Japan
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
Kimono mornings in Kyoto, thatched mountain villages, Mount Fuji from a red pagoda, and Tokyo's electric energy. Culture, nature, and connection.
Overview
Off the eastern coast of Asia lies an archipelago that developed a culture unlike anywhere else on earth. We cross the island of Honshu together, from Osaka to Tokyo: the imperial temples and geisha lanes of Kyoto, the sacred deer of Nara, gardens and samurai houses in Kanazawa, thatched mountain villages, sake breweries in old Takayama, Mount Fuji and a hot spring evening in Hakone, and finally Tokyo, where ancient shrines sit beside the world's busiest crossing. We meet the world of the geishas, taste our way through the rich Japanese kitchen, and experience Japan with all the senses, in a women-only journey of culture, calm, and connection.
Highlights
A kimono day in Kyoto: zen gardens, a traditional tea ceremony, and the lanes of Gion, where you may glimpse a geisha on her way to an evening appointment
The towering bamboo grove of Arashiyama and the chirping nightingale floors of Nijo Castle
Nara's giant bronze Buddha and the sacred deer that roam free in the park
Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, and the old geisha quarter of wooden tea houses
Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO village of steep thatched farmhouses, and the sake breweries of old Takayama
Mount Fuji framed by the red Chureito Pagoda, and an onsen evening in the mountains of Hakone
Dinner with a maiko, an apprentice geisha, and a sukiyaki feast cooked together at the table
Tokyo in full: the Senso-ji Temple, the Shibuya crossing, the teamLab digital art museum, and a farewell cruise on Tokyo Bay
Itinerary
Day 1-2
Landing in Japan
We fly together to Osaka and drive to Kyoto, the imperial capital for over a thousand years, for a first taste of the Japanese kitchen.
Day 3-4
Kyoto
A day in traditional kimono among zen temples and a tea ceremony, the wooden veranda of Kiyomizu-dera, the Arashiyama bamboo grove, Nijo Castle, the Nishiki food market, and dinner with a maiko.
Day 5
Nara
Japan's first capital: the Great Buddha of Todai-ji, hundreds of sacred deer in the park, a lantern-lined forest shrine, and the world-famous zen rock garden of Ryoan-ji.
Day 6
Kanazawa
The Kenroku-en garden with a traditional tea house, a preserved samurai residence, the Omicho seafood market, and the elegant old geisha district.
Day 7-8
Shirakawa-go & Takayama
A UNESCO mountain village of thatched farmhouses, then old Takayama: the morning market, sake breweries, Japan's largest wasabi farm, and on to Matsumoto.
Day 9
Mount Fuji country
A community farm visit in the highlands, Lake Kawaguchi, the climb to the Chureito Pagoda with its iconic Fuji view, and a hot spring evening in Hakone.
Day 10
Hakone & Kamakura
Sculptures by Picasso and Henry Moore in the open-air museum, a ropeway over the steaming volcanic valley of Owakudani, and Kamakura's Great Buddha on the way to Tokyo.
Day 11-15
Tokyo & farewell
Old Asakusa and the kitchen-tools street, Ueno Park, Harajuku and the Meiji Shrine, the Shibuya crossing, the Tsukiji outer market, the teamLab art museum, a Tokyo Bay cruise with a farewell dinner, and the flight home.
Frequently asked
May is one of the loveliest months in Japan: mild spring days, fresh green maples, and azaleas in bloom. Light layers are perfect.
Interested in this journey?
We'll share dates, pricing, and availability in a personal conversation.