A country read to the rhythm
of its seasons.
In Japan, one doesn't choose a destination: one chooses a moment. Here is how we read the year, season by season, to compose your journey.
Spring
Haru
The first petals fall like warm snow. The country holds its breath: gardens awakening, temples bathed in milky light, families gathered beneath the cherry trees. A suspended season, as fleeting as it is unforgettable — one that calls for planning well in advance.
Our destinations
Kyoto
Philosopher's Path, Maruyama, the hillsides behind
Yoshino
Three valleys of sakura cascading down the mountainside
Kanazawa
Kenroku-en, a classed garden at the peak of hanami
Hirosaki
The north blooms last — mid-April to early May
Experiences
- 01Private hanami in a garden closed to the public
- 02Tea ceremony beneath the cherry trees
- 03Boat crossing of Hirosaki's castle moat
- 04Night in a mountain ryokan, an outdoor bath under falling petals
At the table
- ·Sakura mochi & seasonal wagashi
- ·Spring katsuo bonito
- ·Sansai fern shoots in tempura
- ·Freshly pressed shiboritate sake
Advice from the team
« Hanami is planned eight to ten months ahead. We track the blossom forecast week by week and fine-tune your itinerary right up to the last minute to catch it precisely — even if it means moving up or down the archipelago by 300 kilometres. »
Summer
Natsu
Japan comes alive. Red lanterns hang over narrow streets, matsuri drums beat late into the night, bursts of hanabi explode above the bays. One escapes the humidity of the great cities for the Japanese Alps, the subtropical islands or the high plateaus — and discovers a Japan in celebration, rarer and far more vivid.
Our destinations
Kamikōchi & the Japanese Alps
Hiking, alpine pastures, pure mountain air
Okinawa Islands
Diving, coral beaches, Ryūkyū culture
Hokkaido
Furano's lavender fields, national parks, kayaking
Tohoku
The three great matsuri: Aomori, Akita, Sendai
Experiences
- 01Front-row night at the Aomori Nebuta festival
- 02Sumida-gawa fireworks in yukata
- 03Diving with sea turtles at Ishigaki
- 04Mount Fuji ascent (official window July–September)
At the table
- ·Grilled unagi for summer stamina
- ·Chilled somen floating down bamboo flumes
- ·Kakigōri — shaved ice with artisanal syrups
- ·Cold beer at a rooftop beer garden
Advice from the team
« July and August are hot and humid in Tokyo and Kyoto. We therefore build itineraries at altitude or by the sea: the Alps, Hokkaido, Setouchi, Okinawa. In summer, true luxury is a gentle climate. »
Autumn
Aki
Our favourite season. Kōyō sets the maples of the valleys ablaze, the light turns golden, the air crisp and clear. Spring's crowds have gone home, and seasonal gastronomy — mushrooms, fatty fish, new-harvest rice — reaches its peak. This is Japan at its most elegant.
Our destinations
Kyoto & Nara
Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do, temples aflame in red
Nikko
Waterfalls and centuries-old cedar forests
Kurobe Valley
Kōyō by panoramic train and cable car
Kanazawa & Noto
A wild peninsula of craft and markets
Experiences
- 01Night illumination of a temple garden
- 02Kumano Kodo trek through the maples
- 03Tateyama Kurobe Alpine scenic route
- 04Matsutake mushroom foraging with a local guide
At the table
- ·Sanma — the emblematic grilled fish
- ·Freshly harvested shinmai new-season rice
- ·Persimmon, chestnuts, roasted sweet potato
- ·Junmai sake barely out of the cellar
Advice from the team
« Peak kōyō travels from north to south over six weeks. We adjust the loop week by week: Hokkaido in early October, the Alps in mid-October, Kyoto around November 20th. A little like hanami, but in reverse. »
Winter
Fuyu
The silence of snow. Hokkaido's legendary powder, snow monkeys soaking in Nagano's onsen, Kyoto's snow-covered lanes emptied of their crowds. Long ryokan evenings before a steaming bath become the heart of the journey: slow, meditative, deeply Japanese.
Our destinations
Niseko & Hokkaido
Skiing and powder among the finest in the world
Okayama
Onsen & local culture
The Japanese Alps
Onsen and iconic landscapes
Kyoto in the off-season
Snow-dusted temples, empty gardens
Experiences
- 01A ski day with a French-speaking guide in Niseko
- 02Ryokan night with a private outdoor bath under snowfall
- 03Sapporo Snow Festival (early February)
- 04Toyosu fish market, winter tuna at its finest
At the table
- ·Snow crab from the Sea of Japan
- ·Nabe and shabu-shabu shared as a family
- ·Giant oysters from Hiroshima
- ·Hot atsukan sake served in izakaya
Advice from the team
« Winter is our best-kept secret: gentler rates, empty sites, gastronomy at its peak. Skiers should book Niseko as early as April. For everyone else, January and February reveal a Japan straight out of a woodblock print, seen only in this season. »
A season in mind? Tell us about it.
We draft your itinerary to the week, following the real calendar of blossoms, kōyō, or matsuri.
Design my journey→