Our favorite Japan tours and excursions

A sport, an art form and a religious ritual all in one, sumo wrestling is far, far more interesting than the comedic stereotype that made it to the West. 

Did you know, for instance, that sumo wrestlers are not allowed to drive cars, or to wear Western-style clothes? Or that a sumo match is also a religious ritual dating back 1,500 years? Pay a visit to a sumo “stable” — where the wrestlers live and train — with us and you’ll get a glimpse into this strictly regimented way of life. Training begins early in the morning, but wrestlers are also expected to cook, clean and serve their superiors, and to be self-effacing and softly spoken in public. Have us book you a seat at a tournament and you’ll have great fun even if you know nothing of the sport, but go with a guide to keep you up to speed and it’s completely enthralling.

Can you be a professional at bar-hopping? Some of our Japan team have dedicated years to the art, and this insider’s eating-and-drinking extravaganza is the result. 

Beloved by Japan’s legions of office workers, the izakaya is something like a cross between a pub and a tapas bar. Typically relaxed, down-to-earth and affordable, it serves everything from spaghetti and fried chicken to gyoza dumplings and sushi, all washed down with quantities of frosty beer. Anyone can stumble in and muddle their way through (you’ll probably do so several times on your trip), but they're not always easy for the uninitiated. This experience removes the angst and uncertainty. With your itinerary, navigation, etiquette and ordering taken care of by one of the most accomplished drinkers we know, all you need to do is abandon yourself to the fun of a night out – Japanese-style. Then, you're an expert for the rest of your trip.

We all know that Japan is famous for sake, but did you know that it also produces some of the best whiskey in the world? 

It probably won’t surprise you that the Japanese treat their booze with the same level of dedication, sophistication and precision that they apply to all areas of life. There’s even a word for it: kodawari, or a relentless devotion to one’s craft. Sake, a fermented rice wine brewed in Japan for centuries, comes in all shapes and sizes (milky, clear, cheap, premium, strong, mild, hot, cold) and offers a palate as subtle and varied as wine. Whiskey, meanwhile, has only been produced in Japan since 1923, but it can already compete with Scotch for quality and depth of flavor. You can sample sake on a brewery tour and whiskey on a distillery tour, or you can go all out and combine them both (plus cocktails and food pairings) on a fabulously indulgent gourmet tour of Tokyo or Kyoto.

If we had to pick one experience to sum up Japan (and thank goodness we don’t), it’d be the traditional ryokan inn. 

The ryokan isn’t just a Japanese-style hotel, it’s the encapsulation of what hospitality means to the Japanese. The quality of a ryokan isn’t measured in the plushness of its luxuries or the opulence of its interior décor. In fact, even the most exclusive ryokan room might contain nothing but a low table and a futon laid on a tatami-mat floor. Instead, you tell the quality of a ryokan by its exquisite multi-course, seasonal cuisine, by the warm, heartfelt hospitality of the host, and most of all by its onsen hot spring baths — arguably the most Japanese cultural experience of all.

Geisha are among Japan’s most recognizable icons, but they’re also among its most mysterious and misunderstood. No matter how much you’ve read, meeting one is something special. 

Being a geisha isn’t a job, and it’s certainly not a costume. It’s a way of life. Kyoto is the center of geisha culture, and yet most Kyotoites will never meet one — that’s how elusive and exclusive they are. Take tea with a geisha and you’re taking tea with a living work of art. You’ll soon realize it’s not just about looking pretty and learning to sing and dance. She’s an effortless conversationalist, a master game-player, and she knows how to put you at ease while remaining somehow otherworldly and remote. It’s hard to explain, but meeting a geisha feels a bit like meeting someone from a different time (which, in a way, it is). It’s one of the most unforgettable experiences you can have in Japan.