Wendy Wu Tours’ Australian advisor Samantha Stewart joined a group of international agents on a culinary trip through Nagano, Japan, exploring the prefecture’s food culture 250km north-west of Tokyo.
Helen Wong, Nagano Tourism Organization’s Australian representative, led the trade group through a program combining dining experiences with hands-on cooking, highlighted by a Shogun Dinner inspired by feudal lords who once travelled the historic Nakasendo Trail.
“We experienced a collection of culinary products that complemented the region’s established attractions, including the lengthy Nakasendo Trail, Zenkoji Temple, the Central Alps and the region’s renowned outdoor experiences,” Wong said.
The group also took part in a hands-on soba-making workshop.
“The group also had the opportunity to roll up the sleeves at a hands-on soba making workshop,” Helen said. “Under the guidance of experienced local instructors, we learned how to mix the buckwheat flour, knead the dough, roll it out and hand-cut the noodles using traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations.”
Wendy Wu Tours has long organised tours to Japan, with the culinary program adding to Nagano’s appeal as a destination best known for its ski slopes.
Nagano, which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, remains a popular drawcard for Australians, and tourism authorities say authentic dining experiences are key to attracting international visitors year-round.
Australia ranks second worldwide for bed nights in Japan, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. In the first four months of 2026, Australians booked more than 128,000 overnight stays, behind only Taiwan.
The famil began in the historic Kiso Valley, where the group dined on a traditional chestnut rice dish before travelling to Onyado Tsutaya for the multi-course Shogun Dinner banquet. The itinerary also included the Yukawa Sake Brewery, lunch at Meijitei in Komagane – known for its sauce katsu don – and an evening buffet at Hotel Linx Komagane, where local specialty apple-fed pork featured on the menu.
“For Australian travellers looking to venture beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, Nagano offers something refreshingly different,” Helen said. “Here, every meal tells a story, every ingredient has a local connection, and every dining experience becomes part of the journey itself.
“It is this authenticity that makes Nagano one of Japan’s most rewarding – and delicious – destinations.”
