Japan: A Cultural Journey

Day 1

Food, fun and fashion in Japan’s neon capital

Nowhere can you find the intersection of timeless tradition and cutting-edge the way you can in Tokyo. Every neighborhood has its own identity and vibe: Harajuku offers avant garde street style, cat cafés, and world class vintage shopping; old-school Asakusa is the place of traditional shopping streets and izakaya pub food; and Kagurazaka provides a chance to get lost among charming cobblestone al

Day 2

Learn the art of sushi-making and bonsai cultivation

Tokyo’s cuisine is vibrant and varied, traditional but also wildly innovative. One of the best places to understand the city’s culinary identity is at the famous Tsukiji Fish Market, once the largest in the world, a can’t-miss stop for its epicurean treasure trove of dried foods and fresh seafood. Here, you can join a private, hands-on sushi-making class, where you’ll learn about the ingredients a

Day 3

Serenity, culture, and performance art at a Shinto shrine

Start the day beneath the magnificent eaves of Hie Shrine, a 15th century Shinto site with statues of benevolent monkey gods and a tunnel of 90 bright red torii gates. You'll also get to see a performance of kagura, a sacred dance that wards off misfortune. Continue on to Tokyo’s Nezu Museum, which houses a robust collection of pre-modern Japanese and East Asian art assembled by the philanthropist

Day 4

Artisan traditions and small country towns

There is no better or more exhilarating way to move through Japan than on the Shinkansen high-speed bullet train. The ride from Tokyo to the town of Kaga offers a peek into daily life outside the city, taking you through the countryside and past rural villages. During the prosperous Edo period (1603-1868), the Kaga area was a center for arts and culture through the patronage of the Maeda clan, a p

Day 5

A crash course in Japanese culture, from samurai history to modern art

The coastal city of Kanazawa is home to a historic samurai quarter, an authentic geisha district and meticulously manicured gardens. After a night at Hyatt Centric Kanazawa, start the day with a walk through Nagamachi, a fully restored former samurai district that flourished during the Edo period when the powerful Tokugawa shogunate dominated Japan. You can also visit a nearby silk-dyeing studio,

Day 6

Visit a city steeped in imperial heritage—and sake

Take the bullet train to Kyoto, once the capital of imperial Japan for more than a millennium, and today one of the country’s cultural capitals – a city of temples and tradition. Begin in the historic district of Fushimi, and visit Fushimi Inari, the most significant and striking of thousands of shrines dedicated to the Shinto god worshipped for bountiful harvests. Present a small offering to the

Day 7

Slow down through meditation and appreciation

Chado (the way of tea) is one of Japan’s three great classical arts of appreciation, along with kodo (the art of incense) and kado (the art of flowers). Begin the day with a private tea ceremony at a Buddhist temple, led by a tea master who will explain the practice’s cultural significance, followed by a private meditation session led by a Zen master. Onward, to busy Nishiki Market, where since th

Day 8

Natural beauty, traditional sweets, and a ceremonial meal

Begin at Kinkakuji, a Zen temple overlooking Kyokochi Pond. Built as a wealthy warlord's retirement villa, it is commonly referred to as the Golden Pavilion thanks to the outrageous amount of gold leaf decorating its top tiers. In pastoral Arashiyama, a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, wander the soaring bamboo forests before heading to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tenryuji, a 14

Day 9

Bid farewell to Japan

Transfer by private vehicle to Osaka Kansai International Airport or Osaka Itami Airport for your connecting flight home.