Traditional Japan

Mysteries of Movement Discover Japan’s traditional Noh theater and modern Butoh dance. Incorporating stylized masks and precise movements, Noh dates to the fourteenth century. Butoh was born in the 1960s and is expressive, wild, earthy and everevolving. See a performance of each, and meet with the dancers to hear their personal stories and motivations for pursuing these different arts. Held in Kyoto, these performances are a rare opportunity to learn about two distinctly Japanese art forms.

Explore the secluded mountain village of Shirakawa-go, famed for its UNESCO-designated, thatch-roofed farmhouses, before heading to Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. This wellbalanced, 12-day tour includes lots of classic shrines, shopping and sashimi, plus dining on Buddhist vegetarian cuisine at a temple in Kyoto, riding the bullet train to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and playing drinking games with a geisha.

Bow to Tradition Soak in a tranquil hot-spring bath in the shadow of Mount Fuji at one of Japan’s most refined traditional ryokans. Everything is at your pace on this 15-day private tour, featuring the best of Japanese art, culture and food. Try your hand at ikebana (flower arranging) in Kyoto, or hike the hills outside of Tokyo, take a private martial arts lesson or cheer the home team at a lively baseball game.