Tour summary
This premium program offers an in-depth exploration of Azumino’s wasabi culture from three perspectives: history, farming, and cuisine.
Guests begin by learning about the origins of wasabi cultivation at the Centennial Memorial Museum, then stroll through a historic landscape where waterwheels and clear streams still remain.
The experience continues with an exclusive visit to a private wasabi farm, guided by a fourth-generation producer, where participants learn about the life and work of wasabi farmers, harvest fresh wasabi themselves, and try grating it by hand.
The journey concludes with a wasabi-inspired meal at a local soba restaurant—an extraordinary experience that brings together Azumino’s nature, people, and food culture into one unforgettable whole.
In detail
This experience offers a hands-on introduction to Azumino’s wasabi culture, shaped by both nature and the people who developed it over generations.
The journey begins at the Daio Wasabi Farm Centennial Memorial Museum. Guests learn how wasabi cultivation started in the early Meiji period, using irrigation channels, natural spring water, local climate, and later the arrival of the railway to develop Azumino into a major wasabi-producing area. The fresh aroma and sharp flavor of Azumino wasabi come from spring water selected as one of Japan’s “100 Famous Waters.”
After the museum visit, guests walk through a scenic area with clear streams and traditional waterwheels, experiencing firsthand how nature and daily life have coexisted in Azumino.
By chartered taxi, the group travels to Ishida Wasabi Farm. A fourth-generation wasabi producer shares insights into modern wasabi farming and his family’s work. Guests put on boots, enter the wasabi fields, harvest fresh wasabi, and try grating and tasting it themselves—an exclusive highlight of this program.
The experience concludes with a meal at a local soba restaurant, enjoying freshly harvested wasabi alongside regional cuisine.
Rather than simply sightseeing, this program offers a deeper connection to Azumino’s history, people, and natural environment.
Your Host
- Yukie Sawada
Cyclist, Cycling Guide, Outdoor guide -
Since 2013, Yukie has been based in Hakuba Village, Nagano, working as an outdoor guide. She plans, operates, and leads e-bike and cycling tours set against the stunning backdrop of the Northern Alps. She has also been involved in organizing major events such as the Alps Azumino Century Ride and the Kiso Ontake Gran Fondo, helping promote the region’s charm and build community through cycling.
Qualifications:
- JCGA Cycling Guide Basic
- JCTA Tour Leader Award, Cycling UK
- Wilderness Advanced First Aid (Advanced)
Location
- HOTAKA Station
-
Address: Azumino City, Nagano 399-8201, Japan
More information
| FIT / Group | Both |
| Min. and Max. # of Participants | 2 min / 6 max |
| What is Included in the Price | Visiting the private Wasabi Farm. Chartered taxi. |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Start/End Time | 9:30 – 12:30 |
| Meeting / Departing Point | HOTAKA Station Address: Azumino City, Nagano 399-8201, Japan View on map |
| Notes: dietary restrictions, age limit. etc. | Age 12+ |
| Cancellation Policy | 21 – 30 days before the day of the start of the tour: 30% 7 – 20 days before the day of the start of the tour: 40% 6 – 2 days prior : 50% 1 day prior & on that day : 100% |
※Available until 2026. Jun 30th
Scenes from the Tour
