Japan art and food tour, tailor made

Planet

This cultural tour makes the most of travelling around Japan via public transport, rather than private car or mini-buses, just as the locales do. This includes trips via train (including Japan's famous Shinkansen bullet trains, which are an attraction in themselves), subways, local buses, cable cars, boats and ferries, trams and also bikes, which are best for exploring rural Japan. Travelling this way reduces carbon emissions and road congestion, making it a more environmentally friendly option.

We also only work with hotels and guesthouses which share our commitment to sustainable tourism and environmental responsibility, especially in terms of recycling and energy conservation initiatives.

To further keep up sustainable practices during your trip, we recommend you carry your own reusable, non-plastic chopsticks or cutlery, as Japan gets through 24 billion pairs of ‘waribashi’ (disposable chopsticks made of wood or bamboo) every year. That's 185 pairs for every person in Japan! There are also ample recycling facilities in the country and as tap water is drinkable, we urge you to use a refillable bottle rather than buying bottled water.

People

We are committed to responsible, sustainable and ethical tourism in Japan, and we’re proud to work with a fantastic local operator that shares our values with regards to responsible tourism.

We encourage all of our clients who are visiting Japan to travel in a responsible and respectful manner to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on the economy, the environment and the local communities.

Our tour activities focus on authentic cultural experiences, such as Japanese cooking experiences run by a local chefs, guided tours with a local perspective and stays in traditional (and often family-run) Japanese ryokans. We believe that the best way to learn about the culture of Japan is through immersive experiences like these, which often benefit the local community as well.

Our guides in Japan are highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable, so we encourage you to make an effort to get to know them and show an interest in their culture and customs.

By gaining a deeper understanding about Japan’s culture, traditions, rich heritage and religious beliefs you’re likely to have a much more interesting and meaningful travel experience.