[Held in 2024] SAMURAI Drive Tour in TOHOKU

Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, the gateway to northern Japan

Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, is located at 37°55'20" north latitude and 140°07'00" east longitude . Located in a subarctic humid climate , Yonezawa is one of the most naturally rich regions in the world, with clear and beautiful four seasons. Beautiful cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, vivid autumn leaves in autumn, and silvery white snow in winter, the region delights visitors with its seasonal expressions. The rich nature has fostered a rich spiritual culture and a rich food culture. Although the region is still little known to people overseas, it has attracted many people who have been active in the world since ancient times. One representative example is Isabella Bird , one of the world's most famous female adventurers. She was a British female traveler who traveled to Japan from May to December 1878, and her record of her travels in Japan, " A Journey Through the Interior of Japan ," became a best-seller in Europe and the United States at the time. Bird, who traveled to this region, described it as "Arcadia in Asia (a Shangri-La of the Orient)" and praised its richness.

Join a premium tour to experience the good old Japan left behind by the SAMURAI

The "SAMURAI Drive Tour" will be held for three days from October 11th to 13th, 2024, for foreign tourists. This tour will focus on the culture and spirit left by the samurai and allow you to experience the good old Japan in Tohoku with all five senses. You can experience a deep experience that you can't get in Tokyo or Kyoto, and feel the Japaneseness. This tour includes a limited public tour with expert commentary on the National Treasure folding screen painting "Uesugi version of the National Treasure Rakuchu Rakugaizu" created during the heyday of Japanese painting, a tour to meet a master of safflower dyeing who continues to pursue "Japanese red" even today, a tour to experience the forefront of sake guided by a brewer who inherits the history of "sake" that is a candidate for the World Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity over 400 years, a tour to watch a samurai-themed fireworks, Japanese drums and warrior dance show from a VIP seat, a stay at the most highly rated hot spring inn in Tohoku and enjoy local food gastronomy made by a Michelin chef, all in one package. *Also sold as individual products.

Kyoto from the time of the SAMURAI is revived as a golden folding screen

Kano Eitoku is one of the greatest Japanese painters. He is one of the most famous painters in the history of Japanese art, and his representative works include the "Rakuchu Rakugaizu byobu" (Screen in and around Kyoto), "Karajishizu byobu" (Screen with Chinese Lions), and "Jukoin Shohekiga" (Sliding Doors). One of these, the "Rakuchu Rakugaizu byobu Uesugi Edition," a national treasure that is considered the greatest masterpiece among the "Rakuchu Rakugaizu byobu" (Screen in and around Kyoto), will be open to VIPs for a special viewing. This national treasure is only open to the public for 60 days a year, and this tour allows you to view it with a special expert commentary. This is a rare opportunity to learn about the time of its creation, the historical background, the techniques used, how it was evaluated, and its role in history. The tour is limited to a small number of viewers, and the expert commentary will be translated simultaneously. This will be an experience that will surely move everyone who sees it, not just those with a deep knowledge of art.

Rakuchu Rakugaizu is a folding screen painting depicting the landscapes and seasonal scenery of Kyoto city (Rakuchu) and its suburbs (Rakugai). Generally, eastern Kyoto is depicted on the right panel and western Kyoto on the left panel.

A journey to meet traditional and contemporary master craftsmen

Yonezawa is the area with the second-largest number of remaining oldest companies in Japan after Kyoto. It has Japan's leading sake brewery and a textile factory that uses safflower dyeing, a method that is currently only practiced in Japan. Yonezawa has long protected these traditional industries and traditional techniques. On this tour, you can get up close and experience two traditional industries that have been passed down to the present day.

A journey through the craftsmanship of a sake brewery that has been continued for over 400 years with the 24th generation brewer

The first is Kojima Sohonten, a sake brewery that has been producing sake for over 400 years. The factory where sake is currently brewed is not open to the public and is usually not accessible. This time, you can take a special tour of the factory accompanied by a guide from the brewery.

Kojima Sohonten Toko website

A journey to discover the red of Japan

The second is Nitta Co., Ltd., a factory that dyes and manufactures textiles that are also used for kimonos. The textiles that have been passed down in Yonezawa are called Yonezawa weaves, and are characterized by using plant dyes. Among them, the red color that uses safflower can only be seen in Japan. You will hear an explanation from a master craftsman who is one of Japan's leading safflower dyers, tour the factory, and experience safflower dyeing.

Nitta's Instagram

Youtube short

Fireworks show with dancing SAMURAI

Have you ever seen Japanese fireworks? Fireworks festivals are one of the seasonal features of Japan. You can experience the same fantastic scenery that SAMURAI would have seen in a special seat with a limited number of people.

Martial Arts Performance × Traditional Music × Fireworks Show

The production of this fireworks display will be special. Samurai dance, taiko drums beat, and fireworks explode. The show unfolding before your eyes is powerful and will make you feel the strength of the samurai. The venue has also been moved to a baseball stadium, so you can now enjoy the immersive show in a comfortable environment.

VIP rooms are premium

A VIP room will be prepared for special spectators, separate from the viewing area, where meals made with plenty of local ingredients and drinks, mainly sake and craft beer, will be provided free of charge.

New vegan cuisine from the official residence chef

For lunch, a vegan lunch course will be served, prepared by the Ambassador's chef , Miyamura Yukinari . With a background in South Asian cuisine, Miyamura has cooked for important people around the world, and this will be a new experience. The ingredients used will be local wild plants and traditional vegetables, making this a special course that combines the Ambassador's chef and local food.

The photo is for illustrative purposes only. Different items will be provided on the day.

Local food gastronomy at Tohoku's No.1 hot spring inn with a Michelin chef

For this tour, Yamagata Zatanami, the highest-rated hot spring inn in Tohoku, will be available exclusively to our tour guests. The experience at this traditional luxury hot spring inn has been highly rated by people all over the world. All rooms have hot spring baths. The dinner experience is also special. The local food gastronomy using local ingredients, prepared by a Michelin-starred chef, will surprise and impress many people.

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・Watching fireworks in a kimono

・Watch the fireworks while wearing armor

Contact Us

We provide custom tours to meet all customer needs. We sell not only 2-night, 3-day package tours, but also partial tours.

Contact: Platt Yonezawa Co., Ltd. Kohei Oda

Mail k.oda@plat-yonezawa.jp