Although there are many sightseeing spots in Japan like Kyoto, Asakusa, Okinawa, and Hokkaido that are popular with tourists from overseas, there are not many opportunities for them to experience the natural environment or the culture and customs that have been practiced by Japanese people since ancient times. Even when you want to experience these, it is not easy to find tour packages at large travel agencies that include such opportunities. We are familiar with the areas where you can experience the natural environment as well as the culture and customs that Japanese people have long enjoyed, and we offer overseas tourists visiting Japan tours that are in close connection to each area. We are a travel agency approved by the Japanese government, so you can apply for one of our tours with peace of mind.
Niigata Prefecture has the largest number of sake breweries in Japan, with about 90 of them making their own sake. In this program, you can enjoy sake while gazing at snow and eating local cuisine made with meat, fish, and vegetables from the area. You can also hear about the manufacturing methods and history of sake from a former manager of a local sake brewery. Snowmobile activities are also available upon request.
Miso is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting soybeans into a paste. Today, miso can be bought at supermarkets, but there are still homes in the countryside that make their own. We will arrange a miso-making experience with the locals.
Salted salmon is a traditional food in Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture made using only male autumn salmon and salt. In Murakami, salted salmon is hung under the eaves of houses in November, stretching out in a line like a road. A local instructor will provide hands-on guidance on how to prepare and salt the fish.
Make pickled red turnip grown with traditional slash-and-burn farming methods. Every August, the mountains are burned and the seeded red turnip get pickled using a special locally inherited recipe. In addition to making the pickled red turnips, you can also harvest them from November to December.
In the winter, it snows in Niigata and Yamagata prefectures, and you can enjoy unique seasonal activities. One of these is snow mountain trekking wearing snowshoes (Western-style snowshoes). You can discover animal footprints, observe plants, and ride a snowmobile on level ground.
Niigata Prefecture is known as one of the top rice-producing areas in Japan and for its delicious vegetables such as edamame and taro. Many locals are involved in agriculture, and you can enjoy a farming experience directly under the guidance of farmers while listening to their stories.
Doburoku is a traditional Japanese sake that has been fermented rice, malted rice, and water but has not been strained. It can also be considered the original type of sake. Before being restricted by law, doburoku was made in ordinary households. Today, production is still permitted in some areas, so you can come and brew your own sake.
Cocoon balls (Mayu dama) are a specialty of the Asahi district of Murakami City, where the sericulture industry prospered, that have long been popular. You can make a variety of handmade art such as silk flowers using cocoons, and bridal items such as wedding bouquets, dolls, and accessories.
Lacquer with attractive luster continues to fascinate people with its ancient Japanese beauty and gentle texture. In this hands-on program, you can make beautiful chopsticks that will bring joy and color to your dining table. It doesn’t matter if you’re not good at painting. Experience the excitement and fun of painting with this lacquer.
In Murakami City, which has the largest forest area in Niigata Prefecture, people have made charcoal for a living using timber (charcoal material) since long ago. It takes a full day to complete a product, as temperature must be carefully adjusted and controlled at frequent intervals. Both children and adults can enjoy hands-on charcoal-making under the guidance of a craftsman.
A hands-on woodworking activity where you can use hand tools such as axes and knives (no large machines or power tools) to cut undried raw wood that has just been cut from the forest and split or scrape it to make it into everyday items like plates and spoons. The feeling of cutting raw wood with your own hands is a unique experience that you will never forget.
You can make soba noodles using buckwheat flour produced in Murakami City. Soba is a dish that has been popular among Japanese people for a long time and is attracting attention from overseas. From kneading your own soba to cutting and boiling it, you can go through all the steps, and eat it when you’re done.
Murakami tea has a long history of about 400 years, and its cultivation history dates back to the early Edo period (1620s). For those who want to further enjoy and have more delicious Murakami tea, a tea-picking activity in late May and a delicious tea drinking course from November to February is held every year.
Niigata Prefecture North / Shonai Area
Murakami City, located at the northernmost tip of Niigata Prefecture, faces the Sea of Japan and is blessed with mountains and rivers. The old Murakami City retains the remnants of a castle town with charming traditional streets from the Edo era and teramachi streets with black wall alleys, and you can enjoy many special products and traditional culture including salmon dishes, lacquered wood carvings, and green tea from the northernmost tip of Japan.
In addition, the coastal area stretching 50km is where Sasagawa Nagare, a national scenic spot and natural monument, is located, and the inland area is home to Bandai Asahi National Park. Full of the blessings of nature in each of the four seasons, the traditional mountain village life is still preserved.
Murakami City is surrounded by Sekikawa Village in the inland area, Tainai City along the sea, and Awashimaura Village, a remote island that can be accessed by car ferry from Iwafune Port (Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture). It is also adjacent to Oguni Town and Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture, and is an attractive area where the various cultures of Niigata Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture meet.
Each region still has its own unique lifestyle and culture, such as nature and climate, food culture, and preserves the wisdom and skills of our predecessors, so that you can come into contact with the important things that people in the modern world have forgotten about.
The Shonai region of Yamagata prefecture is surrounded on three sides by the Dewa Mountains, the Asahi Mountains, and Mt. Chokai, and vast plains facing the Sea of Japan spread in the west. Tsuruoka City has prospered as a castle town of Tsurugaoka Castle, which was the center of the Shonai domain. Even today, there are still buildings from the Edo and Meiji eras, such as the domain school, the domain lord's house, and a police station building.
In addition, Dewa Sanzan Shrine, which has been worshiped since ancient times, still attracts many practitioners and worshipers as a place of mountain worship and inherits its own culture. As the only UNESCO-certified city of gastronomy within Japan, you can encounter various ingredients and food from the mountain village and sea.
You can reach Murakami from Tokyo in about 3 hours by train and about 2 hours and 30 minutes by plane.
For details, please see the following website.
https://www.sake3.com/access
Satoyama Experience Research Institute was founded in 2020 after being registered as a local travel agency. As our sales office is located in Murakami City, we also offer tours in adjacent municipalities such as Sekikawa Village, Awashimaura Village, Tainai City, Tsuruoka City, and Oguni Town. Niigata City can also be used as a transportation network and base where you can departure from and return to in the offered tours.
