Kyoto Trip Overview
Visit and experience a local village’s lifestyle and food culture where terraced rice fields, continuously cultivated for 1300 years, cascade down the mountains as far as the eye can see.
First, take a stroll to visit the local shrine while surrounded by the beautiful views with Lake Biwa glimmering far below.
The friendly and good-natured farming couple that hosts the mochi rice cake-making experience will welcome you wholeheartedly. They will demonstrate mochi rice cake making following the traditional method using homegrown rice. Freshly pounded with your own hands, they will taste exceptionally delicious.
Also, try our farm-to-table special Sukiyaki made with fresh chicken and lots of homegrown vegetables. The farmer will show you how to make it, so participate and learn. Chicken Sukiyaki is a holiday dish in Western Shiga, especially for local festivals. Many of our guests become big fans of this salty-sweet hotpot.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Kyoto, Japan
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Kyoto Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Visit and experience a local village’s lifestyle and food culture where terraced rice fields, continuously cultivated for 1300 years, cascade down the mountains as far as the eye can see.
First, take a stroll to visit the local shrine while surrounded by the beautiful views with Lake Biwa glimmering far below.
The friendly and good-natured farming couple that hosts the mochi rice cake-making experience will welcome you wholeheartedly. They will demonstrate mochi rice cake making following the traditional method using homegrown rice. Freshly pounded with your own hands, they will taste exceptionally delicious.
Also, try our farm-to-table special Sukiyaki made with fresh chicken and lots of homegrown vegetables. The farmer will show you how to make it, so participate and learn. Chicken Sukiyaki is a holiday dish in Western Shiga, especially for local festivals. Many of our guests become big fans of this salty-sweet hotpot.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Kyoto Station, Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan
JR Ogotoonsen Station (KOSEI LINE) is the starting point of this tour.
We can also pick you up at JR Kyoto Station at 9:15 am in front of the 7-11 convenience store next to the West Ticket Gate (2nd floor). The pick-up charge is 4,500JPY/group. Your train fare is not included in the price. Please pay the pick-up charge by cash to our tour conductor.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Ogotoonsen Station, 1 Chome-4 Ogotokita, Otsu, Shiga 520-0107, Japan
After a 30-minute train ride from JR Kyoto station, you will arrive at JR Ogotoonsen station.
Meet our tour conductor at the station.
You will take a taxi to the village of Ogi where you spend a half day learning about Japanese country life and smacking your lips over local specialties.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Ogura Shrine, 4-38-55 Ogi, Otsu 520-0247 Shiga Prefecture
After arriving at Ogi Village, you will enjoy a short walk through the village and rice fields.
Ogi Village has been continuously cultivating the large area of terraced rice fields using spring water for 1300 years, since around the same time as the capital city was relocated to just 10km south of the village.
Legend tells us that when a severe drought hit the city, the emperor enshrined the Shinto spirit of rain in Ogi village. Soon, spring water started running from the exact same location saving many peoples’ lives.
We will first visit Ogura shrine where the spirit is said to reside. A big festival is held here in May, just before the rice planting, to pray for a good harvest.
After taking a stroll through the rice terraces in the area, we will visit the local rice farmer’s house. There, we will experience exciting Mochi rice cake-making. You can pound the steaming sticky rice into delicious Mochi rice cakes using a giant mallet and mortar while enjoying the fun atmosphere, feeling like a child again.
*This tour will be hosted by a family from the local village community group. We carefully select our friendly and open-minded hosts after having meetings and interviews to ensure the quality time of our guests. We guarantee that you will have a wonderful experience with all of our hosts.
Also for lunch, the farmer will demonstrate how to cook delicious chicken sukiyaki in front of you, so participate and learn. Many of our guests became fans of this dish made with fresh local chicken and a variety of fresh vegetables just picked from the fields. Try the simple yet delicious dish! (Vegetarian dishes are also available)
This extraordinary experience, learning about a farmer’s life coexisting with the bounty of nature, will be the highlight of your trip to Japan!
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Ogotoonsen Station, 1 Chome-4 Ogotokita, Otsu, Shiga 520-0107, Japan
Our tour conductor will accompany you to the JR Ogotoonsen Station for your return journey to Kyoto.
Duration: 5 minutes
