Plan a food trip to Japan

A food trip to Japan is planned around its markets, classes and regions: Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA Teppanyaki - Kobe, Sake brewery walking tour in Nada, home to Japan's No. 1 sake district. Choose laid-back for two things a day, or packed for four.

What kind of trip
Pace
How long
How much do you want to spend

Price bands are thirds of what Japan itself charges, not a fixed dollar figure - the cheapest third in Vietnam and in Norway are nowhere near the same number. Flights and accommodation are not included.

Your 5-day food and drink plan for Japan

Where you stayKobe 3 nightsNagoya 2 nightsabout 165 km between them

5 days · packed · 11 of 19 bookable now · activities from about $909

  1. Day 1 Kobe

    1. Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA Teppanyaki - Kobe in Kobe, Japan

      morning

      Kobe Beef Steak SAKURA Teppanyaki - Kobe

      Kobe · from $64

    2. Sake brewery walking tour in Nada, home to Japan's No. 1 sake district in Kobe, Japan

      afternoon

      Sake brewery walking tour in Nada, home to Japan's No. 1 sake district (Kobe)

      Kobe · from $107

    3. Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden in Kobe, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden

      Kobe

      Botanical garden on Mount Rokkō, Kobe, Japan. Dates from 1933.

    4. Osaka Kimono/Yukata Rental & Photography Experience in Osaka, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Osaka Kimono/Yukata Rental & Photography Experience (Provided by Oukakimono)

      4.9878 reviewsOsaka · from $23

  2. Day 2 Kobe

    1. Arima Onsen in Kobe, Japan

      morningalso worth doing

      Arima Onsen

      Kobe

      Hot springs in Japan.

    2. Kitayama Botanical Garden in Kobe, Japan

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Kitayama Botanical Garden

      Kobe · 7.4 km from Arima Onsen

      Botanical garden in Hyōgo, Japan. Dates from 1982.

    3. Nunobiki Herb Garden in Kobe, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Nunobiki Herb Garden

      Kobe · 12.7 km from Kitayama Botanical Garden

      Herb garden in Kobe, Japan. Dates from 1991.

    4. Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass in Osaka, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Universal Studios Japan Studio Pass

      4.888,974 reviewsOsaka · from $82 · 22.6 km from Nunobiki Herb Garden

    Where to eat

    • Lunch

      Hajime

      The restaurant was opened in May 2008 and only a year and a half later received a three-star rating in the Michelin Guide, then the only restaurant in Osaka to receive that distinction.

      Osaka · 6.4 km away

  3. Day 3 Kobe

    1. Kobe Municipal Arboretum in Kobe, Japan

      morningalso worth doing

      Kobe Municipal Arboretum

      Kobe

      Botanical garden and arboretum in Kobe, Japan. Dates from 1940.

    2. Hakodateyama Ski Resort Beginner Lesson & Snow Fun from Osaka in Osaka, Japan

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Hakodateyama Ski Resort Beginner Lesson & Snow Fun from Osaka

      4.6803 reviewsOsaka · from $57

    3. Japanese Massage, Head Spa & Facial at the Temple in Osaka, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Osaka: Japanese Massage, Head Spa & Facial at the Temple (180-min)

      Osaka · from $361

    4. Osaka Facial & Body Salon Rechica Face&Body Salon in Osaka, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Osaka Facial & Body Salon Rechica Face&Body Salon

      Osaka · from $115

  4. Day 4 Nagoya

    1. Travel day

      Kobe to Nagoya

      About 165 km by high-speed train · allow around 1h 30m

      Journey time is an estimate rather than a timetable - check the operator before you book anything tight on either side of it. Klook sells Japan Shinkansen & Train Tickets, which covers this country rather than this leg - you pick the route and date at checkout.

    2. Maid Cafe & Dining Experience: Maidreamin HYPER in Nagoya, Japan

      afternoon

      Maid Cafe & Dining Experience: Maidreamin HYPER (Nagoya)

      Nagoya · from $33

    3. Tea Ceremony Experience in Nagoya, Japan

      evening

      Tea Ceremony Experience (Nagoya)

      4.962 reviewsNagoya · from $11

    4. Maid cafe experience at Maidreamin in Nagoya, Japan

      evening

      Maid cafe experience at Maidreamin (Nagoya)

      Nagoya · from $16

  5. Day 5 Nagoya

    1. Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Japan

      morningalso worth doing

      Nagoya Castle

      Nagoya

      Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan. Dates from 1532. Important Cultural Property of Japan.

    2. Nagoya Mosque in Nagoya, Japan

      afternoonalso worth doing

      Nagoya Mosque

      Nagoya · 2.7 km from Nagoya Castle

      Mosque in Japan. Dates from 1998.

    3. Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagoya, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      Toyota Automobile Museum

      Nagoya · 17.0 km from Nagoya Mosque

      Science museum in Aichi, Japan. Dates from 1989.

    4. VASARA Kimono and Yukata Rental in Nagoya in Nagoya, Japan

      eveningalso worth doing

      VASARA Kimono and Yukata Rental in Nagoya

      4.786 reviewsNagoya · from $39

Prices are indicative and in Australian dollars. Flights and accommodation are not included. Distances between stops are straight-line, so a walking or driving route will be longer, and they are shown only where both stops have a known location. Items marked also worth doing sit outside the food and drink theme and are there because they are among the best things to do in Japan.

Before you fly to Japan

The part an itinerary app leaves out. These are Japan's rules for Australian passport holders, re-read from the official source and dated below.

Entry

No - Australian passport holders can enter Japan without a visa for up to 90 days.

Japan visa and entry rules

Passport

Check your passport covers the whole trip with room to spare. A fare is non-refundable long before a passport renewal is.

Check your passport against this rule

Your checklist

21 things to sort for Japan, built from these same rules, 3 of them essential.

Japan travel checklist

  • Passport valid - valid for the duration of your stay
  • Take out travel insurance
  • Get an International Driving Permit

Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Entry requirements change without notice. Always confirm with the official sources below before you book or fly.

Sort these before you go

The two things worth having arranged before a food and drink trip to Japan, compared on price.

Japan eSIM plans

Airalo

1GB · 7 days

32k
Works in Japan1GB of data7 days validity
$6.50 AUD

Saily Cheapest 10GB

10GB · 15 days

6k
Works in Japan10GB of data15 days validity
$11.50 AUD

Airalo Recommended

10GB · 15 days

32k
Works in Japan10GB of data15 days validity
$13 AUD

Japan money and cards

Wise Best exchange rate

Wise debit card

45k
Mid-market exchange rateHold 40+ currenciesFree ATM allowance each month
0.43%-0.65% conversion fee

Revolut No weekday FX fee

Revolut Standard

30k
Interbank rates Monday to Friday30+ currenciesInstant spend notifications
0% FX fee
Compare only

ING Orange Everyday ATM fees rebated

ING Orange Everyday

22k
Rebates international ATM feesNo international transaction feeFull Australian bank account
0% FX fee

Prices are indicative, shown in AUD and refreshed from provider APIs where available. Always confirm the final price on the provider's site - it is the price that applies. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never changes what you pay. Partners are listed before providers who pay us nothing, as our terms set out; sorting by price ignores all of that and orders on the number alone. How we make money.

Food and drink trip questions

Do I need to book restaurants and food tours in advance?

Cooking classes and food tours, yes - they run small and fill up. Street food and markets, no. The plan marks which is which, and anything bookable can be held before you leave Australia.

What if I have dietary requirements?

Cooking classes and organised tours will almost always accommodate them if you say so when booking rather than on the day. Street food is harder to control, so it is worth learning the phrase for what you cannot eat in the local language before you go.

Other ways to do Japan

Food and drink trips in other countries

Still deciding where to go? These are built the same way - real activities, in an order that works, with the entry rules for Australians attached.

All food and drink itineraries

Save your trip

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