Japanese Food & Culture: Beyond Sushi

Discover Japanese Food, History and Culture Across Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo

Go beyond sushi on this 14-day Japanese food and culture trip through Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. Through cooking, regional cuisine, tea, sake and cultural experiences, participants discover how food reflects Japan’s history, craftsmanship, regional identity and changing society.

Discover Osaka and Kyoto through food

Begin in Osaka, one of Japan’s best-known food cities, exploring local food culture through experiences that may include Dotonbori, a hands-on cooking class and the Cup Noodles Museum.

In Kyoto, discover a more traditional side of Japanese cuisine through a tea ceremony in kimono, Shojin-Ryori Buddhist cuisine and the historic sake traditions of the Fushimi district.

Explore Tokyo’s traditional and modern food culture

Travel to Tokyo by shinkansen with an Ekiben bento and discover how the capital brings historic and contemporary food culture together.

Activities may include sushi making, Edo cuisine, kawaii food culture, immersive digital art, contemporary dining experiences and a visit connected to Japanese tea production.

Understand Japan through cuisine

Throughout the program, food becomes a way to explore Japanese history, regional identity, social customs, agriculture and craftsmanship, revealing how culinary traditions continue to evolve alongside modern life.