Osaka Station Cuisine Hunter

Osaka Station Cuisine Hunter

· Experience different facets of Japanese culture, from ancient Buddhas to tea to Japanese cuisine

· Cycle through the remote countryside between Kyoto and Nara with their lush tea plantations on touring or e-bikes

· Visit the traditional neighborhoods of Kyoto and Nara such as Uji, Fushimi and Nara Park.

This tour connects the two former Japanese capitals of Nara and Kyoto with their traditional urban landscapes. In between you can admire lush tea plantations and centuries-old Buddha statues and temples, from the unpretentious stone Buddha in the Joruriji Temple to the tallest Buddha in the Todaiji Temple in Nara Park. You will be familiarized with many aspects of Japan such as green tea, sake brewing and Buddhist tradition. The tour also includes a typical Japanese dinner (kaiseki cuisine). You can enjoy the rural Japanese countryside while driving on small roads with very little traffic.

Itinerary

Day 1: Kyoto Nara

Stop At: Joruri Temple, 40 Ofudaba Kamochonishi, Kizugawa 619-1135 Kyoto Prefecture
Visit the temple with its beautiful pagoda. Buddha reliefs hewn into rock in the area.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Todaiji Temple Cultural Center, 100, Suimoncho, Nara 630-820 Nara Prefecture
Visit the largest bronze Buddha in the largest wooden building in the world. Walk through Nara Park with its many tame deer
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Dinner: Typical Japanese Kaiseki cuisine, which consists of many small dishes. This is a feast for the palate and eyes.
Accommodation included: Wellness hotel with thermal bath Asakaji. Depending on availability. Please book early.

Day 2: Nara, Kyoto

Stop At: Uji River, Uji 611-0021 Kyoto Prefecture
Walk through the pedestrian area with many traditional tea shops. Optional visit to Byodoin Temple and Uji Shinto Shrine.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, 247 Minamihama-cho, Fushimi, Kyoto 612-8045 Kyoto Prefecture
Visit to the Sakemuseum.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine, 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi, Kyoto 612-0882 Kyoto Prefecture
Visit the Fushimi Inari shrine with its many scarlet shrine gates.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Typical Japanese breakfast in the hotel.
No accommodation included on this day.