I was immediately struck by the sight of ancient, moss-covered giant trees rising powerfully above me. Their sheer presence was breathtaking. Walking those forest paths with a nature guide offered a pure, refreshing experience—it felt like washing the dust from my soul. The guide was incredibly insightful, sharing knowledge about the local ecosystem and the deep history of the land that truly brought the forest to life.

Later, I felt a gentle connection with the horses grazing in the vast pastures. I cherished the moment a horse with clear, calm eyes quietly approached me. They were the faithful partners who had guarded this land’s beautiful grasslands for generations. This harmonious scene—where people, nature, and animals coexisted effortlessly—was the true, deep richness of the Tohoku region of Japan.

What a beautiful, wholesome and enriching experience. We adored Miyuki, she is so knowledgable about miso, its origins and passionate about the importance of fermentation in the modern japanese diet and diets in general. We came to this as restaurant owners/chefs and with a strong background in ferments but found she adapted the class to our level.

The lunch with the vegetable sommelier afterwards was to die for. We are vegan and they made all 5 courses vegan. It was one of the best meals we had in Japan, beautiful subtle flavours and also gorgeous plating.

If you love food and ferments, this was one of the best experiences we had in Japan, and well worth the time and money. Thank you Miyuki for being so generous, genuine and sharing your love for miso with us 🙂