A favorite destination of Luxury Travel Advisor Kimberly Floyd, Japan will dazzle you with exceptional scenery, culture, and ancient traditions. Get ready to experience a country full of marvel and beauty.
Japan is a unique and intriguing blend of Eastern traditions and Western modernity, with something to engage all travelers. It is one of the oldest civilizations with a beautiful and diverse history. With rich cultural centers like Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki spanning the five main islands of the country, you will find endless opportunities for illuminating learning.
The breathtaking, diverse scenery, much appreciated by the Japanese, presents a myriad of adventures, including skiing on world-class slopes on Hokkaido or Honshu (main island) and diving into one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hot spots on the island of Sado.
When exploring Japan from North to South, you’ll experience the best of Japan. From superb food, picturesque nature, innovative technology, and enriching culture. No matter the season you visit, you will adore your trip to enchanting Japan.
There is one type of accommodation that has been preserved for centuries, the ryokan. Staying at one of these traditional-style guesthouses is the ultimate Japanese experience. Walk inside, step back a few centuries, and find everything slows down. It begins on arrival when you trade in your shoes and clothes for slippers and a comfortable yukata robe. Relax over green tea in your tatami mat room, soak in the onsen (hot springs), and enjoy the multi-course kaiseki cuisine.
If there's one train to experience while in Japan, it is the Shinkansen, known by many as the bullet train. As the fastest train in Japan and one of the world's speediest, it takes you to your destination in a flash. For trips between Tokyo and Osaka, the Shinkansen is quicker and more comfortable than an airplane. Delight in seeing this beautiful country from your window.
Sumo is serious in Japan, and the national sport is steeped in tradition. Matches still include rituals that date back to its ancient origins as part of the Shinto religion, such as purifying the ring with salt. You can see sumo wrestling at one of the sumo tournaments that happen a few times a year (book tickets in advance) or tour a sumo stable in Tokyo or Osaka to see the wrestlers’ morning training session.
