Japan
The Country Guide
What Japan is known for
Japan is craft, cuisine, and contrast. It has more Michelin stars than any country on earth, an obsession with detail that runs from a tea ceremony to a train schedule, and a culture that moves between the futuristic and the deeply traditional. Temples and shrines, cherry blossoms and autumn maples, ryokan inns and neon cities, all in one country.
The regions
Tokyo is the pulse, a vast, electric capital of neighborhoods, dining, and design. Kyoto, to the west, is the cultural soul, temples, geisha districts, and gardens. Osaka is the kitchen, street food and nightlife. Beyond the cities lie Hakone and Mount Fuji, the Japanese Alps, and the powder and hot springs of Hokkaido.
Sport, adventure & the outdoors
Winter is world-class skiing and snowboarding; Niseko and Hakuba deliver some of the best powder on earth. Summer brings hiking in the Alps and along ancient pilgrimage trails, cycling the Shimanami Kaido, and surfing off Okinawa. And the onsen, natural hot springs, are a ritual in every season.
Wellness & recovery
The onsen is Japan’s original wellness. Beyond it, ryokan inns pair kaiseki dining, tatami calm, and mineral baths into some of the most restorative stays anywhere, from the mountains of Hakone to remote hot-spring towns.
When to go
Spring (late March to April) for cherry blossoms and autumn (October to November) for maple foliage are the two peak windows. Winter is for powder and onsen. Summer is hot and humid but full of festivals. We time the trip to what you want to see.
Good to know
Currency. The Japanese yen, roughly 150 yen to one US dollar. Visa. Most Western passports enter visa-free for short stays, typically up to 90 days. Health. No vaccinations required; standard precautions apply. Getting around. The rail network, led by the shinkansen bullet train, is the best in the world; we arrange rail and private transfers throughout. Etiquette. Tipping is not expected, and a little respect for custom goes a long way.