Traditional Mochi (rice cake) Making by Pestle & Mortar - Half Day Tour
Joined 2019
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake that is chewy, very soft and delicious. This tour provides you a highly amusing experience where you can make the mochi on your own from steamed rice to round-shaped mochi filled with sweet red beans by a pestle and mortar in the Echizen classic farmer's house. You can make an intricate Chinkin pattern by carving with a knife and then gold/silver powder is inlaid into the surface to fix the design w/artisan. It will be quite a unique experience and such fun!
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Echizen-Takefu Station
- meet at JR Echizen-Takefu station
Chinkin Technique Workshop at Lacquerware Hall (60 min)
Echizen is the lacquerware production center of Japan. Make Chinkin pattern on a lacquerware by carving with a knife and then gold/silver powder is inlaid into the surface to fix the beautiful design.You can learn a delicate and intricate Chinkin technique from an artisan. All kinds of lacquerware including chopsticks, bawls, plates, luncheon mats etc are displayed and sold at lower prices.
Yamafutokoro Farmer's House (150 min)
Experience of making mochi (Japanese rice cake) from steamed rice by pounding with a pestle and a mortar. Then make round-shaped mochi by hand, filling with sweet red beans and also covered with crushed peanuts. It will be a great fun and memorable experience.
Lunch
Enjoy eating your handmade mochi after making it! Explore backyard mountain to see eatable wild vegetable.
Echizen-Takefu JR station - finish
Ending Point
Echizen-Takefu Takefu Station
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
tour fee
-Mochi making fee: 2,200 yen/person for a group of 3 and above, 3,000 yen/person for a group of 2.
-transportation related to the tour:
taxi is required for this tour due to no trains and less buses.
JR Echizen-Takefu sta. to a lacquerware hall: 1,000 yen using a taxi coupon subsidised by the governemnt
Lacquerware hall to Yamafutokoro: 1,000 yen taxi coupon
Yamafutokoro to JR Echizen-Takefu sta.: 5,700 yen
Tour Important Information
* Tour duration and a place of lacquerware can be changed at your request.
*This tour requires taxes due to no transportation or less operation of buses. (Please see tax fares in Included/Not Include.)
*Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
The lacquerware hall is closed every 4th Tuesday. When it is closed, washi paper museum is recommended to visit. Artisan will show you how the traditional washi paper is made using the bark of a tree.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2019
About Tour Guide Yoshie K.
Hi, I am Yoshie. I am a national government licensed English speaking Guide. I used to work for multinational companies and served as an interpreter for several years and travelled around Japan with coworkers. I love plants, nature, travelling as well as finding good places to eat! I am also a communicative person.
After having lived in Tokyo for some decades, now I live in my hometown, Fukui where you can have a great experience of Zen buddhism in the head temple of the Zen sect, Eiheiji which was founded in 1244. Fukui Dinosaur Museum is very popular regardless of age. It is one of the world's three largest dinosaurs. Echizen is also well known for Japan's handmade crafts including kitchen knives, washi paper, lacquer wares, Tansu chests and pottery. Seeing craftsmen's work right in front of you makes you excited and impressed.
I have been travelling Kanazawa since my high school age so I know well about the town to show you around as well as Shirakawago, a day trip from Kanazawa.
I am excited to meet you and coordinate what you are really interested in to make you the happiest memories in Japan.
I look forward to guiding you soon!
Reviews
Thomas S.
“Excellent guide”
Yoshie is a very knowledgeable, easy to deal with and fun guide. She tailored made both tours according to our interests and wishes. We enjoyed the days a lot with her. Will definitifely book her services again to explore more of Japan with her. Arigato kozaimas
Yoshie K.
Hi Thomas, thank you very much for your generous review. I am so pleased to hear that you had a good time visiting Shirakawago and Ainokura of Gokayama. You all liked Ainokura, a cute village. There are many other beautiful places in the Hokuriku region. I hope you come to visit again. Thank you. Yoshie
Thomas S.
“Excellent guide”
Yoshie is a very knowledgeable, easy to deal with and fun guide. She tailored made both tours according to our interests and wishes. We enjoyed the days a lot with her. Will definitifely book her services again to explore more of Japan with her. Arigato kozaimas
Yoshie K.
Hi Thomas, Thank you so much for your kind and generous review. When you visited Kanazawa, it was early for cherry blossoms due to the long winter but luckily and coincidentally there was one place in the castle site where you could enjoy full cherry blossoms - I thought it was a big gift for you. I enjoyed guiding you all to Shirakawago and Gokayama as well. I hope to see you again! Thank you. Yoshie
John W.
“Kanazawa full day tour”
Yoshie was a great help in organising our itinerary for our day in Kanazawa. Her English was excellent and she was very organised and knowledgeable. We all had a great time.
Yoshie K.
Hi John, thank you so much for your kind review. I also had a very good time being with you all including a good lunch place which accidentally led us there. Thank you again! Yoshie
$217/ per group
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Mochi (rice cake) Making and Visiting Crafts Making Villages With The History of 1500 Years
Mochi is a rice cake that is chewy, soft and delicious. This tour provides you a highly amusing experience where you can make the mochi on your own from steamed rice to round-shaped mochi filled with sweet red beans and one with toppings by a pestle and mortar in the old Echizen classic farmer's house. Echizen is a major crafts town so you can learn how artisans produce crafts very closely including washi paper using bark of a tree, lacquerware and knives derived from a Japanese sword.
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Zazen is silent meditation of Zen Buddhism and it is performed in sitting. This tour is to have an experience of Zazen at Eiheiji Zen Head Temple where it was founded by Zen Master Dogen who first taught Zen in Japan. The Temple has been filled with the bracing and serene atmosphere of Zen practitioners. Let’s try Zazen to see inside yourself and/or relax in the deep mountains during busy travelling.
Mochi (rice cake) Making and Visiting Crafts Making Villages With The History of 1500 Years
Mochi is a rice cake that is chewy, soft and delicious. This tour provides you a highly amusing experience where you can make the mochi on your own from steamed rice to round-shaped mochi filled with sweet red beans and one with toppings by a pestle and mortar in the old Echizen classic farmer's house. Echizen is a major crafts town so you can learn how artisans produce crafts very closely including washi paper using bark of a tree, lacquerware and knives derived from a Japanese sword.