As culinary curiosity increasingly shapes how travellers experience Japan, Luxury Escapes is launching a small-group gastronomic journey through Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo hosted by chef and television personality Khanh Ong.
As global appetite for Japan shows little sign of slowing, Luxury Escapes is tapping into the country’s enduring culinary pull with a new small-group tour hosted by Australian chef and television personality Khanh Ong.
Part of the travel company’s Signature Series programme, the seven-day journey led by Ong through Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo departs on 14 October 2026 and is limited to 24 guests. The itinerary combines cultural landmarks with food-led experiences, reflecting a broader shift in travel trends, where passion-driven itineraries and personality-hosted travel are increasingly shaping luxury travel behaviour.
Ong — a cookbook author and restaurateur known from MasterChef Australia and his Vietnamese-Australian cooking style — frames the trip around Japan’s famously democratic food culture, where everyday convenience-store snacks sit comfortably alongside world-class dining.
“Japan is one of the rare destinations where everyday convenience store fare can rival the excitement and flavour of the world’s finest restaurants,” Ong said, pointing to everything from sushi and ramen to the cult-status egg sandwiches and onigiri found in the country’s ubiquitous convenience stores.
The itinerary begins in Osaka, widely considered Japan’s culinary capital, where guests will take part in a sushi-making masterclass, explore Dotonbori’s street food scene and dine at the well-known Chibo Okonomiyaki restaurant. From there, the journey moves to Kyoto for visits to historic districts such as Gion and the torii-lined pathways of Fushimi Inari Taisha, before concluding in Tokyo with a guided exploration of the Tsukiji Outer Market, home to hundreds of seafood and specialty stalls.
This Luxury Escapes Signature Series tour hosted by Khanh Ong arrives amid surging demand for travel to Japan. Luxury Escapes reports bookings from Australian travellers have risen 29 percent year-on-year, with Japan ranking as the most desired destination for its customers in 2026.
Priced from AUD$6,399 per person (or AUD$5,899 for LuxPlus+ members), the hosted journey reflects how culinary curiosity continues to shape modern travel — turning Japan’s everyday dining culture into the centrepiece of the experience rather than merely a supporting act.
For more information or to book, visit: Luxury Escapes Signature Series.
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