While walking the streets of Japan you will be amazed by the contrast between ultra-modern buildings next to traditional temples, by the kids walking around in their self-created fashion, and an elderly lady in a traditional kimono. Japan is such a mix of contradictions that it is almost impossible to get your head wrapped around it. Finally, you’ll learn to just enjoy it. These contrasts can be seen in various destinations of Japan.
Tokyo is a highly polished metropolis known for its high fashion and technical gadgets. Hakone is where you will see a slower side as you enjoy a kaiseki dinner at your hot spring ryokan inn. In Hiroshima, you find peace in a city devastated by war.
On Miyajima Island, you will see the world is reborn and filled with beauty. You will then travel to Kyoto that has survived for 1200 years and is the home of Japanese traditional culture arts like tea ceremony and flower arranging. Finally, you will find yourself in Osaka known as the kitchen of Japan, and it’s down to Earth locals.
This tour can be fully customized.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$5,900
Superior: from US$7,250
Luxury: price upon request
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Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan and has its own unique culture and customs. A trip to Shikoku offers a more relaxing experience, complete with beautiful natural scenery, impressive sights such as feudal castles, hot spring baths, ancient religious sites, and a southern flair that cannot be experienced anywhere else in Japan.
This tour can be fully customized.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$4,330
Superior: from US$6,330
Luxury: price upon request
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Take this journey as an invitation to discover the beauty of traditional Japan and the less touristy island of Shodoshima. Starting in Osaka and then heading to Miyajima, Hiroshima, Kurashiki,… you will appreciate the Japanese culture and spirituality. To balance sightseeing days with some good rest you will stay at a hot spring ryokan in Iya Valley. You will have 3 days and 2 nights to fully enjoy Shodoshima, the Japanese Olive Island. Finally, you will have 3 days to enjoy Kyoto, the ancient capital at your pace before returning home with great memories.
This tour can be fully customized.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$6,720
Superior: from US$9,890
Luxury: price upon request
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Begin your journey in Tokyo before heading north to explore Tohoku’s most beautiful destinations. Your first stop is Nikko, where vibrant shrines and temples, nestled within a stunning national park, offer a captivating blend of Japanese history and natural splendor.
Next, a train ride will transport you to Aizu-Wakamatsu, a historic castle town renowned for its sake and samurai heritage. The Aizu clan’s unwavering loyalty to the shogun, even after his removal during the 1868 Meiji Restoration, cemented their place in history. While in Aizu-Wakamatsu, we recommend visiting Ouchijuku, a picturesque post town; Tsuruga Castle; Aizu Bukeyashiki, a grand reconstructed samurai house; and the Suehiro Sake Brewery. On your final day in Aizu-Wakamatsu, embark on an off-the-beaten-path adventure to Urabandai with a knowledgeable charter taxi driver who can guide you to local culinary gems.
After breakfast, your journey continues to the picturesque Matsushima, renowned for having one of Japan’s most breathtaking views. Next, you will venture to the enigmatic Yamadera Temple, where the day’s highlight awaits: the Godaido Hall, accessible after ascending approximately 1000 steps. Following a restful night, you’ll travel to Ginzan Onsen to unwind in its therapeutic hot spring baths. From Ginzan Onsen, a combination of bus and train will transport you to Kakunodate, a charming and traditional samurai town. Your final destination will be Nyuto Onsen, celebrated as one of Japan’s most exquisite hot spring resorts.
This tour can be fully customized.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$5,810
Superior: from US$9,100
Luxury: price upon request
Request a Quote
After exploring famous sites in the bustling city of Tokyo, the route extends north, where the countryside is mountainous and picturesque. You will stay in one of Japan’s most scenic regions, relax in the quiet atmosphere of secluded hot springs, and experience the vibrancy of one community’s cultural revival.
Our North Central Exploration Tour is a 13-day private tour that will give you a chance to see Tokyo and visit beautiful mountainous destinations on the main island of Honshu. Since this is a private tour you will not have to worry about visiting places you have no interest in or sightseeing at a pace that is not right for you.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$6,570
Superior: from US$9,390
Luxury: price upon request
Our journey takes us north from Tokyo to a landscape rich in spirituality and tradition. Though off the established tourist circuit, the sights of northern Japan rival anywhere in the country in their beauty and atmospheric grandeur. We visit both the better-known, magnificent destinations, such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Toshogu shrine at Nikko and Dewa Sanzan, as well as the region’s more remote hot springs and beautiful national parks. We take exhilarating walks through beautiful scenery in the Oze Wetlands, Mount Gas-san, and the Tono Valley.
The Japanese poet Matsuo Basho traveled through this region in the 17th century, a journey subsequently published as The Narrow Road to the Deep North. We will visit several of the places which inspired his famous haiku poems. Our small group stays at traditional Ryokan and Minshuku inns in the countryside – always with wonderful service and beautifully prepared regional cuisine featuring fresh local ingredients. Natural hot-spring baths are highlights of our journey. At Tochio near Oze our hot-spring Ryokan has open-air baths next to a rushing river, while at Nyuto near Lake Tazawako, the 300-year-old Tsuru-no-yu Ryokan has eight baths, some with the famous milky-white spring water. The tour begins and ends in Tokyo, with time for sightseeing and shopping.
July 1 to July 13, 2025
August 15 to August 27, 2025
Starting from US$6,035.00 based on double occupancy (subject to change without notice)
This culinary small group tour visits famous locations like the ancient imperial capital of Kyoto, as well as hidden rural villages and the unique culture of Awaji Island in the fabled Inland Sea, where culinary traditions have been handed down from generation to generation. Foraging for wild ingredients, harvesting the bounty of the land, cooking with emblematic figures, and alongside members of local communities, this culinary adventure will show you how food is the most intimate way to uncover Japan’s history and culture.
Japan is blessed with rich natural products from the ‘Satoyama’ landscape, the border area between flat arable land where rice is grown, and the mountains. Managed sustainably over centuries, Satoyama is biologically diverse and supports a wide variety of wildlife throughout four seasons, offering a great variety of dishes and regional specialties. Japanese cuisine’s unique qualities are the product of a long tradition of respect for the harvest of ingredients and for nature itself.
Food culture in Japan is also closely related to festivals and rituals and reflects the way of life in each particular region. Traveling from mountain villages to fishing ports, staying in rural thatched-roof houses, and in the dazzling cities, you will taste the sake, experience the food and the culture, awaken your senses and share unforgettable moments with people you’ll meet on your journey.
Our adventure starts in Tokyo and takes us to the local food market in Kanazawa, then hunting wild plants with local villagers in Gokayama. Next, we travel to Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site, and Takayama, where a local community will host us in an old Kominca house. Here we learn about Okudo-san (earth oven) cooking and visit a sake brewery. In Asuka, the capital of Japan before Kyoto and Nara, we visit Era-san’s family of organic farmers for an “outdoor kitchen” experience, using locally-produced vegetables. We visit a fishing port on Awaji Island before heading to the imperial capital of Kyoto where we enjoy a Kaiseki dinner in the exclusive setting of a wonderful property not typically open to the public. Your Kaiseki dinner is prepared and explained by chef Taro Katayama who has over thirty years of experience.
September 20 to September 30, 2024 – full
October 18 to October 28, 2024 – full
May 23 to June 2, 2025
September 19 to September 29, 2025
October 17 to October 27, 2025
Starting from US$5,435.00 based on double occupancy (subject to change without notice)
Hokkaido is the most northern and second-largest of Japan’s four main islands. Your tour will start in Sapporo and will take you around this mostly unspoiled land. Your first stop after Sapporo will be at Furano, where in summer rolling lavender fields form a picturesque scenery. Next, you will head to Abashiri on the northern coast of the island and stay at a hot spring ryokan inn where you will appreciate a delicious dinner.
In the winter, this area is known for the ice flows, which you can cruise through. You will then head inland to Lake Akan Onsen and Lake Kussharo, located in Akan National Park, to enjoy nature. You then head south to a quaint town called Kurshiro on the eastern coast. This town is famous for wildlife, especially in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park. You will finally head back to Sapporo.
This tour can be fully customized.
The itinerary below is an example of a Classical custom tour.
Price per person based on double occupancy for two travelers:
Classical: from US$6,100
Superior: from US$7,890
Luxury: price upon request
Request a Quote