Zenbu Nigeru - Japan · PDF file · 2014-08-18above then the Zenbu Nigeru ... After lunch you are free to rest or wander – or choose to stay with me and visit a wonderful design

CUISINE AND CULTURE12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS

21 DECEMBER 2014 – 01 JANUARY 2015

Zenbu Nigeru

Kyoto Japan

Have you ever considered taking a luxury ‘time out’ over that usually crazy end-of-year hullaballoo to run off to a country completely unlike your own with a small group of like-minded souls? Maybe your family or friends have announced that they in fact are taking off over the silly season and you are gloriously footloose and fancy free? Or perhaps you have simply yearned to experience how an ancient & sophisticated culture waves a reflective goodbye to the year that has been and welcomes in the new?

If you have nodded your head to any of the above then the Zenbu Nigeru (Escape it all) tour might just float your boat this December.

We’ll eat great food, wander through Kyoto’s stunning laneways, visit temples and gardens, meet interesting locals, pamper ourselves and no doubt have a few laughs. All the time the focus will be on YOU! Not the food shopping, the cleaning, the cooking, the drama, the clean up, the exhaustion. Gosh I sound like a seasonal Grinch… I’m not at all – I love the fuss and my family, but sometimes you just

need to break the usual patterns and let some new energy flow.

We’ll still have a wonderful, celebratory meal on the 25th for those who can’t stand the thought of not feasting on that particular day and there will be plenty of free time to do some excellent gift shopping (for yourself… or others) . You will experience a New Year’s eve unlike any other – a peaceful, appreciative ringing of the bells followed by Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) to collect your lucky talismans for the year of the Sheep!

IS THIS TOUR FOR YOU? Are you already plotting your escape from the hectic Christmas/ New Year period? Do you fancy an intimate peek into a fascinating culture’s traditions whilst peacefully and respectfully farewelling the year that was… and joyously welcoming in the new? Then what are you waiting for? Relaxation, reflection, great food and fun in Kyoto is at your fingertips!

An intimate peek into Kyoto's fascinating cultural traditions

whilst peacefully and respectfully farewelling the year. Hosted by

Japanese food culture expert Jane Lawson - author of 'Zenbu Zen -

Finding Food, Culture and Balance in Kyoto' published by Murdoch Books.

DAY 1 Sunday 21st December 2014The tour starts this evening with a welcome drink in

the bar of the stunning Hyatt Regency Hotel Kyoto

– our home away from home for the next 11 nights.

Afterwards we shall move into the hotel’s elegant Touzan Restaurant where we’ll observe an expert sushi chef prepare part of our first dinner together – a selection of local specialities.

DAY 2 Monday 22nd December 2014After a sumptuous buffet breakfast in The Grill overlooking a tranquil Japanese courtyard garden we’ll

head up town where I’ll walk and talk you through the

wonderful Nishiki-koji food market, known to the locals

as Kyoto daidokoro or Kyoto’s kitchen. Expect an eye

popping assortment of supremely fresh seafood, meats,

pickles, tofu, miso, Kyoto’s renowned vegetable varieties

and many other local delicacies. If beautiful hand-crafted

knives are your thing be sure to bring along some yen as

we will visit a store famous for knives, artisan cookware and utensils.

We’ll lunch on crisp, ethereal Tempura seafood

and seasonal Kyo-yasai (Kyoto vegetables) at a nearby

traditional inn.

After lunch you are free to rest or wander – or

choose to stay with me and visit a wonderful design store, traditional paper shop and an intoxicating incense emporium. We’ll have a little free time to explore the

surrounding shopping arcades before dinner.

DAY 3 Tuesday 23rd December 2014This morning we’ll be transported to the western edge of

Kyoto city for a morning stroll around scenic Arashiyama town area, including the bamboo forest, moon-crossing bridge and the villa of one of Japan’s famous B&W movie stars – set in sprawling gardens with an incredible bird’s

eye view over Kyoto. If there’s time we will continue

walking into the pretty Saga Toriimoto neighbourhood.

The morning’s exercise promises to help us work up

an appetite for leisurely lunching on some of Kyoto’s

most creative Kaiseki fare – bring a sense of curiosity

and an open mind for this stunning experience.

What’s left of the afternoon will be yours for resting

or exploring until Dinner.

DAY 4 Wednesday 24th December 2014Today we’ll visit a private home in a quiet suburb of

Kyoto’s outskirts for a relaxing cooking lesson followed

by a wholesome lunch and a chat about New Year in Japan – how it is celebrated (twice…), the rituals, the

atmosphere and the symbolism of Osechi Ryori (New

Year cuisine).

This evening we’ll enjoy a seasonally appropriate

Japanese Whiskey and Plum wine tasting before dinner.

DAY 5 Thursday 25th December 2014The morning is yours to do with as you wish…. That’s

right – you don’t have to lift a finger! Lay in and read

a book, be pampered in the hotel’s superb Riraku Spa or, if the spirit moves you, pop into the precious and

protective Sanjusangendo temple right next-door.

Tour itinerary

DAY 5 ContinuedHowever.… if you are feeling the slightest bit festive….

Rug up and join me for an early departure to the famous Kitano Tenmangu Temple Flea Market to rub shoulders

with the locals and search for antique treasures and trinkets…. We’ll also wander through Kamishichiken,

a small Geisha quarter before returning to the hotel

to deposit the gifts we have inevitably bought for

ourselves….

For lunch we shall elegantly feast and celebrate the

fact that the day is ours!

The afternoon is yours at leisure (by the way, the

shops are open because IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS HERE!! ) Dinner promises to include less than a hint of

leftover ham or turkey.

DAY 6 Friday 26th December 2014Enjoy most of the day at leisure giving you another

opportunity to pamper yourself in the hotel’s Riraku

Spa or continue discovering Kyoto’s personality. There

are more temples, shrines and gardens than you can

poke a stick at – but there are also plenty of photogenic laneways to explore with your camera. Why not slip

in to a gallery or museum, visit Nijo Castle, Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavillion) or simply relax in one of Kyoto’s

wonderful cafes.

We’ll meet up in the late afternoon as we make our

way to a teahouse where we’ll have the rare pleasure

of private meeting with a charming Maiko-san (trainee

Geisha) who will perform Nihon Buyoh (traditional

dance) and brief tea ceremony before chatting with us

about her intriguing way of life.

Dinner at a nearby restaurant will follow.

DAY 7 Saturday 27th December 2014After breakfast we’ll visit the stupendous Heian Shrine

and its stroll garden – so peaceful in the winter months.

We’ll take a short walk to the nearby Kyoto Handicraft centre – brimming with books, woodblock prints and

other traditional and modern Japanese crafts and Kyo-

centric souvenirs before heading to lunch at a charming Japanese/French restaurant (Did you know that Kyoto is

sister city to Paris?)

Afterwards you are free to roam – or… come along

with me as I visit one of my favourite gallery shops

showcasing local artists’ home-centric wares made

from ceramics, glass and metals then while away the

remainder of the day perusing the quaint local district,

known for its antiques and artisan wares.

Tonight we’ll visit the architecturally wondrous Kyoto station building before a casual dinner.

DAY 8 Sunday 28th December 2014We start the day with a short train ride to one of Japan’s

most important (and photogenic!) Shinto shrines –

Fushimi Inari Taisha. Thousands of vermillion Torii gates line the sacred forest path of Mount Inari. We’ll

visit alongside business owners who travel from all over

japan to pray to the gods for financial success in the

coming year. Feel free to hike up as high as you like or

gently walk with me to the heart of the shrine, make a wish for 2015 then return to Kyoto’s centre to peruse

the sprawling Daimaru Department store underground

food hall. Gaze into the cabinets that house jewel-

like Wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionary) and

lacquered senbei (rice crackers) and resist the urge to

purchase every beautifully packaged item in the store...

DAY 8 Continued Lunch is on your own today so if weather permits how

about a DIY picnic in the park? Sublime sushi, creative

salads, noodles, French cheeses or gourmet sandwiches?

Sake or wine? The choice is yours.

The afternoon is free – why not stroll the Path of Philosophy as you ponder life and the universe – or

spend a few hours trawling through one of Kyoto’s bookstores offering a wide selection of titles on

Japanese cuisine, culture, architecture, design and

curiosities! I challenge you not to leave with a bundle

of magazines clutched to your chest!

Tonight we dine on some of the best Yakitori (grilled chicken) offerings in Kyoto town.

DAY 9 Monday 29th December 2014After an early breakfast we will be joined by a local

guide for a walking tour of the Higashiyama (Eastern

Mountain) area. On route to one of Kyoto’s most popular

temples, Kiyomizu Dera, we shall walk through an

incredibly serene hill-side graveyard and be privileged

to witness locals performing ritual purification of their

loved ones’ resting places in time for the new year. A rare

and intimate sight.

Later we’ll stroll along cobblestoned lanes lined with

local ceramics, crafts and foodstuffs before continuing

onwards to Maruyama Park and Yasaka Shrine through

well-preserved traditional streets.

After lunching on Obanzai (Kyoto home-style

dishes) we will we will step back in time with a stroll

through Gion – Kyoto’s most famous Geisha quarter. Perhaps we’ll stop somewhere lovely for a drink

before our Tonkatsu dinner featuring Kyoto’s sweet pork!

DAY 10 Tuesday 30th December 2014Another full day of leisure for you to enjoy as you

wish. Further pampering in the spa perhaps? Shiatsu, Acupuncture? You might feel inspired to take a short trip

to Uji, famous for the Byodoin Temple area and green

tea – if its green tea sweets, soba or ice cream you are

hankering for – you are guaranteed to find it here! A little

further afield is the ancient town of Nara (Japan’s capital

before Kyoto and then Tokyo) – either hop on the train

or join a guided tour for an amazing history lesson and a

chance to frolic with free roaming sacred deer!

Just be back in time for tonight’s saunter down the

atmospheric, lantern-lit alleyway of Pontocho on route

to a delicious Wagyu dinner – with any luck we might

just spot some Geiko and Maiko (Geisha and trainee

geisha) on route to their appointments.

DAY 11 Wednesday 31st December 2014This morning we’ll visit a wonderful museum, once

the breathtaking home and studio of a famous Kyoto ceramic artist before taking one last wander through the

ancient laneways of Kyoto, absorbing her energy at this

special time and being inspired by this historical town.

After lunch the afternoon is yours and I suggest

adding a ‘nana nap’ to your agenda as we will be up

late tonight! Perhaps relax in a quiet garden writing

your New Year Resolutions, or indulgently pamper

yourself (aka purification…. so it is all very appropriate

and necessary of course!) Take your time processing,

reflecting and freeing yourself from the stresses or the

curiosities of the year that has been – ready to gracefully

enter 2015.

We shall enjoy a farewell dinner together before

making our way to a beautiful, bonfire-lit Buddhist temple for Joya-no-kane or the ringing of the bell.

DAY 11 Continued 108 chimes will sing out through Kyoto town

accompanied by the grounding, hypnotic chanting of monks who assist in banishing our earthly desires and

purifying our hearts and minds for the coming year...

It is a truly awe-inspiring local experience.

After midnight we are free to make our first shrine

visit of the year – known as Hatsumode. Sample warm

amazake (sweet, thick sake) and purchase your lucky

charms for peace and prosperity in the year of the

Sheep! Oh goody, the sheep year promises a more

relaxed pace than this of the cantering horse!

DAY 12 Thursday 01st January 2015Happy New Year!It’s time to say Sayonara and send you on your way

into 2015! The rest of the day is yours for last minute

shopping, a bowl of Ozoni (New Year’s soup) or, if you

flaked early last night, make sure you take your first

shrine visit of the year before your departure from this

incredible city.

Sayonara

Tour price$9,400 Aus / PER PERSON

$9,000 Aus / PER PERSON / TWIN SHARE

WHAT IS INCLUDED This tour is guided by Jane Lawson. Prices relate to land cost only and is inclusive of the following:

• 11 night’s luxury accommodation at the Kyoto

Hyatt Regency Hotel including tax

• Taxi or private bus travel between destinations

included in the itinerary. Travel during leisure time is

at your own cost.

• Voucher to Riraku Spa in the Hyatt Regency Hotel

• A welcome drink

• 11 gourmet buffet breakfasts

• 11 dinners featuring a variety of Japanese dishes

• 7 lunches featuring a variety of Japanese dishes

• Walk and talk tour of Nishiki market and Daimaru

food hall

• Visit to Kitano Tenmangu Flea market and walk

through Kamishikien Geisha quarter

• Sushi and sashimi demonstration

• A train trip Fushimi Inari shrine and walk under the

vermillion gates

• Tour with additional local guide through historically

significant Higashiyama area and Gion

• A chat with Maiko including tea ceremony and

traditional dance demonstration with matcha and

Wagashi (whisked green tea and traditional sweet)

• A walk around Arashiyama area, the bamboo forest

and Movie Star Villa/Garden

• A visit to the the Heian Shrine and nearby Kyoto

Handicraft center

• A stroll around the antiques district and a visit to

several of Jane’s favourite design and craft stores

• Full day tour to a small village in the Japanese

countryside

• View the architecturally stunning Kyoto station

building

• Experience the unique traditions and rituals of

Japanese New Year’s Eve

• All temple and garden entry fees as per itinerary

• Japanese Whiskey and Plum wine tasting

• A signed copy of Jane’s book Zenbu Zen – Finding Food, Culture and Balance in Kyoto on full payment

• Insider knowledge and a peek inside Jane’s head and

heart and why she loves Kyoto so!

Plus a few surprises along the way

Jane is working together with the lovely Daisuke-san

from Pitt Travel in Sydney who will handle your

booking. He is also able to assist you with flights,

transfers and travel insurance.

CONTACT Daisuke’s email is: [email protected] phone number is +61 2 9267 0010

Jane’s email is [email protected]

• Bookings are not confirmed until a 25% deposit

has been made.

• Full payment is required by Monday 22nd

September 2014.

• Members of the Zenbu Nigeru group will receive a

detailed itinerary closer to departure time.

• Between payment and departure Jane will also send

members some helpful information about local

customs, what to expect weather wise and

similar topics.

• Further details and orientation will be shared by

Jane during the welcome drinks and dinner on the

first night.

• While we will do our very best to stick to the itinerary

as published – there may be some shuffling around

until we have all restaurant booking requests

confirmed so we ask for your understanding.

MORE IMPORTANT STUFFThis tour requires a minimum of 6 people to run and

will we take a maximum of 8.

• We reserve the right to cancel the tour if the

minimum number of registrants is not met. However,

we will not cancel a tour less than 60 days before

departure unless unforseen disaster occurs!

• All activities experienced in your leisure time

including transport will be at your own expense.

• All alcoholic beverages except those mentioned

within the itinerary will be at your own expense.

Unless I’m drunk and feeling generous…

All tour participants must provide proof of a valid

passport & travel insurance

All tour participants should feel comfortable with long

days and lots of walking - including stairs/inclines and

uneven surfaces at times

All participants are advised to bring along relevant

Doctor’s prescriptions if carrying strong /important

medication

Please note: Sadly we cannot recommend this tour to

those people with dining restrictions and sensitivities.

This tour has been designed for those wishing to

experience a wide variety of authentic foodstuffs.

Important Booking Information

FOR MORE INFORMATIONJANE LAWSON

[email protected]

Photography courtesy of Cath Muscat and Jane Lawson © copyright 2013