So often in Japan, you know an experience is going to be memorable, even before you do it. That visit to majestic Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, for example; the climb up Mount Fuji; a night out in Tokyo’s karaoke bars. Other times, these moments are more accidental. And as National Geographic Traveller writer, Alicia Miller, found on her first introduction to Aomori, on our Japan's Undiscovered North itinerary, it’s these surprises that can become the most memorable moments of all. After a couple of days in the historic samurai town of Kakunodate in neighbouring prefecture Akita – seeing samurai homes, still inhabited by local samurai families, and taking a one-to-one lesson in bushido (‘the way of the warrior’) – I figured a ride on the Gono Line was  going to be a slightly m ...

  Cherry blossoms – or sakura – are one of Japan’s most recognisable seasonal markers, rich in symbolism as well as beauty. What began as a pastime for Heian-era nobles later became a symbol of impermanence for the samurai – a metaphor for dying young in battle, in a burst of glory. Today, sakura still carries cultural weight. As Japan specialist Tyler puts it: “the whole year revolves around the sakura” – with school years ending and new jobs beginning as the petals bloom. It’s peak season for travel and a moment of celebration and coming together for locals. Parks fill with people laying down blue tarps, gathering for picnics beneath the blossoms. Knowing when to go, how to join in, and where to avoid the busiest spots can make all the difference. This is our guide to doing ch ...

Each spring, two neighbouring countries become wreathed in cherry blossom. While the flowers may look similar, the meanings they carry - and the ways they’re experienced - tell very different stories. Japan: The quiet weight of tradition In Japan, cherry blossom (sakura) is not just a seasonal celebration – it’s philosophy in bloom. For over a thousand years, these petals have symbolised impermanence, fragility, and the beauty of life’s fleeting moments. The Heian-era nobility turned blossom-viewing into poetry. Samurai saw in its fall a metaphor for the ideal death: graceful, sudden, unresentful. In modern Japan, sakura still carries emotional heft – appearing in literature, graduation ceremonies, and even state messaging during times of national loss. But there’s nothing heavy-ha ...

Four different views of the city, through four different guides. Hiroshima is a place with many stories to tell: those of a city devastated by the world’s first atomic bombing, those of its victims, its survivors, and its aftermath. There are the stories of Hiroshima’s recovery and regeneration: of its significant feudal history as a once-thriving castle town; its history as a port city on the Seto Inland Sea – a place with a distinct culinary identity. And, what really brings Hiroshima’s stories to life are its locals guides. We recently sent freelance writer and editor, Kate Crockett, to Hiroshima. Here, she met with four guides that we’re proud to work with, each with their own deeply personal perspective and experience to offer. This was her experience. The atomic bomb survi ...

A stepping stone across the Seto Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku, Ikuchijima is an island where the gentle pace of life gets you the moment you arrive: you can’t help but slow down. Freelance writer and editor Kate Crockett recently explored Ikuchijima as part of her trip with us to Hiroshima. Here, she writes of the island's history of shipbuilding, octopus fishing and, famously, citrus fruits, cultivated on sunny slopes that benefit from little rainfall and a warm microclimate. Setoda: the salt port town Ikuchijima is the approximate mid-point of the 70 km (43-mile) Shimanami Kaido cycle route that connects Onomichi City in Hiroshima with Imabari City on Shikoku, via a series of safe, purpose-built trails and bridges that traverse six Inland Sea islands. Being the midpoint ...