Top Nagano Dining Experiences

Explore the greater part of Zenkoji temple town and sample authentic Japanese snacks and sweets on this small-group walking tour. Try traditional Nagano bites such as oyaki (Japanese stuffed dumplings), sweets, matcha, and a sampling of sake and meet local business owners in the area. Your guide will take you off the beaten path in Nagano and tell you all about the 1400-year history and culture while discovering parts of the city not found in guidebooks.

The class is held at the over 130 years old house. It was built in Machiya style and was used to be a house of Shoya, the biggest merchant in the city at that time. You can have a look around the unique inside. We will show you traditional life style such as Koto, a Japanese harp and an old sawing machine, which have been carefully stored for a long time in Kura, an old style storage in back of the house. The kitchen is made of Sake barrel lids came from a local brewery. It’s located on the second floor, you will see the beautiful Japanese garden. We provide aprons, so you don’t need to bring anything. We will give you a recipe that you can cook at your country. The class consists of some basics of Japanese cooking, such as how to make Dashi broth, and introduction of local made ingredients, which are not normally seen at regular supermarkets. We will explain for you to cook at home when you go back. Recipes are adjustable for vegetarians and vegans.

Are you a Sake beginner or an expert? This Sake brewery private tour brings you not only to the world of Sake but also exclusive cultural experiences. I will take you to Ichinoya Sake Brewery, established in 1865, which still produces high quality Sake with traditional methods. You will see the house’s brewing process mostly by human hands with limited mechanicals, which is designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2024. The tour includes; - Visiting Ichinoya Sake Brewery, discover how Sake is made - Sake tasting - Lunch with local ingredients over Ichinoya’s series of Sake at Wachigai restaurant, whose building is traditional Machiya style build in late Edo period, with great atmosphere - Shopping Sake and other local products It starts at 11:00am and takes about 2~3 hours including lunch. Free after lunch. This tour can take at most 6 people. Tour is held only once a day.

Walk the production floor, enter the maturation warehouse, and be guided through an exclusive pairing menu by a whisky professional with decades of experience in food and drink. First, learn about the whisky-making process up close with one of your knowledgeable tour guides. Then, take a step inside your award-winning production warehouse to see how cask maturation techniques in action. Finally, relax at the bar where a certified whisky expert will walk you through the spirits alongside a specially curated pairing menu.

Be amazed by the surprising background and history that makes Chino City the top producer of agar in Japan! Receive a guided tour through the workshop, with staff providing easy-to-understand explanations. Explore the rich water resources that contribute to delicious miso and sake in the Suwa-Chino area, embodying the wisdom of predecessors who shaped Japan's traditional cuisine. Conclude the experience with a tasting of agar, as Irise Co., Ltd. shares various ways to incorporate agar into different dishes, driven by the concept of promoting health and happiness for everyone.