"Explore the diverse fermented foods produced in Takashima, including funazushi, one of the oldest forms of sushi."
Takashima in Shiga prefecture is considered the city of fermentation. Producing Japanese sake, soy sauce, vinegar, and miso, Takashima has a proud culture of fermented foods. One of their most unique offerings is funazushi, the precursor to modern sushi which dates back 400 years. During this two-day tour, you’ll sample all kinds of fermented food in Takashima, from pickled veggies to funazushi.
On the first day, enjoy a lunch set featuring the town's many different fermented foods and local ingredients at a recently renovated hotel. Your host will teach you all about the town's history of fermentation, and introduce the local businesses selling sake, yogurt, and other fermented foods.
After lunch, try making your own kimchi. A fermented dish that originated in Korea, kimchi is a spicy pickled vegetable dish packed with nutrients. After making the kimchi, enjoy a full-course dinner featuring more of the town's locally-made fermented products.
On the second day, start the morning out with yoga. After the morning stretches, enjoy a gut-healthy breakfast at the hotel. Then, travel to a local factory to make salad dressing using vinegar—a great souvenir to take home.
Finally, you’ll get to try funazushi, the predecessor to modern-day sushi. Funazushi uses fish that’s pickled in salt as a natural preservative. In the past, keeping fish fresh was difficult without modern refrigeration, so pickling and fermenting was the best way to prepare fish to keep it edible for longer periods of time. While this is not as much of a concern today, funazushi remains a culturally-significant delicacy.
On the first day, enjoy a lunch set featuring the town's many different fermented foods and local ingredients at a recently renovated hotel. Your host will teach you all about the town's history of fermentation, and introduce the local businesses selling sake, yogurt, and other fermented foods.
After lunch, try making your own kimchi. A fermented dish that originated in Korea, kimchi is a spicy pickled vegetable dish packed with nutrients. After making the kimchi, enjoy a full-course dinner featuring more of the town's locally-made fermented products.
On the second day, start the morning out with yoga. After the morning stretches, enjoy a gut-healthy breakfast at the hotel. Then, travel to a local factory to make salad dressing using vinegar—a great souvenir to take home.
Finally, you’ll get to try funazushi, the predecessor to modern-day sushi. Funazushi uses fish that’s pickled in salt as a natural preservative. In the past, keeping fish fresh was difficult without modern refrigeration, so pickling and fermenting was the best way to prepare fish to keep it edible for longer periods of time. While this is not as much of a concern today, funazushi remains a culturally-significant delicacy.
Highlights
- Learn all about fermentation from experts
- Enjoy meals featuring fermented food like miso, tuskemono, and soy sauce
- Make your own kimchi and salad dressing
- Try original sushi, funazushi
Inclusions
- Kimchi making experience
- Salad dressing making experience
- Hotel stay
- Three meals
