Explore Japan’s living history on a National Geographic Signature small-group journey from Tokyo to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka, blending expert guidance, immersive cultural experiences, and travel by Shinkansen.
  • Witness sumo training and share chanko-nabe with wrestlers in Tokyo.
  • Soak in Hakone onsen and stroll Lake Ashi’s shores.
  • Meditate with a Zen priest at Kyoto’s Joju-ji Temple.
  • Walk Fushimi Inari’s thousand vermilion torii gates.
  • Meet a Hiroshima A-bomb survivor and hear their story.
  • Join Hagi families to cook, share tea, and practice calligraphy.
  • Strike steel at a master swordsmith’s workshop in Hiroshima.
  • Visit Osaka Castle and roam its moats and massive stone walls.
Expect compact hotel rooms in Japan, with many properties lacking designated non-smoking rooms; hotels deodorize before check-in. Enjoy a stay in a traditional ryokan with tatami floors, futon beds, kimono, baths, and kaiseki meals; note some inns provide shared same-sex onsen bathing with open shower stations.