Rediscovering Japan
Finally, Japan is open. After a two-year hiatus, Japan has reopened its borders to international travelers — albeit with strict requirements, which you can read here.
REDISCOVERING JAPAN
Finally, Japan is open. After a two-year hiatus, Japan has reopened its borders to international travelers — albeit with strict requirements, which you can read here. As always, the Remote Lands team is here to guide you through the finer details and small print.
There are many reasons why Japan is beloved by travelers. The country's myriad attractions are ripe for rediscovery following the pandemic. Both stunningly futuristic yet blessed with traditions the locals guard with pride, the country offers the best of everything. With restrictions easing, Japan is certain to reassert its status as a world leader in giving visitors exactly what they want.
APPRECIATING THE CLASSICS
Gion District, Kyoto
If we have learned one thing during the pandemic, it’s that we should appreciate what we have — and Japan is blessed with many enduringly unique destinations. Whether it's your first trip or your hundredth, these are places you never stop wanting to visit.
Start in Tokyo — a city that lives up to its super-charged reputation. From your base at Aman Tokyo, explore the skyscrapers of Shinjuku and Shibuya (home of fashion hub Harajuku), which tower over a landscape of giant video screens, busy street crossings, and lively "entertainment districts". Other stereotypical scenes can be witnessed in upscale Ginza with its gleaming department stores and in Akihabara, the city's electronics Mecca and the epicenter of otaku (geek) culture. For mellower experiences, explore the lush oasis of the Imperial East Gardens, or head to Tsukiji Market for an introduction to high-end Japanese seafood, followed by a sushi-making class. Japan's hyperactive, but historic, capital never gets old.
If Tokyo represents modernity, Kyoto is Japan’s traditional side writ large. A city of temples and zen gardens, over a millennium of history is displayed here including the Kinkaku-ji (the famed Golden Pavilion), the Zen Garden at Ryoan-ji, and Fushimi-Inari-Taisha, the most revered of all Shinto shrines. Soak up Kyoto’s atmosphere by wandering around the bamboo groves of Arashiyama, and the 17th century entertainment quarter of Gion, where you can enjoy a private geisha dinner or a traditional tea ceremony with a maiko. For accommodation, we suggest the modern minimalist masterpiece of Aman Kyoto.
Japan’s millennia of self-imposed seclusion incubated beliefs and traditions that have helped make the country so unique. Kanazawa is one of the best examples of well-preserved Japanese culture — known for Kenroku-en, a castle garden dating from the 17th century, it also boasts beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, attractive temples, a wealth of museums, and a colorful market. Afterwards, you can unwind at Yamanaka or Yamashiro, two of four onsen (hot spring) towns in the mountains near Kaga, before retreating to a ryokan — a type of Japanese inn that originated during the Edo period — such as Beniya Mukayu or Kayotei.
BEYOND THE CLASSICS
Mount Fuji
Beyond the classics, Japan has enough to keep visitors captivated for a lifetime or two — and we pride ourselves on our knowledge of every remote corner. If traveling in fall, consider the less-visited Tohoku region, a lush forested landscape that has inspired painters and poets for centuries. We are looking forward to returning to the Mount Fuji area, which enjoys a burgeoning reputation as a wine-growing region and is home to the wonderful Fufu Kawaguchiko, where each room enjoys views of Fuji and a private onsen. A hidden gem we absolutely love is Kinosaki Onsen, a small and idyllic hot spring resort town, where we recommend staying at the 150-year-old Nishimuraya Honkan. The southerly islands of Kyushu and tiny Yakushima are perfect for return visitors and rarely explored by foreign guests. The latter is a protected Unesco biosphere reserve and bestowed with deep forests of moss-covered cedars, lending the island a mystical feel only experienced in Japan.
But our top pick for returning visitors is Seto Inland Sea, where you can enjoy not only a private art tour of acclaimed Naoshima, but also explore the creative visions of the lesser known art islands: Inujima and Teshima.
THE CLASSIC
AMAN JET EXPEDITION
Remote Lands' ACJ319 with lounge configuration
There are still a few spaces left for the Kyoto to Greece Aman Jet Expedition this September 7-23, 2022. This signature 16-night Remote Lands journey, for up to 18 people, begins at Aman Kyoto and includes sojourns in the Philippines, Bali, Sri Lanka and Dubai before concluding in Turkey and Greece. Fall is a wonderful time to visit Kyoto with autumnal foliage adding a dash of color to what is already one of the world’s most evocative locations. This is the first Aman Jet Expedition to visit Japan since 2019 and promises to be a very special experience.
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