Japan
A study in restraint, ritual, and the quiet turning of the seasons.
The Region
Japan is a place I return to with new eyes each visit. Every itinerary is built around season and pace — a ryokan in the mountains, a small kaiseki dinner in Kyoto, a morning at a country onsen — held together by the country's remarkable trains.
Where to be
Neighborhoods
Higashiyama, Kyoto
Lantern-lit lanes, quiet temples, tea rooms with a view.
Yanaka, Tokyo
One of the last old-Tokyo neighborhoods, still low and slow.
Naoshima
An entire island shaped by Tadao Ando and contemporary art.
Where to stay
Favorite Hotels
- Aman Kyoto
- Hoshinoya Karuizawa
- Trunk House, Tokyo
- Azumi Setoda
What to do
Favorite Experiences
- A private morning at a Kyoto tea master's studio
- An overnight in a working ryokan in the Kiso Valley
- Sushi at a nine-seat counter in Ginza
- Cycling the Shimanami Kaido across the Seto Inland Sea
A short list
Where to Eat
- Den, Tokyo
- Giro Giro Hitoshina, Kyoto
- Narisawa, Tokyo
Season
Best Time to Visit
Late March to early May, and mid-October to early December.
Notes from the studio
Travel Tips
- — Buy the JR Pass before arriving.
- — Two nights minimum at any ryokan — one is a tease.
- — Book kaiseki and top counters four to six months out.