our services
The Start: Tokyo - Synchronicity in Neon
Arrive in Tokyo at Narita International Airport. We will meet you there. Spend a few days in the metropolitan giant, first take a day to rest and recover from your jarring arrival and shake off the jet lag. Next, meet with our group and tour facilitator. We will have an orientation session and then, once well rested and having had some familiar things to eat, we set out into the heart of the metropolis of Tokyo.
While Tokyo seems to be a giant mass of concrete, subway lines, and waves of people walking everywhere, there are unique characteristics to many parts of the capital. Visit a tucked away shrine and meet the priests that attend there. Have a meal and a drink shoulder to shoulder with weary salaried workers at the end of the day. Experience the synchronized mayhem that can only After having had your fill of Tokyo experiences, both grand and surprisingly intimate, we board the bullet train for….
mark@transformationaljapan.com
Kyoto: Eternal Elegance in the Ancient Capital
No visit to Japan can escape the siren call of Kyoto. The deep history, the architecture, the textures and smells, the perfection in artistry, and “wa” of the cultured temple grounds are organically woven into the Japanese psyche.
For a few days we will guide you through sites both magnificent and subtle, and take time to explore both the broad strokes of culture and history of the past and the detailed finery of the present that all make the story of Kyoto breathe with you in the present moment.
A dramatic contrast to Tokyo, and also contrasts within. We see the modern city vs. the ancient capital. We see the grand designs of massive temples vs. smaller places of self-reflection and spartan zen. We see craftsmanship in every dish or bowl, every morsel of food, and in each gesture- frozen in bronzed deities in temples to the hands of artists painting, moving, or even making tea.
And once you have felt that Kyoto has met your expectations for a true visit to the nation’s ancient capital it is time we move forward to …
The Undiscovered Country
Tokyo and Kyoto are marvelous experiences for anyone coming to Japan for their first, second, or even third time. There is simply so much to see and do in both the modern and ancient capitals of Japan.
But how about taking a step or two away from these urban centers and seeing a bit more of the country? We have a wide variety of marvelous options for you to consider.
How about….?
A three day modern art excursion from downtown Tokyo to the Modern Art Islands of the Seto Inland Sea? How about going there by chartered yacht?
A 3-5 day pilgrimage trek through the Kumano Pilgrimage, or even a deeper adventure into the “Pure Land” of the island region of Shikoku?
A weekend on the island of Awajishima? The island of Japan’s origins, its mythologies and legends. The very beating heart of the nation.
A day or two of cycling around old Japan? Come with us through rural towns and natural scenes, and then a cycling adventure across the sea from Shikoku to Hiroshima– the best cycling of the country over bridges and threading through islands over the water. Gorgeous!
A spiritual quest of understanding? Experience Zen Buddhism, Shinto traditions, and time climbing mountains with the fabled yamabushi warrior monks?
A gastro-walking tour in a rural town, a “food-crawl”, and chances to sample a wide variety of foods, beverages, and sweets cultivated in “Old Japan”? A traveling dinner with friends, with good food and drink, and new sites, smells, and flavors along the way!
So, how about it?
This website is actually just the book “cover” of what we have to offer. Get in touch with us and “hidden links” to a wealth of additional pages can be made available. We have deep connections to a wide variety of Deep Japan Experiences. Among them are:
Indigo Dyeing
Bonsai Creation
Geisha Entertainment
Karate Experience
Ikebana Flower Arrangement
Sake Brewery Tour, and Pairings
Calligraphy Experience
Noh Theater
Slow Japanese Food Tour
Tea Ceremony
Pilgrimage Routes
Sumo Training
Japanese Sweets Making
Zen Training
Family Trip
Anime-Manga Adventure
Art Gallery Safari
Top Dining
Spiritual Journey: Experience Japan’s Heritage
Cycling: Adventures on Two Wheels
We have connections to professional in all of these areas to meet you and your clients. Our network is truly deep, and what is on these pages of this website is only the tip of the iceberg of Deep Japan experiences awaiting you.
So, let us know what are things that fire your curiosity. Leave us to handle the details, the orientations, and the preparation to put you in the room, in the tea house, on the dojo floor, in the workshop, or on the path of self-discovery.
We are an “un-Google-able” site, and make no efforts to broadcast or advertise. As such, our experiences are far from “commercialized” or “touristy”. We meet you on the path less taken.
Our Clients and Friends
Our clients come from a wide range of people from different areas of life, but who also share the same core values when it comes to travel. We have guided private tours for top executives, company owners, and industry leaders. We have worked with Wellness Coaches and their groups. We have worked with artists, photographers, musicians, and have partnered with luxury-class agents and tour designers throughout Europe and North America.
The scope of our designs is also dynamic. We arrange for intimate escapes for two, small groups “on an adventure” of 10 or 20, and also work with major corporations who need a professional touch for a conference, or incentive travel program. We have all the tools and contacts needed to make the most of your Japan experience.
While it is true that anyone can book you a nice hotel and arrange for a wonderful meal at a Japanese inn or restaurant, we take that as our “baseline” and take our clients one or two steps further.
Your experience should not only be excellent, but it should also be singular and yours alone. Meticulous planning, and thoughtful consultation are required for us to bring your Japan experience to full bloom.
And while we respect many of our colleagues in the luxury travel industry we are also very confident that our collaboration and deep networks of artists, musicians, spiritual leaders, company bosses, media and popular culture personalities, fashion houses, and unique reclusive national treasure caretakers will take you deep into a Japan you knew about, but until now had no chance at all to experience yourself. Like you, we see travel as art, travel as discovery, and travel as “being” in each moment.
So, what’s next?
Contact us to discuss a tailored itinerary for your transformational experience in Japan.
We are ready to help you discover the “undiscovered Japan”.
mark@transformationaljapan.com