Kobecopia: Gastronomy for Epicureans

Kobe is about abundance of the very best ingredients & luxurious indulgence. It’s THE place to savour the finest iconic Japanese gastronomy: wagyu & sake. You are at the apex of quality for both—with Kobe beef as the premium variety of wagyu and Nada as the undisputed centre of sake production. It’s in the place with the best terroir [natural conditions suited to creating the best results] and production methods honed over centuries of trial and error and intense competition.

Kobe’s culinary traditions were built on the synergy between its food and drink—paired to perfection—not just with each other, but the spirit and character of the locality. It’s farm to table only here, with every step along the way supported by local folk whose entire ikigai [reason for being] is to give you the best possible food, drink and dining experiences.

One of the finest locations to explore this zenith of Japanese cuisine is at GIZE Restaurant, found in Kobe city. A holistic experience can be arranged for you/your clients which follows the journey of ingredients from their traditional agricultural beginning, through their transformation into world-class ingredients, and finally presented by a world-class chef in its completed form—which, of course, you then get to enjoy.

This full-day guided experience takes you to the farming heartland of Harima, where you will visit a private rice paddy where premium yamada nishiki sake rice is grown, a rice variant treasured across Japan. You’ll learn about the meticulous rice-growing process from the farmers themselves, and get a strong sense of the skills required, as well as the pristine natural environmental conditions, which are necessary to make the very best sake. Following the grains on their journey, you’ll next visit Fukunishi sake brewery, marvelling at the sights, sounds, and smells of the traditional fermentation process. 

With these insights of the incredible levels of skill and artistry that goes into these ingredients, you will be in the perfect frame of mind to enjoy their final step, being crafted by expert chefs at a luxurious restaurant, as part of an immersive, sophisticated paired seasonal dinner course, at GIZE Kobe.

Here, each meal and beverage has been curated, and made with careful preparation of these truly exceptional ingredients, served on locally-crafted, unique dishes. Through their work, the chefs will invite you into the rich world behind every sake bottle—in particular 朔, saku, whose path has followed your own—from the farmer who cultivates the rice, to the skilled brewers you have met on this journey, and finally to the table itself.

This immersive experience offers a rare glimpse into the heart of Japan’s sake culture—from soil to glass. Historically the region of Hyogo was separated into 5 domains, and today the “blessings of the five domains” live on in these culinary experiences. Learn more about some of the GIZE Kobe chefs below.

Casper Alrik Sørenson - Chief Chef

"From my time in Kyoto, I often saw produce from Hyogo come into various restaurants and I was surprised to see so many kinds of produce coming from one prefecture, everything from fantastic fish and seafood, cultivated vegetables, wild vegetables, game, beef, unique spices such as Asakura sansho peppers.

I admired these fantastic products so when the chance was presented to go to Kobe and open GIZE, It was a great opportunity to learn even more about one of Japan’s treasure vaults here in Hyogo prefecture.

As I started to meet some of the people behind this variety of produce it was also apparent that it was not only natural occurrences of great produce, but the fruit of a lot of people's passion and hard work. This is why everyone is a part of the team of GIZE" (From Kobe GIZE website)

Kazutoshi Endo - founder, head chef

Chef Kazutoshi Endo opened a restaurant in Kobe primarily to explore and showcase the exceptional diversity of local ingredients from Hyogo Prefecture, which he describes as one of Japan's "treasure vaults". 

His motivations for the 2025 opening of Gize Kobe include:

• Abundance of Varied Ingredients: During his time in Kyoto, he was struck by the variety of high-quality goods coming from Hyogo—including fresh seafood, game, wagyu beef, and unique spices like Asakura sansho peppers.

• Connecting with Producers: He aims to highlight the passion and hard work of the local farmers and fishermen, considering them an integral part of the restaurant's team.

• Creative "Homecoming": While born in Yokohama, the project is frequently described as a venture in his "home town," suggesting a personal desire to establish a culinary footprint in Japan after decades of international success.

• Elevating Local Cuisine: His goal is to use exclusively local products to create a level of cuisine never before seen in the region, applying the global perspective he gained in London.

Kazutoshi Endo is a third-generation sushi master who refined the centuries-old Edomae technique in Tokyo before moving to London in 2007. After nearly a decade as the global head sushi chef for the Zuma Group, he opened his flagship restaurant, Endo at the Rotunda, earning a Michelin star within six months. His culinary philosophy centers on omotenashi (empathetic hospitality), a principle he is now bringing back to Japan with his upcoming 2025 opening, Gize Kobe.

To tailor or book this tour, please contact us via our contact form.