Cultural tours in Japan
On our expert-led tours of Japan, we uncover and make sense of a rich and mesmerising cultural heritage. The best Japan tours highlight the unique harmony between thoroughly modern and unwaveringly traditional – and we do exactly that, with itineraries covering the major cultural highlights.
Featured tours and events in Japan
Exploring Japan on a cultural tour
We grasp the essence of Japanese cultural heritage: from the samurai houses of Kanazawa, to Nara, the cradle of Buddhist Japan, where we study the world’s oldest wooden temple. In Kyoto, the Japanese tea ceremony thrives and Zen Buddhist rock gardens beckon.
We explore the art of Japan and unveil an eclectic legacy: Discover vibrant ukiyo-e woodblocks, painted screens and shrines – then dart by bullet train travel to Naoshima, Japan’s famed art colony where contemporary jewels by Kusama, Hockney and Warhol intrigue in Tadao Ando galleries.
From legacies of tea masters to samurai and Buddhist priests, Japanese gardens have been shaped by extraordinary stories of social, horticultural and aesthetic expression over 1,600 years. On visits to Japanese gardens, specialist Yoko Kawaguchi takes us on a comprehensive 12 day discovery of these symbolic spaces.
Expect the temples, Geisha culture, and neon–bright Tokyo on our itineraries, but our experts will take you to the heart of Japan: the reinterpretations and revelations will come thick and fast.
