Tohoku Storm Chaser Food!
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At Japan Ski Tours, we think that skiing is about more than just skiing--especially when you're in a country famous for its culinary delights. As a guide company run and operated by guides who have years of experience living in Japan, we're excited to guide you to the best possible food in the evenings.
Our criteria for selecting restaurants are:
Food philosophy We specialize in providing a local culinary experience that meets a variety of price-points. We operate under the belief that well known restaurants and chefs are easy to find and experience, while a true local experience is what is difficult and sought after. As guides to these areas with years of experience, we've talked to locals and found some great gems that we've gotten great feedback on. If you're looking for a high-end "resorty" culinary experience (such as Michilen-Star restaurants or food by famous chefs) you’re probably on the wrong trip! Also note that sometimes we have to deviate from our planned meals due to restaurant days off, unforeseen events etc. so bear in mind that flexibility might be required. |
Day 1 - Sukiyaki
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Mr. Asari’s Sukiyaki Restaurant is located a 3 minute walk from our hotel and is a local favorite in Morioka and shouldn’t be missed! Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is Japanese dish that is prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style. In this case, it consists of thinly sliced, domestically produced high-grade Japanese Wagyu beef which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table alongside vegetables and other ingredients. It’s prepared in a shallow iron pot in a mixture secret sauce made by Mr. Asari himself. The ingredients are dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs after being cooked in the pot, and then eaten.
All the ingredients in this meal are locally sourced and extremely delicious! This is a course meal with the pre-set price at ¥6,000 per person. What comes out varies by what Mr. Asahi has freshly prepared for us. If you’re joining us for Sukiyaki, you will need to do the pre-set course with us as there is no option to not have the course meal. |
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Day 2-4: Japanese Izakaya (aka "Japanese tapas")
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Our Izakaya night is a traditional style Japanese experience. The food could be compared to tapas style with lots of micro-dishes which have a lot of variety from fried chicken to chicken skewers, from sashimi (raw fish) to fried seafood. We’ll be doing the ¥4,500 course which includes a small salad, tempura, rice cooked in an earthen bowl, seasonal grilled fish, miso soup, and various other bits and bobs depending on what they have on offer that day.
While drinking is a big part of an Izakaya experience, there’s also a constant stream of (shared) dishes. It’s hard to classify the food other than “generally goes well with alcohol”. In fact the menu can be so diverse that it can be a chance to try some dishes you haven’t tried before. Stats:
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Day 2-4: Yakiniku (aka Japanese BBQ)
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Yakiniku literally means "grilled meat" and is a skier’s hardy meal dream come true. High quality raw meats are cooked as a community effort at charcoal grills embedded in the table. A huge variety of high-quality beef and pork cuts are available on the menu and are grilled by you and your comrades to perfection. Sides include veggies, bibimbap (Korean style rice-based goodness), rice and salad.
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Day 5-7: Sushi!
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The seaport town of Aomori is famous even among Japanese for the quality of its sushi and is known especially for its locally sourced scallops. Join us at (arguably) the most delicious sushi experience in town and eat a great meal with various cuts of very fresh tuna, delicious salmon and pretty much any other living and edible thing you can grab from the nearby Sea of Japan.
Our sushi restaurant of choice located right across from our hotel, is small and family owned. Exactly what is served depends on what has come in fresh from the ocean, but staples are scallops, tuna and salmon. Stats:
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Aomori Day 5-7: Traditional Aomori Izakaya with musical performance
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This dinner and musical performance has been said to capture the essence of the Tohoku spirit. With all our seats facing the center of the restaurant, we will be served sake, various local delicacies including sashimi, pickled vegetables, grilled fish etc. As we partake in our meal we’ll enjoy an outstanding performance of Tsugaru Shamisen, the regionally famous Japanese instrument. The experience can’t fully be encapsulated in writing and must rather be experienced.
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Aomori Day 5-7: Nebuta Festival Dinner+show
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Experience the wonders of Aomori prefectures Nebuta festival at this dinner+show event. Nebuta is among Japan’s top 3 festivals and attracts 1 million visitors each year in the summer time, but this restaurant undergoes shows for its patrons by reservation, which of course we have sorted for you! Prepare to eat great food, drink great local sake, and the staff may even get you to put on a wig and get shwifty!
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Please Note |
Dietary Restrictions
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PLEASE NOTE: The areas we're going on this trip are so remote and off the tourist track that it's almost impossible to find an authentic restaurant experience that is completely non-smoking. Most of the places we go aren't crowded but there's always a chance that someone sitting in our vicinity might light up a cigarette. Unfortunately, this risk is the price of admission for good food in this region and we ask for your understanding.
Participation in dinner isn't required and isn't included in the price of your trip. If you want to have dinner on your own--no problem, just let your guide know in advance. By default, we assume that everyone is attending each of our dinner reservations. If you don’t want to join us for certain meals, be sure to let your guide know at least one day in advance so that the restaurant doesn’t prepare a meal for an absent customer. If you cancel your reservation on the day-of, you’ll be on the hook to pay for the price of the meal if it’s a course. Also note that sometimes we have to deviate from our planned meals because we can't make advanced reservations for everywhere we want to take you, so bear in mind that flexibility might be required. |
At JST we believe that skiing Japan and cultural experiences aren't mutually exclusive--that's why we try as much as possible to give you authentic food options. Unfortunately however, in Japan it's pretty much impossible to have an authentic culinary experience with dietary restrictions such as gluten intolerance and veganism, even pescetarians and vegetarians have a famously difficult time.
If you have dietary restrictions such as that listed above, your guide and selected restaurants will probably not be able to cater to your needs. This can be discussed with the guide but you should be prepared to eat grocery store food for most dinners. |
