Visit weaving centers
and pottery villages…take in a classical
Japanese theater performance…tour houses
that once belonged to Japan's finest craftspeople…take a class in ikebana,
the Japanese art of flower arranging, or how to perform a formal
tea ceremony…sample sake
at local breweries…dine in Kyoto's most exclusive seasonal kaiseki
or Zen vegetarian restaurants…learn how to prepare
regional cuisine…walk through the mountain paths of Kamakura
and its shrines…take a dip in one of Hakone's famed hot
springs…journey partway up Mt. Fuji…explore
Nikko and the shrine on its grounds…in
Kyoto, visit rustic teahouses, homes of
folk artisans, and shops that have been
selling traditional goods for hundreds of years…watch the deer roam in
Nara Park…tour the famed Miho
Museum…stroll through the Peace Memorial
Park in Hiroshima…sail to Miyajima,
an island in the Itsukushima Sea with a
beautiful shrine and one of Japan's memorable sights…stay in a ryokan
in Kurashiki, Takayama, or Kanazawa…ride a horse through the national park
in Kyushu, surrounded by active volcanoes…hike
in the "Japanese Alps" or around
the pristine lakes in the northern island of Hokkaido…hang
with the locals at one of the casual izakayas,
a popular gathering spot for food and drinks…visit a Japanese family
home for tea or dinner.
