Experience Traditional Japan Tour in Soka

Experience Traditional Japan Tour in Soka (6 hours)

 

When you come to Tokyo, why not do an off-the-beaten-path tour that will take you to neighboring prefecture Saitama? No throngs of international tourists will be seen here, but there are many towns that still breathe the atmosphere of Edo Period Japan. Soka is one of these areas that is rich in cultural and artisan history that hasn’t quite been discovered yet by the masses. Join one of our local guides on this Experience Traditional Japan Tour in Soka!

 

Experience Traditional Japan Tour itinerary

 

Soka is located north of Tokyo, and is conveniently reached from popular Tokyo tourist areas like Asakusa and Ueno. On this tour, you can enjoy local food, hands-on experiences, shopping, scenery, history, culture, and traditional crafts all at once. Another great reason to come to Soka is to see the friendly locals go about their lives, and you will get the chance to interact with them with your guide as your interpreter if you’d like that. This is what your day in Soka will look like:

 

Senbei workshop: these tasty Japanese savory crackers originated in this area, and here you get to try your hands at making them yourself! This beautiful outdoor facility makes it a comfortable experience, and of course, you get to eat your creations. You can opt to enjoy a light lunch here as well with tasty and vegetarian senbei-inspired dishes.

 

Teahouse: in this beautiful Kyoto-style teahouse that has many clever tricks to make your stay here comfortable. If you’d like that, you can get a short tour through the tea house and learn about the buildings interesting details. You will also enjoy a cup of matcha green tea with a seasonal sweet in a peaceful environment, while the guide will share her stories about the area. Next to the tea house there is a cultural center where they sell leather works and other crafts from local artisans.

 

Matsubara road: this tree-lined road exudes a traditional atmosphere with its beautiful bridges and sandy surface. It is easy to feel like you went back in time when merchants and samurai were walking this riverside road to go between Edo and Nikko. There is also a special connection with famous Haiku poet Basho that your guide will tell you all about.

 

Soka town: the town of Soka has a nice atmosphere and there are still quite a few buildings that retained their original ‘kura warehouse’ look. One of these old buildings houses the community center where you will have a chance to chat with friendly locals. You will also see quite a few nods to the town’s connection with senbei crackers, and near the end of the tour you will get the chance to relax a bit in a wonderful cafe that is about to become a part of the ‘Tangible Cultural Heritage’ list. The building has been in the family for 4 generations and the cafe is very popular with the locals.

 

More information

 

This tour is available in English or Japanese. When you are booking, please mention whether you’d like to include a cake set in the cafe at the end of your tour so we can give you a proper quote and the guide can make the necessary reservations.

 

For more information, inquiries, and bookings you can email us at nicki@tokiotours.com or click on the ‘More information’ button