THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Leave Tokyo for a full-day escape to Iiyama: mossed temple halls, evocative clay dolls, and a 150-year family sake brewery. This guided trip blends cultural depth with simple country charm and a hands-on look at traditional sake making.
Leave Tokyo for a full-day escape to Iiyama: mossed temple halls, evocative clay dolls, and a 150-year family sake brewery. This guided trip blends cultural depth with simple country charm and a hands-on look at traditional sake making.
The day begins on the shinkansen, windows clearing from the city to reveal a patchwork of rice fields and dark conifer slopes. By midmorning you step off in Iiyama, where crisp mountain water perfumes the air and an old temple garden spreads moss and maples beneath a quiet sky.
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Operated by MY Travel Consulting · Iiyama, Nagano Prefecture
The day begins on the shinkansen, windows clearing from the city to reveal a patchwork of rice fields and dark conifer slopes. By midmorning you step off in Iiyama, where crisp mountain water perfumes the air and an old temple garden spreads moss and maples beneath a quiet sky.
Sho-nenji is a Jodo-sect temple with more than 500 years of local practice; its main hall holds an Amida Buddha and a patient calm that feels like a pause in motion. Nearby, the Mayumi Takahashi Doll Museum presents life-sized clay figures that portray farm life with gentle humor—small scenes that map everyday culture in the countryside.
In the afternoon the tour moves to Tanakaya Shuzo. The family brewery still operates in a wooden building dating back more than 150 years, using mountain spring water and local rice to produce Mizuo sake. The fermentation rooms smell faintly of yeast and cedar; the guide explains koji, pressing, and the seasonal rhythms that shape flavor in this snowy corner of Nagano.
Practicalities matter: the round trip takes about 10–11 hours from Tokyo by bullet train, and the route includes short walks on compact village streets and temple steps. Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian lunch) is available for small groups by reservation, and the brewery tasting is included. Travelers should wear comfortable walking shoes, bring modest clothing for temples, and carry cash for small purchases. Expect cool mountain breezes in the morning, warmer afternoons, and the steady, unhurried pace of rural Japan—where rivers cut the valley and community craft still guides the calendar.
The shinkansen and local transfer typically take about 90 minutes one-way, depending on connections.
Yes, the tour includes a guided brewery visit and tasting of Tanakaya Shuzo’s Mizuo varieties.
Yes—vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free requests can be honored for the included lunch if noted at booking.
Infants are welcome and strollers are manageable on village streets, but some temple steps require carrying small children.
MY Travel Consulting operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
The day begins on the shinkansen, windows clearing from the city to reveal a patchwork of rice fields and dark conifer slopes. By midmorning you step off in Iiyama, where crisp mountain water perfumes the air and an old temple garden spreads moss and maples beneath a quiet sky.
The day begins on the shinkansen, windows clearing from the city to reveal a patchwork of rice fields and dark conifer slopes. By midmorning you step off in Iiyama, where crisp mountain water perfumes the air and an old temple garden spreads moss and maples beneath a quiet sky.
Sho-nenji is a Jodo-sect temple with more than 500 years of local practice; its main hall holds an Amida Buddha and a patient calm that feels like a pause in motion. Nearby, the Mayumi Takahashi Doll Museum presents life-sized clay figures that portray farm life with gentle humor—small scenes that map everyday culture in the countryside.
In the afternoon the tour moves to Tanakaya Shuzo. The family brewery still operates in a wooden building dating back more than 150 years, using mountain spring water and local rice to produce Mizuo sake. The fermentation rooms smell faintly of yeast and cedar; the guide explains koji, pressing, and the seasonal rhythms that shape flavor in this snowy corner of Nagano.
Practicalities matter: the round trip takes about 10–11 hours from Tokyo by bullet train, and the route includes short walks on compact village streets and temple steps. Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian lunch) is available for small groups by reservation, and the brewery tasting is included. Travelers should wear comfortable walking shoes, bring modest clothing for temples, and carry cash for small purchases. Expect cool mountain breezes in the morning, warmer afternoons, and the steady, unhurried pace of rural Japan—where rivers cut the valley and community craft still guides the calendar.