Tracing a Grain of Rice
A quiet journey through the mountains and water of Tosa Reihoku
Tosa Tenku-no-Sato — 'Village in the Sky' — is fed by mountain springs that flow into the Yoshino River. The rice grown here has been awarded the Special Grand Gold Prize at Japan's National Rice Contest. This day follows a single grain — from the misty terraces, through the region's fermentation culture, to a quiet table in the hills.
01. WALK
A guided walk through the Yoshinobu terraced rice fields — hillside paddies shaped by generations of local farmers, sustained by mountain water and seasonal craft.
02. DISCOVER
A behind-the-scenes visit to Tosa Shuzo, a long-established sake brewery, together with a local rice shochu distillery connected through the region’s terraced rice culture.
03. SAVOUR
A seasonal table in a quiet mountain village, pairing the valley's rice, sake, and rice shochu with vegetables, mountain herbs, and seasonal ingredients.
Meeting Time
11:00
Meeting Place
Montbell Outdoor Village Motoyama
2133-1 Motoyama, Motoyama-cho, Nagaoka District, Kochi
Details of Tour / Activity
11:00am
Welcome at Montbell Outdoor Village Motoyama. Briefing by the Tosa Reihoku Tourism Council and your English-speaking local guide.
11:30am-1:00pm
Yoshinobu Terraced Rice Fields — A Guided Walk. An unhurried walk through highland terraced rice fields fed by mountain water, guided by local people who share the seasonal rhythm of Tosa Tenku-no-Sato rice. (Light rain: walk continues with rainwear. Heavy rain: indoor briefing at Tengiku Chaya teahouse.) Onigiri Lunch — Tosa Tenku-no-Sato Rice. A simple, satisfying bento of rice balls made with the award-winning local rice, prepared by the Tosa Reihoku Tourism Council.
1:30pm-3:30pm
Tosa Shuzo Sake Brewery & Baum Rice Shochu Distillery. A guided visit to a long-established local brewery and a local rice shochu distillery using rice grown in the Yoshinobu terraced fields.
4:30pm-7:00pm
Satoyama Dinner — Namekawa-no-Sato. A seasonal table drawn from the surrounding hills — a quiet, seasonal table rooted in the local landscape. 7:00pm Return to Montbell Outdoor Village Motoyama.
Details
Availability
All year around
Required time
11:00am to 7:00pm. Approximately eight hours.
Price
Group of 2 people: ¥138,000 per person (tax included)
Group of 3 people: ¥103,000 per person (tax included)
Included
- Lunch (onigiri bento featuring Tosa Tenku-no-Sato rice)
- Seasonal satoyama dinner
- Terraced rice field guided walk
- Sake brewery & rice shochu distillery admission and guided visit
- English-speaking local guide
- Local host accompaniment from the community
- Travel insurance for the tour day
- Taxi transportation during the tour
Min./Max. participants
Min. 2 people
Max. 3 people
Important information
- If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform us at the time of booking.
- The tour will proceed in light rain. In the event of heavy rain, the countryside walk will be canceled and replaced with an indoor briefing.
Cancellation Policy
- Up to 8 days before the start of the trip: 0%
- 7 day before, to 3 days before: 30%
- Cancellation on a day before, the day of the trip or after the trip has started or no contact or non-participation: 100%