Japan
Japan is the destination that changes how you think about travel. It is a country where a 700 year old Zen temple sits across the street from a vending machine selling hot cans of coffee. Where the world’s most precise train system moves millions of people daily with an average delay of less than one minute. Where a $10 bowl of ramen from a tiny counter seat in a basement restaurant can be the best meal of your entire trip.
The contrast between old and new is everywhere, and it never feels forced. In Kyoto, geisha still walk the streets of the Gion district on their way to appointments. In Tokyo, Shibuya Crossing explodes with people and neon lights every time the signal changes. In the countryside, rice paddies stretch to the base of mountains, and small ryokans (traditional inns) serve multi course kaiseki dinners that are as much art as food.
Where to Go
Tokyo is overwhelming in the best possible way. The neighborhoods each have their own personality: Shinjuku for nightlife and energy, Shibuya for shopping and street culture, Asakusa for the ancient Senso ji temple, Harajuku for fashion, and Ginza for luxury. The Tsukiji Outer Market is essential for food lovers, with stalls selling the freshest sushi, tamagoyaki (egg omelette), and wagyu beef skewers.
Kyoto is the cultural heart of Japan. The city has over 1,600 temples and 400 shrines, and the best of them are extraordinary. Fushimi Inari, with its thousands of vermillion torii gates marching up a mountainside, is one of the most photographed places in the world. Kinkaku ji (the Golden Pavilion) and Arashiyama’s bamboo grove are equally iconic. The experience of staying in a traditional ryokan, sleeping on tatami mats, soaking in an onsen, and eating a kaiseki dinner, is something every visitor to Japan should do at least once.
Osaka is Japan’s food capital. Dotonbori, the neon lit canal street in the city center, is lined with restaurants, street food stalls, and the giant mechanical crab and running man signs that have become symbols of the city. Takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), and kushikatsu (deep fried skewers) are the local specialties, and they are all excellent.
Hiroshima is a deeply moving destination. The Peace Memorial Park and Museum honor the victims of the atomic bombing with dignity and honesty. From Hiroshima, a short ferry ride takes you to Miyajima Island, where the famous floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine stands in the water at high tide.
Getting Around
The Japan Rail Pass is one of the best deals in travel. It gives you unlimited rides on most JR trains, including the Shinkansen bullet trains, for a fixed period of 7, 14, or 21 days. A bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto takes about two hours and fifteen minutes and covers roughly 300 miles. The trains are spotlessly clean, perfectly on time, and an experience in themselves.
Let Us Plan Your Japan Trip
Japan trips require more advance planning than most destinations, especially during cherry blossom season when hotels book up months in advance. We will help you design a route, book accommodations, arrange rail passes, and build in the right mix of temples, food, nature, and modern culture to give you a Japan experience you will never forget.
