Inabe

Day Trips

Start with a scenic stroll among emerald rice paddies outside Inabe Station. Local farmers will greet you and share stories of their seasonal planting rituals. Soothe your senses with a steaming cup of green tea at a roadside stand overlooking the fields.

Rent a bicycle and follow the serene Kizu River path toward Yoro Valley. Pause to explore small shrines hidden in bamboo groves. Refuel with handmade soba noodles at a family-run workshop where you can try your hand at kneading and cutting dough.

Reserve a table at a cozy riverside izakaya serving fresh produce from Mie Prefecture. Watch lanterns sparkle on the water as you savor grilled river fish and local sake. Conclude the night with a leisurely walk along moonlit field edges listening to crickets.

Depart early to explore Sodesaki Kannon Temple's peaceful grounds. Admire ancient wooden pagodas set against lush forests. Participate in a short meditation session with resident monks.

Wander to nearby Gidenji Shrine, famed for its vermilion gates. Learn about local legends while strolling beneath centuries-old cedar trees. Staff will demonstrate traditional shrine rituals you can try yourself.

Attend an evening light-up event at Danjo Garan pagoda if available. Feel the tranquil ambiance as lanterns cast gentle glows on moss-covered stones. End your day with a simple vegetarian shojin ryori dinner at the temple guesthouse.

Drive to Shimo-Yoro Onsen nestled in a serene valley. Let the warm mineral water soothe tired muscles as steam rises around you. Enjoy a light breakfast of grilled rice balls and pickles at the rotemburo entrance.

Book a traditional kaiseki lunch at the onsen ryokan overlooking cedar forests. Savor seasonal dishes artfully presented in lacquerware. Follow with a private cypress wood bath for deeper relaxation.

Return to your ryokan room and don a yukata for a leisurely stroll around the onsen village. Pause at a small tea house to sample local yuzucha under paper lantern light. Drift to sleep on a futon laid out beside sliding shoji doors.

Travel to a nearby tea plantation south of Inabe town. Walk among carefully pruned tea bushes as early dew glistens on leaves. Join a tea farmer to learn about hand-picking techniques and the significance of each leaf.

Participate in a matcha ceremony at the plantation's open-air pavilion. Grind your own tea leaves using a stone mill and whisk them into a frothy bowl. Gain insight into the centuries-old tea traditions of Mie Prefecture.

Head back to Inabe for dinner featuring tea-infused dishes like soba noodles and ice cream. Reflect on the day’s harvest rituals while sipping a final cup of freshly brewed green tea. Admire distant mountain silhouettes as twilight deepens.

Visit a local washi paper studio to discover traditional papermaking methods. Dip fibers into vats of mulberry pulp and see how delicate sheets emerge on bamboo frames. Listen to the rhythmic tapping as artisans press and dry each sheet by hand.

Move to a pottery kiln where local artists share their wheel-throwing secrets. Shape a tea bowl under the guidance of a master potter and add your own brushstroke decoration. Learn about the clay sources unique to the Inabe region.

Attend a hands-on indigo dyeing workshop in a historic farmhouse. Submerge fabric pieces into deep blue vats and watch patterns emerge through resist techniques. Savor a hearty meal of local vegetables afterward in the same rustic setting.

Set out early for a guided trek up Mt. Akoda. Feel crisp mountain air as you ascend through mixed beech and cedar forests. Reach a ridge overlooking terraced fields and pause to photograph the scenic panorama.

Continue toward a hidden waterfall where you can rest and enjoy a bento lunch on smooth granite rocks. Spot rare bird species flitting among mossy branches. Hear water cascading into a clear pool echoing in the canyon.

Return to a mountain lodge at dusk and warm up beside a wooden hearth. Chat with fellow hikers over steaming miso soup and grilled mushrooms. End the night gazing at a sky full of stars free from city lights.

Meet your guide at the Kizu River bank for a safety briefing and kayak lesson. Paddle gently downstream past willow-lined shores. Take in reflections of the sky dancing on the rippling water.

Cruise to a secluded river bend where a packed lunch awaits on sandy banks. Swim in calm eddies or hike a short trail to view rare flora along the river corridor. Return to your kayak for a scenic float back under arched wooden bridges.

Dry off and change before joining locals at a riverside barbecue spot. Grill freshly caught ayu (sweetfish) over charcoal flames. Stay late to share stories around a bonfire and listen to folk music under lantern light.

Explore Inabe's lively morning market brimming with crafts and seasonal produce. Chat with stallholders selling handmade snacks and festival masks. Collect a guidebook for the evening festival events.

Learn traditional festival dances at a community center with local performers. Try on colorful happi coats and practice drum rhythms. Discover the cultural significance behind each movement and song.

Join the illuminated procession winding through narrow streets. Carry a lantern and chant alongside jubilant crowds celebrating regional deities. Watch dancers spin and fireworks bloom overhead in a festive crescendo.

Arrive at an organic vegetable farm where you will stay the night. Help farmers collect fresh greens and root vegetables for breakfast. Gain hands-on experience planting new seedlings in neat furrows.

Participate in a cooking class using farm-fresh ingredients to prepare local favorites like nabemono hot pot. Learn rustic techniques of preserving vegetables using salt and miso. Taste the dishes you helped create accompanied by locally brewed sake.

Retreat to a guesthouse for a restful soak in an outdoor cedar bath. Enjoy a home-cooked dinner by candlelight featuring the day’s harvest. Drift to sleep listening to wind chimes hanging on the farmhouse eaves.

Start at Inabe's busy fish market to observe tuna auctions and seafood prep. Sample sashimi slices thinly carved by expert hands. Learn about the fishing practices that supply Mie Prefecture's coastal trade.

Join a professional chef for a private cooking session focused on regional specialties like Matsusaka beef skewers. Master knife skills and plate aesthetic techniques. Feast on a multi-course lunch paired with local rice wine.

Cap off your journey with a gourmet farewell dinner at a Michelin-recommended restaurant. Relish modern interpretations of traditional Inabe flavors in an intimate setting. Raise a final toast to ten days of discovery under softly lit lanterns.