Japan
Depth & Precision
Japan is a country of infinite layers. The surface — neon-lit Tokyo, bullet trains, cherry blossoms — is extraordinary. Below it lies one of the world's great cultures: 1,400 years of Buddhist and Shinto tradition, a cuisine philosophy that treats a bowl of ramen with the same seriousness as a Michelin-starred tasting menu, a concept of hospitality — omotenashi — that anticipates your needs before you have expressed them.
Kyoto's 17 temples, shrines and castles together form one UNESCO World Heritage site. A private Explorify Kyoto itinerary — guided by a scholar of Japanese art and religion — transforms the temples, gardens, and tea houses from beautiful objects into a living civilization. Tokyo rewards those who go deep into its neighborhoods: Yanaka's preserved Edo-era streetscape, Nezu Shrine at dawn, a sake tasting in a 200-year-old brewery. The ryokan inns of the mountain onsen towns — Kinosaki, Kurokawa, Nyuto — offer a form of luxury that has no Western equivalent.
Weather by Open-Meteo. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Japan: Stillness and Season
10 nights
Best time to travel: Japan rewards travelers in every season. Spring and autumn are often cherished for their color, and we will advise on timing according to what you hope to feel.
- Day 1
Arrival in Tokyo
You step into a city that hums politely. Your private driver takes you to a refined hotel, and the evening opens with a quiet bowl of something warm.
- Day 2
Tokyo, Behind the Curtain
A private guide leads you past the obvious. Backstreet workshops, tiny counters, and neighborhoods where craft is quietly kept alive.
- Day 3
A Morning of Craft
Spend time with an artisan, learning a little of their trade by hand. In the afternoon, wander a garden and let the city fall away.
- Day 4
Into the Mountains
A train carries you out of the city and into the hills. You arrive at a family-run ryokan, where a hot spring bath and a multi-course dinner await.
- Day 5
The Old Post Road
Walk a historic trail through forest and village. Tea is served in a wooden house, and the day moves at the pace of footsteps.
- Day 6
To Kyoto
The bullet train glides west. By evening you are settled in a restored townhouse in the old capital, lantern light on stone.
- Day 7
Temples at First Light
Beat the crowds. With a private guide, step into temple grounds as they wake. Moss, mist, and the sound of a distant bell.
- Day 8
The Tea Ceremony
Sit in a quiet room and take part in a tea ceremony. Nothing is hurried. The afternoon turns to a walk through the lanes of Gion.
- Day 9
A Day in Nara
Take a short journey to ancient Nara. Walk beneath great trees and past old halls. A simple lunch follows, with a view of the hills.
- Day 10
The Sea of Inland Islands
Travel toward Hiroshima and the Seto Inland Sea. A visit to the Peace Memorial is made with care, followed by a ferry to a gentle island.
- Day 11
Sayonara
Return to Tokyo by rail, with a final evening to savor. Your transfer to the airport is smooth. What stays is the stillness.
- Ryokan and townhouse stays chosen for character, not convenience alone.
- Private guides who open doors that guidebooks do not.
- Rail, transfers and timings handled quietly so you never queue or wonder.
A sample only. Every Explorify journey is designed from a blank page around you.
Tell Us Your DreamKyoto
Historic CityJapan's imperial capital for over a thousand years, Kyoto contains 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites — including Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), Fushimi Inari's 10,000 vermilion torii gates, and Arashiyama's bamboo grove — along with 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. A private itinerary guided by a scholar of Japanese religion and art transforms these places from sights into a living civilization.
Tokyo
Capital CityThe world's largest metropolis and one of its most fascinating cities, Tokyo is a place of extraordinary contrasts — ancient Senso-ji temple and the neon-lit Shibuya crossing, a 200-year-old sake brewery and the world's most advanced cuisine. Exploring its distinct neighborhoods — Yanaka's Edo-era streetscape, Shimokitazawa's vintage culture, Toyosu fish market at dawn, with breakfast in Tsukiji's outer market — requires guidance and curiosity in equal measure.
Mount Fuji & Hakone
Mountain & National ParkJapan's iconic dormant volcano and national symbol, Fuji-san at 3,776 meters is the country's highest peak and one of the most photographed mountains in the world. Hakone, the classic viewpoint in the national park to the east, offers ryokan retreats, open-air museums, and the Owakudani volcanic valley where Fuji's reflection appears in Lake Ashi on clear mornings.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial
UNESCO World Heritage SiteThe A-Bomb Dome — the skeletal iron frame of the Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the only structure left standing near the epicenter of the world's first atomic bomb attack in August 1945 — is a UNESCO World Heritage site of profound significance. The Peace Memorial Museum and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park create a space of reflection and commitment to nuclear abolition that no visitor to Japan should miss.
Nara
UNESCO Heritage CityJapan's first permanent capital and home to some of the country's oldest Buddhist temples, Nara is famous above all for its population of over 1,200 freely roaming sika deer, considered sacred messengers of the gods, which bow to receive biscuits from visitors throughout the vast Nara Park. Todai-ji — one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, housing a 15-meter bronze Buddha — is one of Japan's most impressive buildings.
Kyushu Onsen — Beppu & Yufuin
Hot Spring TownThe island of Kyushu produces more hot spring water than anywhere in the world outside Iceland, and Beppu's 'Hells' — brightly colored boiling pools of azure blue, blood red, and gray mud — are among Japan's most extraordinary geological phenomena. The nearby village of Yufuin, where traditional ryokan inns sit among rice fields beneath the volcanic peak of Yufu-dake, offers one of Japan's finest onsen-town experiences.
Design Your Japan Journey
Your dedicated Asia specialist will build your itinerary from scratch — from the first conversation to the last day.
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Japan: your questions, answered
When is the best time to visit Japan?
The best time to visit Japan is March to April (cherry blossom) and October to November (autumn foliage). Explorify times every itinerary to the season, so your specialist will confirm the ideal weeks for what you most want to experience.
How many days do I need in Japan?
Plan for 10–18 days. Because every Explorify journey is designed from scratch, the exact length is shaped around your pace and interests.
What are the highlights of Japan?
Kyoto private temple and garden tour at dawn. Tokyo deep-dive — markets, artisans, hidden bars. Ryokan and onsen in the mountain countryside. Hiroshima and Miyajima — history and reflection. Top places include Kyoto, Tokyo, Mount Fuji & Hakone and Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
How much does a private journey to Japan cost?
Private Explorify journeys to Japan start from $8,000 per person. The final figure depends on the season, where you stay and how you travel, and your specialist designs the journey to the level you choose.
How does Explorify plan a trip to Japan?
A dedicated Asia specialist who has visited Japan builds your itinerary from a blank page, handles flights, transfers and logistics end-to-end, and stays available 24/7 while you travel. There are no group departures, shared vehicles or off-the-shelf packages.
Plan Your Japan Journey
Tell us about your dream trip and your dedicated Japan specialist will respond within 24 hours.