Japan
Omakase Journey
A foodie tour through the pre-dawn fish markets, the hand-forged knives, the dinners that don't exist on any map — through the eyes of a chef who has been studying it his entire career.
September 10-20, 2026
13 guests maximum
$6,200 per person
With Chef Sam Saltos of Hiyaku Sushi
On this 10-day journey, you'll travel with Chef Sam Saltos of Hiyaku Sushi — one of Portland's most respected omakase chefs — and Lizzy Atwood Wills of Meridian Boutique Travel, whose deep connections in Japan unlock experiences most travelers never find. Together, they've designed a trip that goes far beyond the surface.
Into fish markets at dawn. Into the hands of knife makers and rice farmers. Into tea ceremonies and dinners with Geiko. Into the places Sam dreams about returning to since he first understood what Japanese food culture really means.
This is Japan through the eyes of two people who love it at its most specific — and who want to share exactly that with thirteen people who are ready to go deep.
In Japan, food is not just sustenance — it is craft, ritual, and story.
"Dining in Japan offers a profound expression of the nation’s culture. Its culinary heritage, rooted in history and perfected through mastery, is both inspiring and awe-inspiring. Experiencing the range of Japan’s gastronomy—from the convivial charm of izakayas to the refined artistry of omakase, the spiritual depth of Buddhist cuisine, and the soothing comfort of dashi and noodles—was truly unforgettable.
— DeAnna, Japan Traveler
"I loved that food is everywhere and each meal was so flavor packed. It felt fun and experimental trying new things and understanding what they were.
The egg salad from 7 eleven. Period.
— Maylin, Japan Traveler
What You’ll Experience
Pre-dawn visit to Toyosu Fish Market — including a small-group exclusive tour available to select guests
Hands-on cooking class with a Japanese chef in her private studio
Visit to a traditional Japanese knife shop — with time to find your own!
Tour a working rice farm — understanding the grain that underpins everything
Behind-the-scenes visit to a traditional vinegar producer
Private tea ceremony — history, ritual, and stillness
Intimate dinner with a Geiko — Kyoto's storied counterpart to geisha, masters of conversation and hospitality
Vegan Buddhist temple lunch (shojin ryori) — one of Japan's oldest and most meditative food traditions
Curated restaurant meals throughout, personally selected by Chef Sam
Bullet train travel between cities — a Japanese experience in itself
Stay in a traditional ryokan — tatami floors, kaiseki meals, communal onsen
Tokyo · Kanazawa · Kyoto
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This is Japan through the doors most people never find.
Toyosu doesn't give exclusive early-morning access to tourists. Geiko dinners aren't bookable on Tripadvisor. The knife shop in Kanazawa doesn't have an English website. The rice farm and the vinegar producer welcome us because of relationships built over years — not because we called ahead.
Sam has spent 15 years studying Japanese food culture from the outside in. Lizzy has led multiple groups through Japan and built the kind of local connections that turn a great trip into an unforgettable one. Together, they've designed an itinerary that simply cannot be replicated.
This is what $6,200 actually buys: access, expertise, and the confidence that everything has already been done — so all you have to do is show up.
The sad truth is: Most travelers only see the surface of Japan.
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Your Guides to Japan
Lizzy Atwood Wills
Founder, Meridian Boutique Travel
Lizzy Atwood Wills is the founder of Meridian Boutique Travel and a believer that travel should be a bridge, not an escape. She grew up watching her parents lead adventure treks through Japan, Nepal, India, and the Swiss Alps — and from them she inherited a conviction that travel, done with humility and curiosity, teaches you how to be a better human being.
She has led multiple groups through Japan and has built the local relationships that make this itinerary possible. She takes care of every detail — logistics, lodging, guiding, contingencies — so that Sam can focus on the food and you can focus on being present.
Chef Sam Saltos
Founder, Hiyaku Sushi
Chef Sam Saltos is the founder of Hiyaku Sushi, Portland's most sought-after omakase experience. With 15 years of culinary practice and international training rooted in Japanese tradition, Sam brings a rare depth of knowledge to every table he sets. His pop-up seatings sell out within hours.
On this journey, Sam brings that same obsessive attention to craft — and to the people, places, and ingredients that make Japanese food culture unlike anything else in the world. He'll be there for every food experience on the trip: not as a tourist, but as your guide to why Japan tastes the way it does.
THE ITINERARY
Tokyo
Days 1–3
We arrive into Tokyo Haneda and settle into the city that contains everything at once — ancient and futuristic, frenetic and deeply still. Our base is a neighborhood that feels lived-in rather than touristic: vintage shops, serious coffee, and the kind of streets that reward slow walking.
The highlight: an exclusive pre-dawn tour of Toyosu Fish Market with a local expert, followed by a breakfast that makes you understand exactly what freshness means. Chef Sam will be in his element.
Kanazawa
Days 4–6
A bullet train carries us to Kanazawa — a city that escaped WWII bombing and preserved its Edo-period districts, tea houses, and craft traditions almost intact. Often called 'little Kyoto,' it's quieter, more intimate, and full of makers.
We visit a traditional knife shop where blades are still made by hand by separate craftspeople: blacksmith, sharpener, handle maker. Chef Sam will help you understand what you're looking at — and you'll have time to find a knife of your own.
Kyoto
Days 7–10
We arrive in Kyoto for the deepest cultural immersion of the trip. A private tea ceremony in a historic monastery. A vegan Buddhist temple lunch — shojin ryori — that has been served in the same tradition for centuries. And one of the rarest experiences on the itinerary: an intimate dinner with a Geiko.
Geiko are masters of conversation, performance, and hospitality. Getting access to a private dinner with one is not something you can Google your way into. It is, in every sense, a door that only opens from the inside.
What our Travelers are Saying
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What our Travelers are Saying *
Everything, Handled.
$6,200 is a meaningful investment. It is also the cost of having two world-class guides handle every detail of an 10-day journey through one of the most complex and rewarding countries on earth — so that you can be entirely present for all of it.
What’s included:
All in-country transportation, including bullet train travel
Accommodation in boutique hotels and traditional ryokans (double occupancy)
Airport transfer on arrival at Tokyo Haneda
Meals as outlined in the itinerary
All group activities, entrance fees, and classes
Every food and cultural experience listed above
Local guiding and cultural expertise throughout
Chef Sam's guidance at every food experience on the trip
PRICING DETAILS:
$6,200 per person · All-inclusive (flights not included)
$1,000 deposit to reserve your spot
Single supplement: $1,500 where available — let us know at booking
Group size: 13 guests maximum · 10 minimum to confirm
Flights: Tokyo Haneda (HND) is your arrival airport. Kyoto is your departure city.
Flights to and from Japan are not included. Need help thinking through flights? Email Lizzy — she's happy to advise.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know travel is all about trust, timing, and curiosity. Japan raises more questions than most destinations. Here are the ones we hear most. If yours isn't here, email Lizzy directly — we’re always happy to chat. Below are answers to the most common questions for this one-of-a-kind food experience in Japan.
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Not at all. What you need is curiosity and an open palate. Chef Sam's approach is about sharing his love of Japanese food culture — not testing your existing knowledge. Whether you've never had omakase or you eat it every month, this trip will expand how you think about food. That's the point.
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Most guests on Meridian trips arrive solo. The small group size (13 maximum) and the shared nature of the food experiences — cooking together, eating together, standing shoulder-to-shoulder at Toyosu at dawn — create genuine connection quickly. By Day 3, the group tends to feel like old friends.
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Moderately active — but there are no serious physical excursions. Expect to walk several miles on most days through cities, markets, and neighborhoods. The pace is deliberate and unhurried. Comfortable walking shoes are essential; athletic gear is not required.
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Accommodation is double occupancy by default — lodging will be a combination of boutique hotels and a traditional ryokan in at least one city. A ryokan is a deeply Japanese experience: tatami floors, futon bedding, communal onsen (hot spring baths), kaiseki meals (generally breakfast), and a formality of hospitality that is unlike anything in Western travel. A single supplement of $1,500 is available where possible — let us know at booking.
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We are able to accommodate vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians. Unfortunately, due to the nature of Japanese cuisine, we are unable to accommodate people with severe gluten allergies or celiac disease.
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It's food-forward, not food-exclusive. The food experiences are the organizing principle of the trip — but so are the cultural depth, the craftsmanship, the temples, the markets, and the human connection. If you love eating, you'll be in heaven. If you love travel done with intention and access, you'll love this regardless of how much you think about food at home.
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You'll arrive at Tokyo Haneda (HND) and depart from Kyoto — so you'll need a one-way return flight from either Osaka (KIX) or Kyoto (via Osaka or Tokyo). September is a shoulder season in Japan — generally good availability and pleasant weather. Email Lizzy and she'll help you think through routing and timing.
We love to set google alerts for our home airport to track deals! -
Of course, and we highly recommend it. Please reach out if you need help with bookings.
This Will Not Happen Again.
Chef Sam Saltos is only joining us in Japan once. ONCE this group fills, THAT’S ALL THERE IS FOR THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.
Tokyo At Dawn. Knife-makers in Kanazawa. Kyoto tea ceremonies.
September 10–20. TEn days. Thirteen people.