Discover the unique culture and landscapes of the ‘Snow Country’ in the heart of central Japan—one of the snowiest areas of the world—and understand how they relate to the region’s extreme climate

Learn about the region’s great fermented food tradition—including premium-quality sake, naturally fermented soy sauce and miso, and health-giving natto and doburoku (farmer’s cloudy sake)—by visiting artisan workshops, local food experts, and the renowned Yoshinogawa Sake Brewery

Stay in community-run accommodation in traditional (renovated for modern comforts) thatched farmhouses in picturesque country villages—these are NOT tourist villages that you find on most tour itineraries

Visit a traditional handmade paper workshop in a country village—one of the last remaining in the region—to watch the artisans skilfully crafting beautifully textured paper, try your own hand at papermaking, and learn how paper mulberry bushes are grown, harvested and processed to make the paper

Experience everyday life in a hill village, take a country walk through the photogenic terraced fields, and spectate a village bull-wrestling tournament—an ancient tradition celebrating the god-like status of cattle in the local culture, involving a fight between two trained bulls strictly controlled by attendants to avoid injuries to the bulls

Explore the world-renowned knifemaking and metalworking traditions of Sanjo, visit blacksmithing workshops, hunt for souvenir items at showrooms, and trying your hand at handcrafting a traditional Japanese paperknife or learning how to sharpen a Japanese handcrafted kitchen knife

Absorb the spiritual atmosphere at Snow Country’s Buddhist temples—among the most elaborate in Japan—including a small chapel renowned for the wood carvings by Uncho Ishikawa, the 19th-century ‘Michelangelo of Japan’

Stay in a classic 19th-century Snow Country farmhouse restored to its original glory at a private, community-run accommodation (with modern comforts), and marvel at its architectural detail close up

Discover the Snow Country’s renowned textile traditions, watch weavers in action at a Tsumugi textile workshop and admire exquisite Kimono textiles at a local showroom

Contemplate a serene landscaped moss and woodland garden at an 18th-century country estate, rated among the best moss gardens in Japan

Enjoy a variety of dining experiences including the freshest Sea of Japan seafood, soba noodles, and sansai (Japanese ‘bushfoods’)—plus an Italian-style lunch at a winery using snow for low-temperature maturation of its unique wines

Learn about the region’s history, natural environment, traditional life and contemporary art at local museums and galleries—including a collection of astoundingly elaborate Jomon-period ceramics over 5000 years old