For many travellers, Japan is a culinary destination — and dining is one of the easiest, highest-impact things you can upsell. The challenge is access: the best tables are hard to book, language is a barrier, and dietary needs must be handled in advance. As your ground operator, Explera secures the reservations and runs the food experiences, so you sell the table and we make it happen.
Why dining is your easiest upsell
A single standout meal can become the highlight of an entire trip, and food experiences carry strong margins because they are curated and personal. They also travel across every client type — honeymooners, foodies, MICE delegates and families all eat, and all remember a great table.
Dining experiences we arrange
The refined end
- Kaiseki — seasonal multi-course haute cuisine, often in a ryokan or a Kyoto ryotei.
- Michelin and hard-to-book counters — Japan has one of the world's densest concentrations of starred restaurants; we secure the seats.
- Teppanyaki and premium wagyu, including a celebrated Kobe beef dinner.
The lively end
- Dotonbori and Kuromon street-food walks in Osaka, Japan's kitchen.
- Yatai stalls in Fukuoka and Omoide Yokocho yakitori alleys in Tokyo.
- Themed izakaya and only-in-Japan dining concepts for groups who want fun.
Hands-on and cultural
- Sushi-making and cooking classes with a chef.
- Sake breweries and whisky distilleries for tastings.
- Tea ceremony and shojin (Buddhist vegetarian) cuisine for a calmer, cultural table.
These pair naturally with our culinary tours and tours & activities.
Dietary needs, handled in advance
This is where a DMC is essential. We communicate halal, vegetarian, Jain, vegan and allergy requirements to every kitchen before arrival, build Muslim-friendly food itineraries for Gulf and Southeast Asian guests, and match menus to each source market. Nothing is left to chance at the table.
How agents package dining
- One signature dinner per city, then casual local meals around it.
- A food-walk evening as the social anchor for groups and MICE.
- A ryokan kaiseki night as the experiential centre of the trip.
Every reservation and experience is quoted net, in your working currency, ready for your margin.
FAQ
How are halal, vegetarian and allergy requirements handled at restaurants in Japan? We communicate halal, vegetarian, Jain, vegan and allergy requirements to every kitchen before arrival. We also build Muslim-friendly food itineraries for Gulf and Southeast Asian guests and match menus to each source market, so nothing is left to chance at the table.
Can Explera secure seats at Michelin and hard-to-book restaurants in Japan? Yes. Japan has one of the world's densest concentrations of starred restaurants, and we secure the seats at Michelin and hard-to-book counters. Tell us the city, dates and dietary needs and we build a dining program with reservations confirmed.
Which dining experiences suit groups and MICE programs? A food-walk evening works as the social anchor, such as Dotonbori and Kuromon in Osaka, Fukuoka's yatai stalls or Tokyo's Omoide Yokocho. Themed izakaya suit groups who want fun, and sushi-making classes with a chef add a hands-on option.
Reserve your clients' table
Tell us the city, the dates and any dietary needs, and we will build a dining program with the reservations confirmed. Reach the Explera trade desk at b2b@explera.jp or +66 93 656 8090, or sign in to the B2B portal. IATA 96215733, ASTA member 900408341, whole-of-Japan and strictly B2B.
