The most interesting country on the planet. Home to the endless pursuit for perfection. And finally reopened after the pandemic.
Japan is our top pick for 2023. Vibrant, original, exotic, open without restrictions. A country where luxury hospitality is part of the soul.
Over the last two years there’s been a huge trend towards holidays that offer a unique and meaningful travel experience. Nowhere offers this better than Japan.
Dazzling mega cities. Mountain spa towns. Samurai, Manga and Buddhism. Sushi, ramen, teppanyaki and kaiseki. Unique and authentic experiences never stop in Japan.
An Introduction to Japan
Everyone has a preconception of Japan. And everyone’s preconceptions are usually true. What people don’t often realise is Japan’s diversity.
One day you’re experiencing Zen Buddhism in a millennia-old temple. The next day you’re exploring sumo, Ninja, anime, Geisha, origami, onsen, Shinto, or the flashing lights of an electronics district.
In Japan you don’t go searching for something unique. The inimitable is inescapable. Even your accommodation will be quintessentially Japanese.
There are literally hundreds of potential destinations, all of them with a new experience. Eat Wagyu beef in Kobe, have a fine multicourse Kaiseki dinner in a traditional ryokan, or dress up like Luigi and drive a Super Mario Kart through the streets of Tokyo.
In some countries everybody comes home with a similar story. Visit Japan and you’ll have so many stories your friends don’t believe to be possible.
A Dedication to Luxury Hospitality and Perfection
Some destinations learn how to perfect luxury hospitality, like Dubai or The Maldives for instance. Other destinations just don’t quite understand it. It’s part of who the Japanese are.
Japan has this rare combination of outstanding service that’s also very local and authentic.
It’s luxury hospitality at the level you demand. Yet delivered in a way you won’t have experienced before. And at the heart of everything is this inherent search for perfection.
Just think, becoming a sushi master takes a minimum of ten years training. In Japanese department stores they sell perfectly-shaped apples, melons and mangoes for hundreds of dollars each. The Japanese even outdid the Scots to produce the world’s best whisky.
Average or okay just isn’t something they do in Japan. When they do anything it has to be the best it can be. Another reason it’s such an amazing and justifiably expensive destination.
Now the accommodation. What an experience! Sleep in a traditional ryokan, rolling out a tatami mat on the floor. Or high above the city in a contemporary skyscraper hotel. Experience sleeping in a working Buddhist temple, where monks hit gongs before sunrise. Or be hosted at a small owner-operated hotel and spend the night drinking sake.
Planning a Japan Holiday
Swiss, Lufthansa, Turkish and Emirates all offer good connections between Prague and Tokyo. Expect a journey of around 15 hours.
Japan’s railways are legendary, especially the Shinkansen bullet trains. They travel from city centre to city centre, so they’re usually faster than domestic flights. And they’re very clean and comfortable. Just like everything in Japan is clean and comfortable.
Even with just one week, Japan will be an unforgettable holiday. Two weeks mean you can explore a greater variety of destinations.
- Tokyo has something for everyone and too much of everything; it’s a feast for the senses at every turn.
- Kyoto is the wonderfully preserved image of ancient Japan, in all its nuances; it has more World Heritage sites than any other city in the world.
- The Japanese love spas, or “onsens” as they’re known; staying in a mountain town with hot springs is a good counterpoint to busy days exploring.
- Japan stretches 3800 kilometres from north to south, so you could be on a white tropical beach in Okinawa or skiing in Hokkaido.
Spring and autumn are the best times to travel, spring for the cherry blossom and autumn for the incredible colour changes. Summer is hot and humid, winter is cold and damp.
Will You Explore Japan in 2023?
Japan really closed itself off during the pandemic. The restrictions were among the world’s strictest. Now there’s this energy and positivity in Japan, as the pandemic hangover is left behind.
We know that many of our clients have always dreamed of exploring Japan. We think 2023 will be the year when many of them make this dream a reality.
Is Japan a destination for you in 2023?
