In Tokyo, we’ll explore neighborhoods with record shops, bookshops, vintage clothing, and crafts. At night, some truly special dinners, jazz, and the bar scene.
Travel Weekend
Make your way to Tokyo, then enjoy some well-deserved sushi.
Saturday, October 05, 2024 - Sunday, October 06, 2024
Flight: AA 27 | Confirmation: HLBOGZ, Seats: 8L, 8J, Departs: 10:25AM (Saturday, October 05), Duration: 11 hours 55 mins
Arrive in Tokyo: 2:25pm (Sunday, October 06)
Check Into Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, Address: The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, 4-1-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JPN, 105-0001, +81-35422-1600, Confirmation: 9039281077280
Dinner at Sushisho Masa. 6pm. Sushisho Masa follows the tradition of the original "Sushisho,” offering a style where Nigiri and side dishes are alternately served, allowing guests to thoroughly enjoy an array of exquisite small dishes paired with sake. Each dish, prepared with sincerity and care, is bound to leave a lasting impression. This 7-seat restaurant is notably one of the best in Tokyo.
Day 01
Experience the fish market, eat sushi at 6am, and explore Ginza.
Monday, October 07, 2024
AM: Visit the fish market. Toyosu Market (豊洲市場, Toyosu Shijō) consists of three main buildings: two buildings for seafood and one for fruits and vegetables. Sushi breakfast!
Daiwa Sushi: From the tuna auction building, you can access Daiwa Sushi on the second floor of the Tsukemono-Keiran building through the bridge.
Unexpected stop at Glitch Coffee Roasters, a hipster coffee shop offering flights. You’ll magically beat the crowds and be almost first in line.
Explore Ginza. The Ginza (銀座) is Tokyo's most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes. You’ll have some of the best fruit of your life, including grapes so large, it doesn’t make sense.
Ginza Itoya. A craft stationery shop founded more than 100 years ago in 1904. Offering a large variety of items including greeting cards, office supplies, craft paper and interior goods, it's an amazing place to lose track of time, and the space even includes a vertical farm to supply its kitchen on the 12th floor.
Dinner at MAZ. 5pm. Two Michelin-Star Peruvian-Japanese. MAZ operates under the supervision of Virgilio Martínez Véliz, chef of Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru. Through gastronomy, MAZ interprets the abundant natural environment of Peru from the vertical perspective of altitude. Directing the kitchen here is Santiago Fernández Saim. The menu, organized into themes for each of Peru’s environments—the Pacific coast, the Amazon rainforest and the Andes—is an encounter between diverse ecosystems and the seasons of Japan.
Day 02
Tokyo: Explore Harujuku, Shibuya, and some record and clothing shops
Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Explore Harujuku. Harajuku (原宿) refers to the area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station, which is between Shinjuku and Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historical sites of interest.
The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by shops, boutiques, used clothes stores, and crepe stands.
Explore Shibuya. Shibuya (渋谷) is one of Tokyo's most colorful and busy districts, packed with shopping, dining and nightclubs serving swarms of visitors that come to the district everyday.
Shibuya is a center for youth fashion and culture, and its streets are the birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends.
It’ll start to rain, and you’ll find the perfect ramen joint.
Disk Union Shibuya Jazz & Rare Groove branch. Disk Union is Tokyo's biggest and best known second-hand record shop. The Shibuya location fills five floors, with the strongest selections in jazz and rock.
Dinner at Ginza Sushi Kanaseka. 8:30pm. Shinji Kanesaka tells the story of Japanese culture in sushi. The elaborately designed sukiya-style interior design and dinnerware reflect this aesthetic.
In crafting his nigiri, Kanesaka prizes seamless harmony among the sushi trinity of rice, topping and wasabi. His love for baseball in his student days taught him the importance of teamwork, and his command of his staff from behind the counter is reassuring. The chef has branches overseas as well, preaching the wonders of sushi to the world.
Drinks at Gold Bar. Gold Bar takes you back over a hundred years ago, when people learned to love mixed drinks. The most iconic cocktails date back to this era - The Martini, the Daiquiri, the Manhattan - Classics that we still enjoy to this day. Gold Bar takes classic creations to contemporary, sophisticated levels, incorporating modern techniques and local Japanese flavors.
Day 03
A very special day with a Bonsai master and his apprentice, followed by jazz.
Wednesday, October 09, 2024
Our last day in Tokyo. We’ll start with a special Bonsai class and tea ceremony. After that, we’ll experience Teppanyaki, followed by an early evening jazz show.
Bonsai Creation and Tea Ceremony. Master Kunio Kobayashi’s Shunkaen Bonsai Museum. 10AM - 11:40AM. Shunkaen is Japan’s first ever dedicated Bonsai museum. Shunkaen’s founder and owner Kunio Kobayashi is a legend in the bonsai world for his unparalleled sensibilities. Bonsai and tea ceremony were both introduced to Japan from China and took popular root during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), after which they continued to develop independent of their origins. Plant growth and tea leaves, stillness and motion. Get to know the uniquely Japanese beauty of each directly through all five senses.
Lunch at Teppanyaki Akasaka. 2pm. Presenting breathtaking views over Tokyo from its location on the 37th floor, Teppanyaki Akasaka offers a memorable feast for the senses. The impressive knife skills and culinary flair of our expert chefs combined with the world famous Kobe beef and Tsukiji Market fresh seafood create a dining experience not to be missed.
Wander: Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace East Gardens (皇居東御苑, Kōkyo Higashi Gyoen) are part of the inner palace area and open to the public. They are the former site of Edo Castle's innermost circles of defense, the honmaru ("main circle") and ninomaru ("secondary circle"). None of the main buildings remain today, but the moats, walls, entrance gates and several guardhouses still exist.
Jazz at Cotton Club. Marcin Wasilewski Trio. Doors 5pm. Show 6pm.
Located on the second floor of the Tokia Tokyo building, this venue is based on the original Cotton Club, which flourished during the 1920s prohibition era in New York. The Tokyo Cotton Club was designed by Yasumichi Morita, and has played host to musical icons such as Duke Ellington and Lena Horne in the past. You can still see many world-famous musicians perform here.
Day 04
Lunch at L’Effervescence and train to Niigata
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Today, we’ll experience lunch at one of Tokyo’s best restaurants before taking the bullet train to Niigata.
Lunch at L’Effervescence. 11:30am. 3 Michelin-Star French
Chef Shinobu Namae refers to the foodstuff producers who support L’Effervescence as “artisans” out of respect for their finely honed skills. The ingredients list, passed out by hand, is a chronicle of the producing regions Namae visits in his travels. The love for nature that wells up from his pairings of umami from land and sea is the tale told through the cuisine here.
Jōetsu Shinkansen. BULLET TRAIN FROM TOKYO TO NIIGATA. Train: Toki 327. Train Departs (Tokyo Station): 3:40PM. Train Arrives (Echigo-Yuzawa): 4:56PM
On our way to Niigata, sake capital of Japan and home to Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, a one-of-a-kind outdoor art festival.
Arrive in Niigata. Get off at Echigo-Yuzawa Station.
Check into ryugon. Confirmation: T887B44C39CBE Check In: by 6:30-7pm so you make dinner. Room: Villa Suite Premium. Details: Snow Country Gastronomy Full Course, Breakfast Included. Dinner: Served at 7:30pm. Don’t miss it. Address: 1-6 Sakado, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture Sakado 1-6
In Niigata, we’ll tour a market with 100 sakes on tap, and take a day tour of Echigo-Tsumari Art Field.
Day 05
Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
Friday, October 11, 2024
breakfast at ryugon. 7:30am. ryugon is situated in Minami Uonuma city which is the area that produces a brand of Koshihikari rice that is famous all over Japan. Breakfast is freshly cooked white rice accompanied by a selection of side dishes that are unique to the Snow Country Region and the perfect accompaniment to rice. There are also freshly baked breads, pastries, cookies, and fresh juices. Once you have woken and depending on what you feel like for that day you can come along and enjoy a delicious breakfast.
Reserved: 8:30am taxi. ryugon to Echigo-Yuzawa Station (approx. 8,000 yen).
Echigo Tsumari Art Field Tour (In Japanese). Departure Location: Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Information Desk (East Exit). This is a digest tour of all six areas of Echigo-Tsumari. It follows the history of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, focusing on the main facilities where new works and special exhibitions are displayed.
Day 05
Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
Friday, October 11, 2024
The entire tunnel is a work of art. Ma Yansong / MAD Architects "Tunnel of Light" (Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel).
The first stop on the tour is the Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel, which has been popular since it was first opened.
Kiyotsukyo is one of Japan's three major gorges, born from 16 million years of earth history. Inside the 750m-long tunnel, you can see the fusion of the beauty of the gorge and art. Don't miss the spectacular views of nature that change with the seasons.
Experience the nature of Satoyama. "For Lots of Lost Windows" by Akiko Utsumi.
The windows, which reflect different scenery depending on the season, will impress viewers with the nature of Echigo-Tsumari. The curtains, which sway differently depending on the weather, will let you feel the sunlight and the rustling wind. The windows, which blend in with nature, will invite you into the overwhelming scenery of Echigo-Tsumari.
A "playground" installed at the power plant. "The Objects from Another Place" by Nikita Kadan.
Nikita Kadan's new work will be exhibited in the Shinano River Power Plant Water Tank of Tokyo Electric Power Company. The park, made of mirror-finished metal, is a space where no one is allowed to enter. It is a happy space that is out of reach, and at the same time, a place that recalls a childhood gone by.
Thinking back on the memories that a place holds. "The Last Class" Christian Boltanski + Jean Kalman.
This work by Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman is being installed at the former Higashikawa Elementary School, and you can experience it with your whole body through the faint light, the smell of straw, and the sounds echoing through the hallway. Follow the history that has been accumulated in the school building, which has been covered in snow for a long period of time.
Hands-on art that both children and adults can enjoy. Nunagawa Campus "Children's Five Senses Experience Museum"
A school where children can learn about the value of the region in a practical way will open as a "five senses experience museum." Together with artists, we will create a space where children can experience using all five senses, such as touching wood, capturing light, and feeling sound. It is also the activity base for FC Echigo-Tsumari, and the "Earth Sports Day" will be held during the event.
Lunch. Tsumari Kitchen.
Chef Fumio Yonezawa, owner of "No Code" in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, will create a menu exclusively for this tour. He has visited Echigo-Tsumari regularly and has created a menu that reflects the local food culture. The set course menu uses the branded pork "Tsumari Pork" and local vegetables.
The concept is "urban and rural exchange." Matsudai "Nohbutai" Field Museum.
You can view around Matsudai Station, where there are about 40 artworks scattered around. In addition to the base facility, Matsudai Nohbutai, you can also view artworks in the Matsudai Local History Museum and the Shiroyama area. In addition, new works will be added to the project "Kabakov's Dream" by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, a pair of artists who are symbols of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale.
The concept is "urban and rural exchange." Matsudai History Museum.
The local museum is located within the Nohbutai grounds, in a two-story wooden old house with a hearth and a tatami room. It exhibits and records folk and farm implements that are symbolic of the area, as well as materials that provide insight into Matsushiro's history and life. During the exhibition period, there will also be an exhibition by artists who continue to create works based on the landscape and history of the area.
A closed school building becomes the setting for the Picture Book Museum. Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art.
This museum, which depicts the world of picture books set in an abandoned school, weaves a story with a variety of creatures and artworks made of driftwood. The museum is an experiential space with the main characters being the "three last students of the school." New works will also be on display to coincide with this exhibition.
A museum representing Echigo-Tsumari. Museum on Echigo-Tsumari, MonET/Akashinoyu.
This is the base facility of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, where works by famous contemporary artists such as Kohei Nawa, Michiko Nakatani, and Me [mé] are on display. During the event, there will be a special exhibition using the corridors and courtyards of MonET, as well as works by up-and-coming Ukrainian artists. You can leave the tour here to enjoy Akashi no Yu and the illuminated special exhibition.
6:00pm | Tour Ends. Arrival at: Echigo-Yuzawa Station. Take a taxi to ryugon.
Day 05
Sake tasting at Ponshukan, followed by dinner at ryugon.
Friday, October 11, 2024
Saké Tasting: Ponshukan. The Ponshukan Saké Tasting Room features 100 types of saké from Niigata’s 90 breweries. Pay ¥500 at the door to receive a saké cup and five tasting coins. Sample up to five cups of saké or use multiple tasting coins to sample premium saké.
Dinner at ryugon. 7:30pm.
The main dining room menu gets its inspiration from Snow Country Gastronomy which includes wild ingredients which have been eaten in the region from time immemorial as well as other dishes from the local folk culture that have been passed down through the ages and are still eaten today.
Snow Country Gastronomy centers around wild plants and mushrooms foraged from the mountains, fermented foods, and vegetables that have been stored and preserved in the snow, as well as other ingredients that are necessary for life in Snow Country.
Continuing the traditions from the orginal Ryugon including charcoal grilling and roasting on skewers, the center of the restaurant has a traditional open hearth known as an irori. Over dinner the staff will grill the seasonal ingredients, meats, and fish. A glass of locally made sake or wine is the perfect accompaniment to the meal.
Day 06
Fly to Hokkaido
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Check out of ryugon. Reserved: 7:00am taxi. ryugon to Niigata Airport (KIJ) (approx. 40,000 yen). duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Flight: Niigata (KIJ) to Hokkaido (New Chitose). JAL2871 | Confirmation #: 6LK445. Departs: 11am. Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Hokkaido will be all about nature. Here, we’ll make our way to Lake Toya for relaxation.
Day 06
Arrive in Hokkaido & travel to Jozankei
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Arrive: 12:10PM. Pre-reserved taxi: 1:00PM. New Chitose Airport to Chalet Ivy Jozankei (approx. 90min). Vehicle type: JPN TAXI. Price: 14,500. The fee will be added to the room charge. The driver will be waiting for you at domestic arrival gate with name board. If you cannot find the driver, call Chalet Ivy Jozankei: +81 (0)11 595 2888.
Check into Chalet Ivy Jozankei. Check-in: 3:00pm. Accommodation plan: Deluxe Suite, Half-Board (meals included) Standard plan.
Day 07
Travel to Lake Toya
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Elaborate, beautiful, traditional Japanese breakfast at Chalet Ivy Jozankei.
Check out of Chalet Ivy Jozankei. Taxi to Lake Toya. Pre-reserved taxi: 11:00AM. Journey: Chalet Ivy Jozankei to Lake Suite Ko No Sumika. Duration: approx. 80 minutes. Vehicle: JPN TAXI. Price: 31,200 (Fixed price). The fee will be added to the room charge.
Check into Lake Ko No Sumika. Check-In: 3:00pm. Plan: Champagne included in the room! Japanese banquet / breakfast buffet, dinner Kaiseki. Number of guests: 2 people, 2 meals included. Room: Terrace room with hot spring open-air bath.
Days 07 & 08
Enjoy the lake, the vacation within the vacation
Sunday, October 13, 2024 - Monday, October 14, 2024
Spend Sunday and Monday enjoying the ryokan, onsen, and Lake Toya. Take walks. Relax. Wander. Watch the fireworks from your balcony.
Try the soba, walk the shops, explore the waterfront.
Day 09
Fly to Kyoto
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Check out of Lake Ko No Sumika. Taxi to train station. Train to airport.
Flight: Hokkaido (New Chitose) to Osaka (Kansai). ANA (NH 1712) . Confirmation #: 134486252. Departs: 11AM. Duration: 2 hours, 15 mins.
Arrive at KANSAI: 1:15 PM. Pre-Arranged Taxi: 2:00PM. Driver will be at the boarding gate with a name plate.
Check into Hotel Suiran. Room: Executive Suite, 1 Bedroom, Corner (AKATOKITSUYU). Private Onsens (For couples, families, tattoo wearers).
Dinner at traditional tofu restaurant.
Kyoto will offer crafts, artisans, a temple, and kaiseki.
Day 1o
POJ Studio
“We believe that in choosing beautiful, durable, handmade products that last for generations, we take steps away from our current throwaway culture to create meaningful connections with the things that make our house a home.”
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Walk Arashiyama Park (Kameyama Area). This park sits along the Katsura River over the Wataratsuki Bridge.
Kyoto has a rich tradition in crafts. After lunch, we’ll visit POJ Studio, a very special craft collective. POJ ("Pieces of Japan") Studio’s brick-and-mortar shop opened in September 2022 under a shared roof with Kissa Kishin cafe and Maana Kiyomizu, a newly opened boutique hospitality venue composed of three guest suites.
This deeply intentional compound reflects Koyama and Tsukamoto's dedication to promoting and supporting traditional artisans and heritage crafts through an updated lens.
Dinner at Ogata. 4pm. Chef's Tasting Course (Matsutake mushroom course). The perfect combination of creative cuisine, atmosphere and omotenashi. Ogata has developed firm relationships with producers of some of the best seafood, meats and vegetables in Japan.
After dinner, we’ll wander through some quiet neighborhoods and find a local wine bar.
“We see the beauty in high-quality products that tell a story, a story about you, the craftsmen who made it, and the Japanese way of life. In bridging Japan’s artisans with the world, we hope to share the essence of simple luxury and help keep generations of tradition alive.”
-POJ Studio
Day 11
A special Kintsugi experience, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime meal.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
We start with a class. Today, we are lucky enough to experience the art of Kintsugi, broken pottery. After class, we’ll see more unique shops, housing a variety of art forms, and wander through a market for lunch.
Kintsugi Experience at Shikata Urushi. 9:30-noon. Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken ceramics through the application of urushi lacquer mixed with metallic powder such as brass, tin, gold or silver. It is not only a restoration technique, but also a reflection of the wabi-sabi aesthetic and philosophy of embracing imperfections. Take a special Kintsugi class at Shikata Urushi, which opened in 1867.
Lunch and Crafts at Nishiki Market. Nishiki Market (錦市場, Nishiki Ichiba) is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market specializes in all things food related, like fresh seafood, produce, knives and cookware, and is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi.
Taxi back to Suiran. Get ready for our last dinner in Kyoto.
Dinner at Kikunoi Honten. 6pm. Course: Kikunoi Special course (The most luxurious ingredients). Exquisite and flawless, a veritable “living museum,” this traditional Japanese haute-cuisine restaurant was established in 1912 by the grandfather of Yoshihiro Murata, the present and third generation chef.
After removing your shoes to glide over the soft floor to your dining room, you pass by countless works of art. Each month, each season (of which there are 24 in the ancient calendar), Murata and his wife select new pieces to celebrate, including fresh flowers all arranged by the proprietress.
Every guest can feel like royalty dining in one of ten private rooms seating from two to fifty people. Most are traditional tatami mat rooms, but several have hori-kotatsu sunken tables allowing guests to extend their legs below the table and relax into the dining experience.
The view over the spacious gardens from the broad glass windows is stunning, and the first floor rooms overlook a bright white raked sand garden designed to look like waves with the playful touch of a turtle examining its reflection in the ‘water’.
And finally, Osaka. We’ll spend our last day exploring the food capital of Japan without planning too much. Our final dinner: 3-Michelin star Hajime.
Day 12
We’ll wander, buy knives, get a surprise suite, and have a 6-hour meal.
Friday, October 18, 2024
Check out. Take a train to the steak capital of the world for lunch.
Lunch at Mouriya Honten in Kobe, where you see your beef’s family tree and learn its name and history. Over 140 years of experience of serving Kobe beef. Reservation: 11:30am.
Check into St. Regis Osaka. Surprise upgrade to a suite. Happy honeymoon!
Dinner at Hajime. 6pm. 3-Michelin Star French. An artwork resembling a planet dominates the dining room. Look closely and the ‘planet’ contains overlapping images of cuisine, which gather together to form a picture of the Earth. ‘Dialogue with the Earth’ is, indeed, the theme of this restaurant. The experience of growing up amid the beauty of nature shaped the bold world view of Hajime Yoneda. Cuisine that draws inspiration from all Creation is imbued with love and respect for nature. 1-9-11 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka, 550-0002, Japan.
Day 13
Walk around Osaka before heading home
Saturday, October 19, 2024
On our last day in Japan, we’ll walk around Osaka, eat okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and other street foods, and head to the airport.
Airport: KIX, Terminal 1. Flight: AA 8439. Confirmation: American Airlines: HLBOGZ | Japan Airlines: 4KCMCW. Departs: 10/19, 5:45PM. Arrives: 10/19, 12:05PM. Duration: 10 hours 20 mins.
And, home.
