesson experience. Tour a local market and learn about Japanese ingredients, as well as how to select the best ones. Take a cooking lesson in your instructor’s home, and also see how the locals live and dine. Enjoy eating what you produce afterwards.

Enjoy a cooking class in an atmospheric setting—a beautiful wooden house in Kyoto. The cooking experience introduces you to local recipes that you wouldn’t be able to find in restaurants, and techniques that have been passed down through many generations of the host’s family. Dishes prepared vary depending on the time of year, but sample menu items could be chikuzenni (braised chicken and vegetables), braised burdock root, and miso soup.

Tea ceremony, temple spotting and transport by train: do all three on this tour of historic Uji from Kyoto. After traveling to the city by train, walk to iconic Ujibashi Bridge with a guide, passing through Nakanoshima Park, and stop at a Taihoan teahouse to enjoy the important business of taking tea. Before your return to Kyoto, visit Byōdō-in, Uji’s striking Buddhist temple, which dates to the Heian period, and hear about its history from your guide.

Explore Osaka through the eyes of a local, on a customized tour with your personal host. Choose from some of Osaka’s most famous attractions, or explore the up-and-coming neighborhoods where Osakans hang out. Immerse yourself in the culture and cuisine of this vibrant city as you understand why Osaka has earned the nickname, “The Nation’s Kitchen.”

Learn to make artistic sushi rolls during your own private ‘kazarimaki’ class in Kyoto. Kazarimaki is the art of making designs within a sushi roll, using edible pigments extracted from plants to create colorful patterns in the sushi. Your instructor also provides a kimono (for women) or other traditional garments (for men and children) to wear during the experience.

When visiting the historic city of Kyoto, you see many women walking around in authentic kimono. If you want to try wearing kimono yourself, this experience is for you. Dress in a furisode (formal, long-sleeved kimono), traditionally worn by unmarried young women. Experienced staff help you dress. You can then wear your kimono to appreciate Kyoto’s historical sights and take photographs.

プ ラ イ ベ ー ト Private lessons! The instructor will support you carefully! ! 資格 Qualified instructors will support you at your own pace according to your needs. 場合 If you bring your own kimono, no troublesome return work is required! 〇Because all things related to dressing will be rented free of charge, don't you feel at ease and feel free to start the first step of the kimono? ○ On the second floor of the Kyomachiya, you can experience dressing up slowly な が ら You can enjoy the leisurely dressing experience while feeling the local life of Kyoto which is different from the sightseeing spot. * You can access Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, Gion, etc. with a single train, so please consult with the staff of more than 30 years in Kyoto planning your trip!

Local knowledge pays when discovering a new city. By connecting you with a local who knows Osaka first hand, this private walking tour lets you experience it as you would with a friend who lives in the city. Explain your travel wishes over a call or app, and meet your Osaka local for a walk that reflects your interests and channels their tips, knowledge, and passion for their city.

Learn how to cook five different quintessential Japanese dishes during this hands-on gastronomy lesson, in the private home of an Osaka local. Discover the role of key ingredients like seaweed and dried fish and watch a live demonstration before rolling up your sleeves and tackling recipes on your own. Then, enjoy your freshly prepared meal together, topped off with a bowl of green tea ice cream.

Flytographer Private Vacation Photo Shoot Connect with a local hand-picked professional photographer in Kyoto and capture your most memorable moments during this private photo shoot. Get insider tips on the best things to do in Kyoto, including where to eat & what to see from your vacation photographer. Return from your trip with beautiful, high-quality vacation photos — the best souvenir ever. We specialize in: - honeymoons - family trips - engagements - anniversaries - romantic getaways - multi-generational trips - babymoons - solo travellers - and just because! With over 35,000 5-star reviews, Flytographer is the global leader in vacation photography and has captured over 3 million memories for travellers across six continents. We’ve been featured across A-list media, including Conde Nast Traveler, Oprah, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, New York Times, BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle Magazine, Elle, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, Huffington Post, & many more.

Experience the joy of “hanami,” or cherry blossom viewing, like the locals do. A private host helps you enjoy the cherry blossom season in Osaka on this customizable tour. Share a traditional Japanese picnic under the blossoms as the petals drift down, while your host accompanies you to typical spots as well as places off the tourist trail.

The best way to appreciate Japan’s great food is to learn to cook it yourself. This immersive tour starts with meeting your guide (and chef), to cook a meal together, and explore the Karahori Shotengai market (if option selected). It’ll help you learn about ingredients, techniques, and culinary traditions before you cook. The cooking experience will cover dishes such as sushi, character bento boxes, or Japanese curry rice. You’ll be able to ask questions and go at your own pace.

Enjoy a quintessential Japanese tradition in the heart of Kyoto. This tea ceremony takes place in an historic wooden townhouse ("machiya"), which is now the Nishijin Lifestyle Museum. Soak up traditional Japanese culture and learn more about this artful ritual without worrying about making mistakes. Have the opportunity to wear a kimono during the ceremony and townhouse tour.

It can be overwhelming to figure out what to eat on your first time in Osaka, so let an English-speaking guide take you and your personal group on this private and personalized Hal-day food tasting adventure. Discover new foods and flavors, and let your guide tailor the tour to your tastes. Along the way, enjoy around 6–8 tastings while learning insights about local food culture.

Learn to roll sushi like a pro during this sushi-making class in Osaka that includes dinner. Get a hands-on introduction to the art of sushi from a professional instructor, then sit down to enjoy your creations, along with other Japanese snacks. This personalized sushi course, limited to just eight participants, offers upgrade options to sample Japanese sake and beer.

For those new to the Japanese rice wine, sake can be something of a mystery. Unravel those mysteries on this tour to Kyoto's Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, which has been making sake since 1637. See how producers have made sake throughout the past few hundred years, and understand the techniques they use. Enjoy sampling some of the sake and then have lunch (included) in the restaurant.