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Sasayama is a historic castle town prospered in the early 1600’s when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu built a castle here as a base for his offence against his opponents in the Osaka Castle. Today, the area is well-preserved full of original buildings where part of the town has been designated as an Important National Architectural Heritage Site. It is a hidden treasure of Japan where not many local Japanese people, let alone foreign tourists know about.
Day 1 (Lunch and dinner is included)
Arrive at Kansai (Osaka) International Airport in the morning. Your guide will meet you upon arrival and the group will catch a train to Osaka Station.
Upon arrival at Osaka Station, lunch of Osaka style udon noodles will be provided.
From Osaka, you will catch a taxi transfer to Sasayama directly.
Check into your accommodation, Maruyama Shuraku.There will be a briefing about the lodge where you will meet the people from Sasayama community and have some welcome tea.
About Maruyama Shuraku
Maruyama Shuraku is a luxury rural inn, designed for guests to expreience how Japanse people used to live. The houses are all over 150 years old, and were abandoned with no residents. Four of these properties were rented out as a cultural preservation project and was rooms were restored to its original form while adding some modern conveniences. Each houses are equipped with bathroom, toilet, full functioning kitchen, Wifi, use of electronic bicycle, toiletries, nightwear and mineral water. Thre are two restaurants used for guests staying at this accommodation, one, Roan Matsuda, a Michellin star rated restaurant specialising in buckwheat noodles and Hiwano Kura, specialising in French cuisine.
Enjoy buckwheat course menu for dinner tonight at the Michellin Star rated restaurant Roan Matsuda
Day 2 (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner is included)
In the early morning, the locals will be coming in to the villa to start cooking your breakfast. If you wish to rise early to watch them cook or cook with them, please let us know upon booking.
There are two choices of activities today depending how active you are feeling today.
Option 1
In the morning, make some onigiri rice balls with the locals to have for lunch later and go for a 2 hour uphill intermediate mountain trekking. Weather permitting, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of of the mountain ranges.(Please note, during your trekking, there will only be basic toilet facilities)
After returning to the villa, experience making mochi (glutinous rice balls) with the locals, subject to availability.
Option 2
Relax and leave late morning to visit Sasayama Castle and Samurai Worrier’s House where you will experience tea ceremony.
Enjoy local wild boar hot pot or local food platter for lunch and work off your lunch with a nice stroll downtown with a local guide.
Dinner for tonight is French cuising using local produce at Hiwano Kuwa.
Day 3 (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner is included)
In the early morning, the locals will be coming in to the villa to start cooking your breakfast.
Today, the group will visit Tamba Tachikui Yaki, one of the six oldest kilns in Japan dating back to the 1600s. Depending on his availability, you may have a chance to visit and meet a world renowned potter, Masahiko Ichino, whose works are highly commemorated around the globe.You will experience pottery making at his work area. Your art work to your home after about 2 months.
After your pottery making session, enjoy specially catered traditional Japanese boxed lunch at the potter’s guest quarter.You can also visit The Museum of Ceramic Art located nearby and if this day falls on a weekend or a public holiday, you can participate in a tea ceremony at a traditional tea house using Tamba tea cups.
In the afternoon, the group will visit Konda Onsen, a local hot spring area and enjoy the therapeutic effects of thermal hot spring bath.
On the way back to your villa, you will stop at a local supermarket to purchase some local produce to prepare dinner for tonight. The local community will also bring some dishes to join the potluck dinner at your villa. There will be some local sake on offer also. We recommend you bring some condiments native from your country so you can make create a once off fusion dinner! It is not only great for you to get some rare opportunity to socialise with the locals but also a nice experience for the locals to learn about your culture.
Day 4 (Breakfast is included)
In the early morning, the locals will be coming in to the villa to start cooking your breakfast.
After you have your breakfast, check out and leave for the local train station, Sasayamaguchi to catch a train to Osaka.
Upon arrival at Osaka, leave your luggage at a cloak to enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure in Osaka. We can recommend some places that could interest you.
In the afternoon, take the airport shuttle bus from Osaka city directly to Kansai (Osaka) International airport for your onward flight.