Like a beautiful Manga comic, Japan will delight you with its originality, creativity and elegance.
Japan is not a resort country. It’s the world’s most authentic travel destination. It’s where you’ll experience things your friends can’t even imagine.
Japan has been open without restrictions since October 2022. During the pandemic the Japanese yen has depreciated over 20% against the Euro. Now is when to start seriously thinking about exploring this incredible country.
Here’s our introductory guide to a holiday in the land of the rising sun.
Why Explore Japan?
Nothing is copied in Japan. Whether it’s ancient Buddhist temples, lively markets, or neighbourhoods of flashing neon, there’s a new experience at every turn.
Every destination, every street, is richly filled with details. Interwoven stories make your holiday feel surreal, as you explore Japan’s mix of ancient tradition and ultra modern.
Like the classic Japanese Manga, a holiday here means a thousand new stories to discover. And whereas in some countries you must search for the authentic, everything in Japan is effortlessly so. Nothing is faked. Everything reflects Japan’s endless pursuit of perfection.
Everywhere you go is a different experience, from Mount Fuji to traditional villages, Okinawa’s white-sand beaches to Hokkaido’s ice world.
Long lasting quality always comes first here. Japan is home to 40% of the world’s businesses that are over 100 years old. Some Japanese businesses are over 1000 years old.
Do you know it takes 20 years to fully train as a sushi chef? 20 years! Such pride and dedication to tiny details finds itself into everything across Japan, including hospitality.
Japan is a Culture Shock
Whether it’s flashing lights, the culture, the speed of life or the food, most things you will experience in Japan are very different to home.
There are countless everyday customs you don’t know and unwritten social norms you may struggle to understand. Don’t worry, you’re not expected to.
You shouldn’t expect an experience that’s similar to your other holidays. You should go with a mindset to explore what’s new and different.
That doesn’t mean forgoing comforts though. With good guides and well planned itineraries, Japan is an easy country to travel. You’ll also be culture shocked by the quality, dedication and natural authenticity of the hospitality – in Japan, they mean what they do.
Travelling Around Japan is Easy
Countries like India, Peru and Kenya can compete with Japan for originality and authenticity. No country can compete with Japan for its domestic transport infrastructure.
Even getting around is unique, with Shinkansen bullet trains connecting distant destinations in punctual luxury. Travelling by train is a major upgrade on trains in Europe.
This is also a remarkably clean country, remarkable because you won’t have seen anywhere so clean, despite there being so many people.
Hospitality is embedded in the culture. The Japanese will go out of the way to welcome you, not because it’s their job, but because it’s what they have always done.
On the surface it results in exceptional service and personal attentiveness. Yet at heart there is a rich culture of welcoming strangers and impressing visitors.
Destinations to Explore in Japan
Every Japanese holiday can be a journey through traditions, contemporary styles, futuristic brilliance and natural splendour.
Juxtapositions cover the country. Like taking a speeding elevator to the 40th floor of a glass-fronted skyscraper, then opening a sliding wooden door, and sitting on a tatami floor mat for a tea ceremony overlooking Tokyo.
Some countries can seem quite one-dimensional because everyone returns home with the same type of story. That’s not Japan.
The Many Sides to Tokyo
Japan’s immense capital throbs with lights and bursts with colours. Not only is there something for everyone in this megalopolis, there’s something at every turn.
Tokyo isn’t merely a sightseeing experience, it’s a fully immersive jump into one of the planet’s most iconic and original cities.
Ancient Beauty in Kyoto
Kyoto is Japan’s cultural heart, where a remarkable collection of temples and gardens are preserved.
It’s the tranquil and spiritual antithesis to Tokyo, full of architectural splendour and interesting stories from the past.
Underrated Osaka
Many visitors find Osaka to be like their preconceptions of Tokyo. It’s modern, old, great for foodies and packed with interesting neighbourhoods and sights. And it’s much smaller and easier to comprehend than Tokyo.
Osaka is exceptionally connected too, so it’s a base for exploring a whole range of destinations.
White Sand Beaches in Okinawa
Japan is an archipelago of Pacific Islands. Okinawa is as evocative a destination as Hawaii, with empty white beaches, jungle-clad retreats and marine adventures.
It’s an idyllic place to end a holiday in Japan.
Historic Japanese Villages
Nestled in the mountains and full of charm, the Japan of yesteryear remains beautifully intact. Towns like Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama are the most famous, but there are many to consider.
These can feel the most touristic places in Japan, simply because tourists aren’t spread as thinly as the cities. But they’re an eye-opening insight into tradition.
Mount Fuji
Yes, it’s an impressive snow-capped mountain. But the real reason to visit isn’t the challenging climb to the summit.
Mount Fuji’s clean and sacred waters are behind Japan’s best saki and whisky production. Come here to get drunk in the distilleries.
More Japanese Destinations
Go skiing in Hokkaido. See monkeys in the snow in Yamanouchi. Explore the history in what is now the very modern city of Hiroshima. Go further back in history in Nara.
Discover Samurai history in Kanazawa. Stay overnight in a hilltop Buddhist monastery. Retreat to Takayama in the mountains. Go to the beach.
There’s so much more too. We will advise you personally about an itinerary to suit your specific interests.
Important Tips for Enjoying Famous Japanese Experiences
Onsen Culture
The Japanese were among the first to realise the therapeutic value of natural hot springs. So they created onsens, which to us, are spas.
You’ll find public and private onsens all across the country, usually with pools of varying temperatures, often with open-air facilities. Typically, women and men have separate areas and everyone bathes naked.
Cherry Blossom (Sakura) in Spring
The sakura, or cherry blossom season, starts in March in Japan’s warmer southwest. It continues into May in the northern island of Hokkaido.
While this is the most beautiful time to travel, it’s also the most crowded, because it’s when most Japanese take their holidays. Furthermore, accurately predicting the two weeks when a city will bloom is impossible.
The sakura can be a beautiful part of a holiday, but we don’t recommend making it the main event.
Japanese Cuisine
A country of world-class chefs bringing innovation to hundreds of culinary traditions. Japan is not just sushi, kaiseki and ramen. Almost everywhere has its distinct traditional food. Most of it is really good.
But from markets and streetside joints to fine dining, knowing where to get the best Japanese food is an art in itself. We’re not ashamed to say we don’t know. That’s why we use our Japanese partners to help us when planning holiday itineraries.
Buddhist Culture
The word zen entered the English dictionary from Japanese Buddhism and the origins of Japanese mythology can be explored in destinations like Shimane and Kumano.
What’s nice in Japan is that you can explore some of this culture, without needing to venture deep into remote mountains or dedicate an entire trip to it.
When to Visit Japan
Japan changes dramatically through the seasons, from blankets of white snow to cherry blossoms, tropical summer beaches to forests of autumn leaves.
Spring: Pleasant temperatures, sakura season and weather that makes all Japan’s destinations accessible. But this is the busiest time to travel.
Summer: Hot and humid, with flash storms too. Can be a good time to travel but be prepared to sweat a lot in the big cities.
Autumn: Japan’s most beautiful season and a good time to visit almost everywhere, from tropical southern islands to the north.
Winter: Good for skiing and some of the cultural activities, but not so good for anything else, especially due to the limited hours of daylight.
Accommodation Experiences in Japan (Where to Stay)
As befitting Japan’s cultural juxtapositions, accommodation ranges from the ultra modern skyscraper suites to a traditional wooden ryokan in the mountains.
The overall accommodation quality is among the highest in the world, particularly in regards to hospitality and cleanliness. However, rooms and suites will be less spacious than what you might be used to.
All the cities have a choice of contemporary hotels and most of the best hotel brands are represented here. There is a huge choice and we will advise you personally.
We recommend staying in a ryokan somewhere too. These are very intimate and traditional guesthouses, where you stay in very minimalist rooms, usually sitting on cushions on the floor. It’s
Meals are served around low tables and they prepare tatami mats as your bed. It doesn’t sound luxurious, but in Japan it is, because ryokans are where you’ll find most of the country’s finest hospitality and gastronomy. And it’s pure shibumi – simple is best.
What is Your Idea of Japan?
Everyone has a different reason attracting them to Japan.
Sashimi, Samurai, Shibuya, Sakura, sumo, art, aesthetics, architecture, anime, Geisha, jujitsu, kaiseki, shodo, origami…
What do you want to experience in Japan?
