Bespoke travel agency for Japan

The archipelago can be discovered almost year-round, but each season has its own rhythm. Spring, from late March to mid-April, is prime cherry blossom season, spectacular in Kyoto and Tokyo alike, though quite crowded. Autumn, from October to late November, offers brilliant red maple leaves across Tohoku down to Nikko, with ideal dry weather for hiking. Summer is hot and humid on Honshu, but perfect for Hokkaido or the Japanese Alps. Winter, often overlooked, remains our preferred season for Hakuba, snow-covered hot springs, and Kanazawa's markets. To determine the best time to travel to Japan based on your itinerary, we always adjust dates to the regions you'll visit rather than the other way around.

Japan has a reputation for being expensive: there's some truth to it, but it's nuanced. For a two-week circuit with quality accommodations, Shinkansen transport, a few nights in ryokan and varied meals, budget an average of €3,500 to €5,000 per person, excluding international flights. By opting for budget options and favoring business hotels and izakaya, the budget can come down to around €2,500. Conversely, a trip focused on exceptional ryokan, kaiseki gastronomy or nights in Koyasan monastery temples rises quickly. The biggest expense remains rail: we adjust according to your itinerary to avoid the JR Pass when it's not worthwhile.

Japan may seem easy to travel through: trains run on time, everything works. But behind this efficiency, much happens in Japanese—from ryokan reservations to small restaurants that don't welcome outsiders. Working with a local, English-speaking agency based in Japan means gaining access to addresses hidden from search engines, securing Shinkansen tickets during peak seasons, and benefiting from guides who truly know their region. We live on the ground, we test our accommodations, we speak with artisans in Kanazawa and monks at Koyasan. This transforms the texture of your trip: less logistics to wrestle with, more genuine encounters, and an understanding of the country that no guidebook can offer.

A first trip to Japan often revolves around the Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka axis, complemented by Hakone or Nara. It's a solid introduction, provided you don't rush through everything. Beyond, the archipelago reveals itself at its margins: the Kii Peninsula and its Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails, the Seto Inland Sea and its art islands like Naoshima, rural Tohoku, or Yakushima and its ancient forests to the south. For a second visit, Hokkaido in summer or Okinawa in the shoulder seasons offer another perspective on the country. We design each itinerary to match your pace: some enjoy alternating between major cities and countryside, others prefer to settle for a few days in the same village.