expedia
One Key

Earn OneKeyCash when you sign in and book an activity

Miyagi Sendai Private Tour: Lacquering Experience & Sake Brewery

By JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.
Free cancellation available
Price is £292 per adult

Features

  • Free cancellation available
  • 7h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation

Overview

Discover the spirit of Sendai on an immersive afternoon journey blending craft, culture, and tradition. Begin at Jogi Nyorai Saiho‑ji Temple, a serene mountainside sanctuary known for blessings of harmony and good fortune. Enjoy free time to explore and try local favourites such as sankaku‑age or miso‑grilled rice balls. Continue to Kumanodo, where artisans guide you in lacquering your own chopsticks using techniques rooted in Sendai’s historic tansu craftsmanship—your finished piece will be delivered within Japan. Conclude with a rare insider visit to Nakayu Sake Brewery, operating since 1906, to learn the art of sake making and taste distinctive brews not usually accessible to the public. With private transport and an English‑speaking guide throughout, this tour offers a deeper connection to Miyagi’s traditions and the people who preserve them.

Activity location

  • Saihoji Temple
    • 1 Okura, Aoba-ku,
    • 989-3213, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Sendai City Tourist Information Center
    • JR仙台駅 1
    • 980-0021, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Check availability

Sendai Departure
  • Activity duration is 7 hours7h
    7h
  • English

Meeting Point: Sendai City Tourist Information Centre [JR Sendai Station 3F]

Language options: English
Starting time: 10:55
Price details
£291.66 x 2 Adults£583.32
Total
Price is £583.32
Until Mon, 6 Apr

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    English-speaking guide fee
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Private car transfer
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Experience fees
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Admission fees
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Lunch at your own expense
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Other personal expenses
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Tips and service charge

Know before you book

  • Public transport options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
  • Not recommended for travellers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Please note that participants may not join partway through the tour. Also, participants may join only from the meeting locationspecified in advance
  • The order of activities and arrival times may differ on the day depending on reasons such as road conditions and congestion at destinations
  • Depending on the number of tour participants, transport to be used may be other than a hired car (passenger vehicle, van, minivan), small bus, taxi, or a train or route bus on some parts of the tour such as in case of heavy traffic. Seats may not be designated
  • As it takes time for the lacquer to dry, the chopsticks made at Sendai Tansu Kumanodo cannot be brought home on the day. Delivery is available only within Japan. Please pay JPY 820 in cash at the location. The lacquer has to have dried before delivery, so it will take around 4 days until arrival. Because of this, delivery is possible only for customers who will be staying in Japan for at least 5 more days
  • After shipping, please note that the planning company and Sendai Tansu Kumanodo will not be held liable in case of any damage, loss, etc. As inquiries cannot be made to the planning company and Sendai Tansu Kumanodo, please make any inquiries directly to the shipping company. In addition, during the chopsticks lacquering experience, please be aware that some customers may develop a rash due to the lacquer depending on their predisposition
  • The chopsticks lacquering experience at Sendai Tansu Kumanodo is available for customers 6 years of age and older
  • As there is a risk of lacquer splashing during the chopsticks lacquering experience, wearing comfortable clothing to enjoy the experience without reserve is recommended
  • The taste testing experience is not included for customers under 20 years of age
  • During the sake brewery tour, as there will be slippery areas and shoe disinfection, please do not wear high heels or other similar footwear. Thank you for your cooperation
  • Please leave large luggage such as suitcases at your hotel or a station locker prior to participating in the tour. As for mediumsize suitcases whose total height, width, and length is within 140cm, each person is allowed to bring only 1 during the tour. There is a temporary luggage storage service available near the meeting location, Sendai City Tourist Information Centre (Reception Hours: 09:00 - 18:00)
  • Lunch is not included in the tour. Enjoy your own lunch at Jogi-san Saiho-ji Temple
  • Customers who are late for the departure time will have their reservations cancelled. Please give yourself plenty of time.
  • While children 0-5 years old may join free of charge, if there are many participants, children 0-5 years old may have to sit on the lap of a parent or guardian on board the hired car. If guaranteed seats on the hired car are required for such children, please book them under the child rate
  • Parental permission in writing is necessary for all tour participants under the age of eighteen. Any participant under the age of fifteen or not yet enrolled in middle school must be joined by a parent or guardian on the tour
  • In accordance with UK consumer law, activities services are not subject to the right of withdrawal. Supplier cancellation policy will apply.
  • This activity is provided by a professional trader (a party acting within their trade, business or profession).

Activity itinerary

Saihoji Temple

  • 1h 20m
  • Admission ticket included
This temple is said to grant blessings for matchmaking, fertility, and safe childbirth. Its charm lies in its quiet environment surrounded by beautiful nature. After visiting together with the guide, you can take an unguided stroll and purchase your own lunch. Sendai's local specialities include sankaku-age (deep-fried triangular tofu) and yakimeshi (toasted rice ball with miso paste).

Kumanodo Gallery

  • 1h
  • Admission ticket included
Kumanodo is a workshop specialising in Sendai tansu, a designated traditional craft of Miyagi Prefecture where artisans handcraft traditional Japanese chests using wood and iron fittings. The lacquer painting techniques used in the process of making Sendai tansu can be tried first-hand by customers during the chopsticks lacquering experience under the direct supervision of artisans. Customers will receive the chopsticks they made by post at a later date. *As it takes time for the lacquer to dry, the chopsticks made at Sendai Tansu Kumanodo cannot be brought home on the day. Delivery is available only within Japan. Please pay JPY 820 in cash at the location. The lacquer has to have dried before delivery, so it will take around 4 days until arrival. Because of this, delivery is possible only for customers who will be staying in Japan for at least 5 more days. The chopsticks lacquering experience at Sendai Tansu Kumanodo is available for customers 6 years of age and older.

㈱中勇酒造店

  • 45m
  • Admission ticket included
Learn about the history and tradition of sake brewing spanning over 100 years as well as innovative techniques at Nakayu Sake Brewery, which was established in 1906. Together with an expert guide, take a tour inside a sake brewery, which is not usually open to the public; learn in depth about the process by which rice, water, and zeal of the master brewer create Japanese sake; and look forward to tasting a variety of sake. The taste testing experience is not included for customers under 20 years of age. During the sake brewery tour, as there will be slippery areas and shoe disinfection, please do not wear high heels or other similar footwear. Thank you for your cooperation.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    Saihoji Temple
    • 1 Okura, Aoba-ku,
    • 989-3213, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    Sendai City Tourist Information Center
    • JR仙台駅 1
    • 980-0021, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Best Deals on Things to Do

Experience the wonders of the world up close with great deals on things to do near and far. Expedia offers one-of-a-kind activities that allow you to explore Sendai your way. Whether you love nature, culture, food or a bit of adventure, we have the perfect activity for you.

Top experiences in Sendai

With so many things to do in Sendai, planning the perfect day out may seem like a daunting task. Expedia is here to take the hassle out of finding the best attractions, tours and activities in Sendai. Families, couples and business travellers can all find the perfect activity in Sendai to create life-long memories with the help of Expedia.