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A Gourmet Tour of Spring Food in Japan Savor Fresh Strawberries, Katsuo, and Wild Sansai Vegetables

Season
Spring
Trip type
Family, Group
What to wear
Long Sleeves, Jacket
Featured Image: A smiling woman holds a walking stick while a man offers her a plate of mountain vegetables.

Explore the Magic of Spring Food in Japan

Experience delectable spring food in Japan across three remarkable destinations. In Fukuoka, savor the prefecture's prized Amaou strawberries, sweet, plump treasures grown nowhere else. Journey to Kochi for exquisite katsuo (bonito) cuisine, where this popular type of katsuo is transformed into signature dishes like flame-seared tataki and Tosa-maki sushi rolls. Venture into Akita's pristine Shirakami Sanchi mountains to try locally-harvested sansai, the wild vegetables and fragrant mountain herbs that locals have foraged for generations.
From strawberry picking and katsuo cooking to dining on wild mountain vegetables, these seasonal adventures offer authentic tastes and memories you can only create in spring. Embark on a Japanese culinary journey you’ll never forget.

  • Permission is required to pick wild vegetables in the Shirakami Mountains.
Featured Image: Fresh red strawberries on a white background.
©Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association

Fukuoka's Sweet Spring Treasure

Spring is the season for strawberries in Fukuoka. For its prized Amaou variety, the name says it all: akai (red), marui (round), ookii (big), and umai (delicious). Grown exclusively in Fukuoka, this sweet, plump berry is worth the trip!

Featured Image: A woman enjoying a strawberry picking experience.

A Strawberry Picking Paradise

Throughout Fukuoka an array of springtime fruit-picking experiences await. From the popular Hakata Amaou farm to farms where you can taste and compare more than a dozen varieties. Why not enjoy a day of fruit picking rewarded with sweet, red gems?

Featured Image: A dessert buffet with a variety of strawberry cakes and parfaits arranged on a table.

Indulge in a Strawberry Dessert Buffet

ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka is hosting a limited-time buffet featuring spring strawberry sweets. Enjoy around 40 chef-crafted menu items of pastry, cakes and other savory dishes. Treat yourself to an array of beautiful sweets that sparkle like jewels.

  • The photo is an image of the 2025 event. Please check the official website for details.
  • Approximately 15 minutes by train and walk from Fukuoka Airport.

The area introduced this time

Spot name
ANA Crowne Plaza Fukuoka
Address
3-3-3 Hakataekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka

Enjoy Fukuoka to the fullest!

To
Fukuoka

Discover the charms of Fukuoka

Map of Japan. Fukuoka located southwest of Tokyo (Haneda)
Fukuoka

Explore Fukuoka's captivating blend of natural beauty, culinary delights, and spiritual heritage. Only in the spring can you stroll beneath stunning wisteria tunnels at the Kawachi Wisteria Garden. And as a city famed for its yatai, the vibrant Nakasu entertainment district boasts a wide selection of these open-air food stalls lining the Hakata River. The cornucopia of authentic ramen, yakitori, and local dishes on Nakasu Yataigai offers an unforgettable outdoor dining experience. Complete your journey at Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine, where the approach has about 90 shops offering food, drink and souvenirs.

Attractions in Fukuoka

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ANA brings Japan close to you

  • Fly on weekdays
    for greater savings!

    Great value with
    ANA Discover JAPAN Fare

    Book early for the best deals!

    Great value with
    ANA SUPER VALUE Fare

  • Haneda to Fukuoka
    Approximately 2 hours

    Efficient use of your travel time

  • Explore with ANA and fly to over 50 airports in Japan

    Convenient access to various parts of Japan

Fly with ease to Fukuoka

  • Tokyo
    (Haneda)     To Fukuoka
  • Osaka
    (Itami)     To Fukuoka
  • Okinawa
    (Naha)     To Fukuoka

How to get Special Discounted Fares

ANA Discover JAPAN Fare is a special discounted fare that is available for tourists visiting from outside of Japan.
If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

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How to get Special Discounted Fares

If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

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Featured Image: Seared bonito served with garnish and sushi roll with bonito and vegetables.

An Iconic Katsuo (Bonito) Cuisine

Discover the flavors that make Kochi top the list of katsuo consumption in Japan. This popular type of katsuo is enjoyed in a variety of ways, from Kochi’s signature seared katsuo to Tosa-maki, seaweed-wrapped sushi rolls and other condiments.

Featured Image: A block of katsuobushi (dried bonito) shown next to a pile of its bonito flakes.

The Culture of Katsuobushi

Discover Kochi's katsuobushi culture! These dried bonito flakes are cuisine essentials. Sodabushi, specifically made from bullet tuna, offers richer flavor than regular flakes, making them perfect for authentic soba and udon broth.

Featured Image: A close-up shot of two pieces of seared bonito being cooked over a roaring fire.
Photo by: Kochi Visitors & Convention Association

Sizzling Straw-Grilled Bonito

Add Kochi's unique “straw-grilled katsuo” cooking experience to your culinary adventure. Watch the fish sizzle over aromatic straw flames, seared on the outside, raw on the inside. Enjoy eating it on the spot or get it to go.

The area introduced this time

Enjoy Kochi to the fullest!

To
Kochi

Discover the charms of Kochi

Map of Japan. Kochi located southwest of Tokyo (Haneda)
Kochi

Experience Kochi's perfect harmony of history, nature, and culinary tradition. Step back in time at Kochi Castle, where spring cherry blossoms wrap the castle in a soft pink cloud. Then journey to the pristine Shimanto River, surrounded by the lush greenery of spring. It's the perfect time to visit, when you can enjoy canoeing, playing in the river, or simply sightseeing the unspoiled natural beauty. When hunger hits, go for a bowl of Kochi's beloved Nabeyaki ramen. The hearty noodles in bubbling hot chicken broth are served in individual earthenware pots.

Attractions in Kochi

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Proceed

ANA brings Japan close to you

  • Fly on weekdays
    for greater savings!

    Great value with
    ANA Discover JAPAN Fare

    Book early for the best deals!

    Great value with
    ANA SUPER VALUE Fare

  • Haneda to Kochi
    Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes

    Efficient use of your travel time

  • Explore with ANA and fly to over 50 airports in Japan

    Convenient access to various parts of Japan

Fly with ease to Kochi

  • Tokyo
    (Haneda)     To Kochi
  • Osaka
    (Itami)     To Kochi

How to get Special Discounted Fares

ANA Discover JAPAN Fare is a special discounted fare that is available for tourists visiting from outside of Japan.
If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

Learn More (In Chinese) Learn More (In Korean) Learn More (In German) Learn More (In German) Learn More (In French) Learn More

How to get Special Discounted Fares

If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

Learn More
Featured Image: A variety of freshly harvested Japanese mountain vegetables.

A Spring Bounty of Sansai

In snowy Shirakami Sanchi mountains, which straddle Akita and Aomori, sansai buds with spring's arrival. Cultivated through generations, spring's mountain vegetables bring nutrition, unique textures, and seasonal aromas to a wide variety of dishes.

Featured Image: A bowl of udon noodles, topped with several pieces of vegetable tempura.

Enjoy Crispy Sansai Tempura

Savor spring's fragrant mountain vegetables in a deep-fried tempura. The light crispy exterior pairs perfectly with the natural umami of the bounty inside. With options like tara buds and butterbur sprouts, enjoy it with a bowl of Akita's Inaniwa Udon.

Featured Image: A verdant forest in the Shirakami Sanchi, with trees stretching towards the sky.

Explore the Idyllic Shirakami Sanchi

Explore the untouched wilderness of the Shirakami Sanchi. Behold the verdant beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as the spring melt reveals a world of pristine greenery. For the best experience, joining a guided tour is recommended.

The area introduced this time

Enjoy Odate Noshiro to the fullest!

To
Odate Noshiro

Discover the charms of Akita

Map of Japan. Akita located north of Tokyo (Haneda)
Akita

Discover Akita's breathtaking natural wonders and seasonal splendor. The stunning cobalt blue waters of Lake Tazawa turn Japan’s deepest lake into a mystical mirror, reflecting the surrounding mountains and gleaming golden Statue of Tatsuko. Spring brings blossom season in Hachirogata, located along a spectacular 11-kilometer stretch of highway lined with sakura and rapeseed. Cap your adventure along the craggy shore of the Oga Peninsula, where the famous Godzilla Rock has been known to breathe fire at sunset. April is one of the best months for photos of the legendary monster.

Attractions in Akita

Back
Proceed

ANA brings Japan close to you

  • Fly on weekdays
    for greater savings!

    Great value with
    ANA Discover JAPAN Fare

    Book early for the best deals!

    Great value with
    ANA SUPER VALUE Fare

  • Haneda to Odate Noshiro
    Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

    Efficient use of your travel time

  • Explore with ANA and fly to over 50 airports in Japan

    Convenient access to various parts of Japan

Fly with ease to Odate Noshiro

  • Tokyo
    (Haneda)     To Odate Noshiro
  • Tokyo
    (Haneda)     To Akita
  • Osaka
    (Itami)     To Akita

How to get Special Discounted Fares

ANA Discover JAPAN Fare is a special discounted fare that is available for tourists visiting from outside of Japan.
If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

Learn More (In Chinese) Learn More (In Korean) Learn More (In German) Learn More (In German) Learn More (In French) Learn More

How to get Special Discounted Fares

If available, discounted fares will be displayed on screen that is entered from the “Search” buttons.

Learn More

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