Every journey is privately arranged and tailored to your interests, preferred travel dates, and the season. Rather than following a fixed schedule, each itinerary is carefully planned around the daily lives of the local people you will meet. This allows every journey to feel natural, personal, and connected to the rhythm of everyday life. Tours are available for groups of two or more guests. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your ideal journey.
More Than Beautiful Scenery, It’s the People You’ll Remember
The people who brew sake. The people who grow fruit. The people who raise fish. Each has built a life around the pure waters flowing from the Yatsugatake Mountains.
Just over an hour from Tokyo Station by Hokuriku Shinkansen, Sakuho feels like a world away.
Rather than rushing from one attraction to the next, this journey invites you to slow down and experience life at the pace of the people who call Sakuho home.
Over four days, you’ll visit a historic sake brewery, a family orchard, and a fish farm, sharing meals, conversations, and everyday moments with the people behind them.
By the time your journey comes to an end, Sakuho will feel like more than a destination. It will feel like a place where familiar faces are waiting to welcome you back.
Where This Journey Fits into Your Japan Itinerary
Many travelers explore Tokyo, Kanazawa, or Matsumoto, but few venture into the quiet mountain communities where everyday life moves at a different pace.
Sakuho fits naturally into a wider journey through Central Japan. Spend three nights meeting sake brewers, orchard growers, fish farmers, and local residents whose lives have long been shaped by the pure waters of the Yatsugatake Mountains.
Just over one hour from Tokyo by the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Asama / Hakutaka), Sakuho is remarkably easy to reach, making it an ideal escape from the city and a meaningful addition to a journey through Central Japan.
One Example of a Central Japan Itinerary
Tokyo
↓
Hokuriku Shinkansen (Asama / Hakutaka)
↓
Sakudaira (Sakuho)
(3 Nights with Kanpai Meets Japan)
↓
Hokuriku Shinkansen (Asama / Hakutaka)
↓
Kanazawa
This is just one example of how this journey can be included in a wider trip through Central Japan. You’re welcome to start or end your journey wherever it best fits your travel plans.
Perfect for Travelers Who…
- Are planning a 10–14 day trip to Japan
- Want to experience rural Japan beyond the major tourist destinations
- Enjoy meeting local people through food, sake, and meaningful conversations
- Prefer immersive, small-group journeys over traditional sightseeing
Why You’ll Love This Journey
Stay in a beautifully restored traditional house and experience the peaceful rhythm of rural Japan
Meet sake brewers, orchard growers, fish farmers, and the people who make Sakuho feel like home
Slow down and discover everyday life through shared meals, meaningful conversations, and authentic local experiences
Enjoy seasonal cuisine and raise a glass with the people you’ll remember long after your journey ends
Experiences Made Possible Through Local Relationships
Many of the experiences included in this journey are not available through ordinary sightseeing tours. They have been made possible through the long-standing relationships KMJ has built with the people of Sakuho over many years.
Private Access to Kurosawa Sake Brewery
Go beyond the areas normally open to visitors and explore parts of Kurosawa Sake Brewery that are rarely accessible to the public. During the brewing season, you’ll have the opportunity to observe the sake-making process up close while learning directly from sixth-generation brewer Takao Kurosawa.
From Sake Rice to Sake
Depending on the season, visit the brewery’s sake-rice nursery or fields and discover where sake begins. See the seedlings or rice growing through the season, and hear directly from Takao Kurosawa how the brewery team nurtures the crop before it becomes sake.
An Exclusive Dinner at Kurosawa-tei Hanare
Spend an unforgettable evening at Kurosawa-tei Hanare, a beautifully restored traditional house connected to the Kurosawa family. Enjoy a private seasonal dinner prepared exclusively for your group by the chef of Jizaido, thoughtfully paired with sake from Kurosawa Sake Brewery.
During the evening, Takao Kurosawa joins the table to share sake, stories, and conversation, creating a warm and personal experience that simply cannot be arranged through ordinary travel.
Seasonal Experiences Created Together with Local People
Because every journey is planned together with local producers and residents, no two visits are exactly the same. Depending on the season, your experience may include fruit harvesting, homemade jam making with the Suda family, special access to Yachiho Fish Farm with fresh Shinshu Salmon tasting, or other unique experiences that reflect the changing rhythm of life in Sakuho.
Meet the People Who Call Sakuho Home
Welcoming You to Sakuho Through Sake and History
Takao Kurosawa
Sixth-Generation Brewer, Kurosawa Sake Brewery
Founded in 1858, Kurosawa Sake Brewery has been crafting sake in Sakuho for more than 160 years. As the sixth-generation brewer, Takao Kurosawa is deeply connected not only to the brewery, but also to the people and history of the town itself.
During your stay, Mr. Kurosawa introduces you to both the brewery and the streets that have shaped generations of his family. As you walk through the quiet neighborhood surrounding the brewery, you’ll discover how sake, local history, and everyday life have long been intertwined in Sakuho.
Depending on the season, Mr. Kurosawa may also take you beyond the brewery to see where the sake-making story begins. Kurosawa Sake Brewery raises its own sake-rice seedlings and grows rice in its own fields, with the brewery team caring for the crop throughout the season. From young seedlings in spring to ripening rice toward autumn, you’ll hear directly from Mr. Kurosawa how the journey from field to bottle unfolds.
One evening, you’ll gather around the table at Kurosawa-tei Hanare to enjoy seasonal cuisine prepared by Jizaido, thoughtfully paired with Kurosawa Sake Brewery’s sake. Surrounded by local residents, you’ll share stories, laughter, and conversation in a relaxed atmosphere that reflects the warmth of life in Sakuho.
Rather than simply visiting a sake brewery, you’ll experience the town through the eyes of someone who has spent a lifetime calling it home.
See the Experience →
Raising Shinshu Salmon in Pure Mountain Waters
Nobuyuki Sasaki
President, Yachiho Fish Farm
Yachiho Fish Farm is one of Nagano’s leading producers of Shinshu Salmon, a premium trout developed in Nagano and raised in the crystal-clear waters flowing from the Yatsugatake Mountains. During your visit, President Nobuyuki Sasaki will personally guide you through the fish farm and share how these exceptional fish are carefully raised.
You’ll also have the opportunity to taste freshly prepared Shinshu Salmon while learning how the region’s pure mountain water shapes its clean flavor and delicate texture. More than simply a local specialty, Shinshu Salmon reflects the natural environment and craftsmanship that define life in Sakuho.
Mr. Sasaki will also introduce the company’s recently opened fish market, an ambitious new venture that goes beyond aquaculture. Alongside their own freshwater fish, the shop offers carefully selected seafood delivered directly from fishing ports, giving local residents access to exceptional ingredients despite living far from the coast.
“We want people in Sakuho to enjoy truly great seafood, even without the sea nearby.”
That simple idea has grown into a beloved local business. Through Mr. Sasaki’s story, you’ll discover not only the craft of raising exceptional fish, but also his passion for enriching the local food culture and creating new possibilities for his hometown.
See the Experience →
Welcoming You into the Everyday Life of an Orchard
Kiyoshi Suda
Owner, Suda Orchard
At Suda Orchard, Kiyoshi Suda and his wife, Tomoko, grow apples and prunes in one of Japan’s leading fruit-producing regions. They welcome visitors with the same warmth they would offer family and friends.
Depending on the season, you’ll harvest fruit, help with orchard work, or make homemade jam together. During the workshop, Tomoko shares simple techniques and recipes that you can easily recreate in your own kitchen.
Spend time with the Sudas, and it won’t take long to feel like you’re visiting old friends rather than joining a tour. While the fruit is delicious, it’s the couple’s warmth and genuine hospitality that leave the strongest impression. Many guests leave saying, “I’d love to come back and see them again.”
A visit to Suda Orchard is about more than growing fruit. It’s an opportunity to experience the kindness, generosity, and everyday hospitality that make life in Sakuho so memorable.
See the Experience →
An Evening at Kurosawa-tei Hanare
During your stay, you’ll spend an evening at Kurosawa-tei Hanare, a beautifully restored private house once connected to the Kurosawa family, founders of Kurosawa Sake Brewery. Built more than a century ago, the house preserves the character of old Sakuho while offering a comfortable place to experience the town’s history and way of life.
Dinner features a seasonal menu specially prepared by the chef of Jizaido, a popular local restaurant just a short distance away. Each course is thoughtfully paired with sake from Kurosawa Sake Brewery, highlighting the flavors of the region.
But the evening is about more than the food.
Gathering around the same table, you’ll share food, conversation, and laughter with local residents who help bring Sakuho to life. Depending on the day, some of the people you’ve met during your stay may join the evening, making every gathering unique.
This is more than dinner. It’s an opportunity to experience the warmth of rural Japan, where conversations unfold naturally, new friendships begin, and visitors are welcomed not as tourists, but as guests around the table.
See the Experience →
The photos on this page show real moments from previous Sakuho journeys. While accommodations and dinner venues may vary, the heart of the experience remains the same—sharing time around the table with local people.
Walking Through the Moss Forest of Northern Yatsugatake
Around Shirakoma Pond in the northern Yatsugatake area, one of Japan’s most beautiful moss forests spreads beneath ancient trees. At the foot of this old-growth forest, more than 500 varieties of moss quietly thrive, creating a dreamlike landscape that feels like a green carpet.
On this journey, you’ll take a slow walk through the moss forest with Yudai Yamaura, the third-generation owner of Seitaiso. With his guidance, even the tiny world under your feet begins to look different. Moss that you might normally pass by unnoticed reveals subtle colors, shapes, and textures, each with its own character.
This experience is available only from around May to October, when the moss is at its most vivid. Walking beside someone who knows these forests so well offers a deeper appreciation of the natural environment that shapes life in Sakuho.
See the Experience →
A Small-Town Bookstore That Brings People Together
In Sakuho’s shopping street, Shinkoma Bookstore is a small bookshop set inside a renovated old house. Some visitors come looking for books, while others travel from across Japan simply because they want to meet its owner, Koji Chikatani.
Koji has spent more than 20 years as a translation and publishing producer, helping bring Japanese novels to readers overseas. He also has a unique background that includes working as an actor in Hollywood in his twenties.
During the journey, you’ll stop by Shinkoma Bookstore and hear Koji’s stories, from the world of literary translation to his days in Hollywood. If the conversation really gets going, he may even start talking about his favorite subject: weight training.
And if the timing is right, he might show you a bit of ninja-style action, drawing on his experience from his theater days. You never quite know what stories will come up, and that is part of the fun. Meeting Koji is sure to become one of the most memorable moments of your time in Sakuho.
See the Experience →
Sample 4-Day Journey
This four-day itinerary is just one example. Whether you have one night or several days, every journey is tailored to your interests, travel schedule, and the local people you’ll meet along the way.
Day 1 | Welcome to Sakuho
Arrive at JR Sakudaira Station, where your journey begins.
Meet your driver and English-speaking guide before traveling to Kurosawa Sake Brewery, where you’ll discover more than 160 years of sake-making tradition. Stroll through the quiet streets surrounding the brewery and learn how the town, its people, and its history have long been connected.
Depending on the season, the visit may also extend to the brewery’s sake-rice nursery or fields, revealing how the sake-making story begins long before the rice reaches the brewery.
After lunch at a favorite local restaurant, continue to Yachiho Fish Farm to meet Nobuyuki Sasaki and discover how the pure waters flowing from the Yatsugatake Mountains have made Sakuho one of Nagano’s leading producers of Shinshu Salmon.
Later, check in at Kurosawa-tei Hanare.
Take time to settle into your traditional house, enjoy the peaceful surroundings, or visit a nearby hot spring before dinner.
In the evening, gather around the table with local residents for a seasonal dinner prepared by the chef of Jizaido, thoughtfully paired with sake from Kurosawa Sake Brewery.
Day 2 | Slow Down and Experience Everyday Life
Enjoy a relaxed morning before visiting Suda Orchard, where Kiyoshi and Tomoko Suda welcome you into their family orchard.
Depending on the season, harvest fruit, help with orchard work, or make homemade jam while learning about everyday life in rural Japan.
After lunch, return to Kurosawa-tei Hanare.
The afternoon is intentionally left unhurried.
We believe some of the most memorable moments of travel happen when there is time to slow down. Read a book, enjoy the garden, take a walk through the neighborhood, or simply relax and experience the peaceful rhythm of life in Sakuho.
In the evening, your guide will meet you again before taking you to dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3 | Nature, Culture, and New Connections
Today’s experience changes with the season.
From around May through October, walk through the beautiful moss forest of Northern Yatsugatake with Yudai Yamaura.
At other times of the year, visit Shinkoma Bookstore, where Koji Chikatani shares stories from his remarkable career in literary translation, publishing, and Hollywood.
After lunch, spend the afternoon at your own pace.
Revisit a favorite place, enjoy a quiet café, or simply relax at Kurosawa-tei Hanare. By now, the town may already begin to feel a little familiar.
As the sun begins to set, gather once again around the table with local residents for another evening of seasonal food, conversation, and laughter. Depending on the day, some of the people you’ve met during your stay may join the gathering, making every evening unique.
Day 4 | Until We Meet Again
Enjoy one final slow morning at Kurosawa-tei Hanare.
Take a leisurely walk through the neighborhood, stop by a local bakery, or simply relax before checking out.
Your driver will transfer you to JR Sakudaira Station.
As you leave Sakuho, you’ll take home more than memories of beautiful scenery. You’ll remember the people who welcomed you into their community—and perhaps find yourself already thinking about the next time you’ll return.
Notes
- This is a sample journey and may change depending on the season, weather, and the availability of local hosts.
- As a private and customized experience, every journey is tailored to your interests, preferred travel dates, and travel pace.
- Specific hosts, activities, and locations may vary throughout the year, allowing each visit to reflect the season and the everyday rhythm of life in Sakuho.
Make This Journey Your Own
Not a sake drinker?
We can place more focus on local food, the orchard, Shinshu Salmon, nature, and time with the people of Sakuho.
Love food and meeting the people who produce it?
Spend more time with orchard growers, fish farmers, and local cooks, with seasonal experiences shaped around your visit.
Want to slow down and spend more time in nature?
We can shape your journey around orchard life, the moss forest, quiet mornings, and the everyday rhythm of rural Sakuho.
Tell us what interests you most. We’ll shape the journey around you.
Practical Information
| Price | Indicative price From ¥330,000 per person (based on 2 guests) Final pricing varies depending on the season, itinerary, accommodation, and experiences selected. |
|---|---|
| Journey Style | Private, fully customized journey Recommended duration: 4 days (flexible) Available year-round 2–6 guests |
| Accommodation | Kurosawa-tei Hanare Private traditional house (exclusive use) More than simply a place to stay, Kurosawa-tei Hanare offers the chance to experience the slower rhythm of everyday life in Sakuho. While preserving the character of a traditional Japanese home, it also provides the modern comforts needed for a relaxing stay. Breakfast is intentionally left open so you can enjoy a relaxed morning at your own pace. The house includes a kitchen and refrigerator, and before your stay we’ll be happy to recommend nearby bakeries, cafés, or local shops, and help you plan a morning that suits your interests. |
| What’s Included | ・Three nights’ accommodation at Kurosawa-tei Hanare ・Transportation for all scheduled experiences included in your itinerary ・English-speaking interpretation support during scheduled experiences ・All scheduled experiences and entrance fees ・Lunches during scheduled experiences ・Exclusive access and experiences arranged through KMJ’s local relationships ・Seasonal dinner experience with local residents, including sake pairing ・Coordination with local hosts before and during your journey ・WhatsApp support before and during your trip ・Domestic travel accident insurance |
| Not Included | ・Transportation to and from the meeting point ・Breakfast ・Personal expenses ・Optional food and beverages not included in the itinerary |
| Meeting Point | JR Sakudaira Station Meet your driver and English-speaking guide at JR Sakudaira Station, where your journey begins. |
| Cancellation Policy | 20–11 days before departure: 20% of the tour price 10–1 days before departure: 50% of the tour price Same-day cancellation or no-show: 100% of the tour price |
| Payment | Credit card (Visa and Mastercard) Detailed payment instructions will be provided after booking. |
| Additional Information | Each journey is individually designed. Your final itinerary will be confirmed after your consultation and booking request. Bookings must be made at least 20 days before your preferred departure date. |
| Language Support | Most experiences are hosted in Japanese. A professional English-speaking interpreter accompanies the journey to support communication while allowing conversations with local people to remain natural and authentic. Italian-language interpretation is also available upon request. |
| Getting Around | Private Transportation (Included) Private transportation is provided for all experiences included in your itinerary. If you’d like to arrange transportation during your free time, we’re happy to discuss the available options. Self-Drive Option (Available on Request) A self-drive version of this journey can also be arranged upon request. |
Meet the People of Sakuho
Want to learn more about the people you will meet on this journey?
Discover their stories and the passion behind each experience.
→ Discover their stories
