An Agricultural Tour led by JEFF and Glide Japan
Glide Japan and JEFF bring Japanese and Spanish fusion straight from Japan’s countryside to the table. Led by Michelin-experienced Chef Tani, owner and head chef of JEFF, this private agricultural tour offers a contemporary take on “eating your way through Japan”. Rather than focusing on traditional dishes rooted in the past, this experience invites guests to taste a personalised and innovative creation using Japanese ingredients, while gaining first-hand insight into rural life and agriculture in Japan.
Chef Tani creates each dish based on the ingredients available, cooking with a philosophy of “simplicity at its best”. Having lived and worked across London, Italy, Spain, Australia and Japan, Chef Tani brings a global perspective to his cooking, blending international knowledge with rural Japanese ingredients.
What is Included in the Tour
The private tour offers an immersive way to learn about sourcing ingredients, Japanese agriculture, and the wider farming community. Guests experience ingredients both at their source and at their most creative form.
Farm Visit
The experience begins with an intimate drive alongside Chef Tani, transitioning gradually from urban landscape into the countryside. Along the way, guests pass defining features of Oita Prefecture, including wild bamboo forests and during spring, cherry blossoms are very abundant.
Upon arrival at JEFF’s farm, it becomes clear how closely residential life and agriculture coexist, framed by Mt. Tsurumi and Mt. Yufu. While the tour focuses on JEFF’s farm itself, the neighbouring farms offer a broader understanding of rural life in Japan. We had many conversations with Chef Tani about how he got the farm, learning about the challenges of rural life, farming practices used to build his farm, and ingredient sourcing, with opportunities to help plant or harvest produce firsthand.
At JEFF Restaurant
After the farm visit, we returned to JEFF restaurant in Nishi-Oita, known for its panoramic view over Beppu. Next door, we explored a small boutique showcasing original items connected to the restaurant, including Chef Tani’s house-made Tabasco-style recipe.
The experience continued as Chef Tani prepared a carefully curated multi-course meal that reflects his philosophy and the ingredients gathered that day.
The Course: No Two Dishes are the Same
“Simplicity at its best” is what Chef Tani quite literally brings to the table. Each dish is designed around what is available at that moment, allowing the ingredients to lead the process. During our experience, we enjoyed a six-course meal.
Highlights included a Spanish omelette with garlic, topped with cheese made from cow’s milk but fermented using white mould, creating a sheep’s milk taste, finished with inoshishi (wild Japanese boar) pancetta cured for three months, and a side of wasabi leaves.
Another course showcased house-made bread using two types of flour, served alongside local dishes such as small barracuda and sardines. This was paired with a vibrant salad of four varieties of carrots and daikon, dressed with soybean vinaigrette, olive oil, citrus and spices.
Dessert featured a pineapple pancake, flavoured with cinnamon, made using pineapple grown locally in Beppu, cultivated in greenhouses warmed naturally by the onsen (hot spring) steam, an unexpected characteristic of Oita's agriculture.
Each meal reflected deep respect for the land and the journey from soil to plate. Chef Tani’s approach means no two courses are the same, making the experience both uniquely memorable and flexible for different dietary requirements. In addition to Chef Tani’s impressive culinary skills, he is able to guide the tour in Japanese, English, Spanish, French and even Portuguese.
Where to Book the Tour?
You can book this experience with Glide Japan.
At Glide Japan, our mission is to keep Japan's countryside alive and thriving through sustainable, community-based tourism. We create carefully curated itineraries that connect travelers with locals, traditions, and businesses ensuring each trip leaves a positive impact on both visitors and the communities they meet.
GLIDE JAPAN Inc.
Mission
As ambassadors of our region, we connect local communities with the world, paving the way for a prosperous future.
Vision
Our goal is to become Japan’s leading engine of regional revitalisation, making it a norm to attract young people to rural areas, driven by their dreams.
| Company Name | Glide Japan Inc. |
| CEO | Masahiro Ide |
| Capital | ¥1,000,000 |
| Established | April 20, 2023 |
| Number of Employees | 12 (including contractors) |
| Head Office | 12-9 Chiyomachi, Beppu City, Oita 874-0942, Japan |
| Phone | +81-977-75-9566 |
| Australia Office (Satellite Office) | 421/4 Spring Street, Rosebery, NSW 2018, Australia |
| Business Activities | Inbound tourism consulting, travel arrangement services for international visitors, regional revitalisation projects, multilingual translation, video production, and more. |
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