International · Japan
Japan
Precision, ritual and blossom
Overview
Overview
Japan rewards travellers who slow down. A morning in a Kyoto temple garden, an afternoon with a seventh-generation lacquer artisan, an evening at an eight-seat sushi counter — the country's greatness lives in the detail, not the checklist. Our Japan journeys pair the Shinkansen's effortless efficiency with ryokan stays where dinner is a fourteen-course expression of the season.
We hold relationships with private guides in Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa and Naoshima, which means access to tea houses, kaiseki counters and craft studios that do not take public bookings.
Plan your Japan journey
Use our private cherry blossom journey as a starting point, explore signature journeys, or speak to a travel designer about a route tailored to your dates and interests.
When to go
Best time to visit
Late March to mid-April for cherry blossom; November for koyo (autumn leaves). Both are peak — we recommend confirming ryokan and blossom-season rail seven to nine months ahead.
Cherry blossom
Late Mar – mid Apr
Sakura moves north through the country. We track the forecast weekly and adjust routing.
PeakEarly summer
May – Jun
Green, quiet and excellent value before the rains.
GoodAutumn colour
Oct – Nov
Arguably more beautiful than spring, and less crowded.
PeakWinter
Dec – Feb
Snow monkeys, Hokkaido powder and empty temples.
ShoulderPractical
Visa, currency, weather and flights
Visa
Indian passport holders require a short-stay tourist visa, filed through the Japanese Embassy's authorised agency. Processing is typically 5–7 working days once documents are complete. Azulo prepares the full file, including the day-wise itinerary and hotel confirmations the consulate expects.
Full visa guide →Currency
Japanese Yen (JPY). Japan is more cash-dependent than travellers expect outside major cities. We arrange a starter cash float and a multi-currency card before departure.
Weather
Four genuinely distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are mild and dry; June is the rainy season; August is hot and humid.
Flights
Non-stop services operate from Delhi and Mumbai to Tokyo Haneda and Narita, typically 7h 45m to 9h. One-stop routings via Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Seoul often offer better business-class value and can be built into an open-jaw itinerary (into Tokyo, out of Osaka) at no extra ground cost.
| Period | Temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mar – May | 10–22°C | Blossom, then fresh green |
| Jun – Aug | 22–33°C | Rainy season then humid heat |
| Sep – Nov | 12–26°C | Clear skies, autumn colour |
| Dec – Feb | 0–12°C | Crisp, dry, snow in the north |
| Delhi → Tokyo Haneda | 7h 45m non-stop | Air India, Japan Airlines |
| Mumbai → Tokyo Narita | 9h 05m non-stop | ANA |
| Delhi → Osaka (1 stop) | 11h – 13h | Singapore Airlines, Thai, Cathay |
Where to stay
Hotels we recommend
Tokyo · Urban resort
Aman Tokyo
A vast ikebana-scented lobby 33 floors above Otemachi — the calmest room in Tokyo.
Kyoto · Riverside ryokan
Hoshinoya Kyoto
Reached only by private boat up the Oi river. Impossibly serene.
Kyoto · 5-star
Park Hyatt Kyoto
A short walk from Kiyomizu-dera, with the best Higashiyama views in the city.
Naoshima · Design museum hotel
Benesse House
Sleep inside a Tadao Ando museum on Japan's art island.
Niseko · Private onsen ryokan
Zaborin
Fifteen villas, each with its own indoor and outdoor onsen.
Highlights
Things to do
Private tea ceremony in Kyoto
In a 200-year-old machiya with a tea master who explains the philosophy, not just the choreography.
Tsukiji outer market with a chef
A working breakfast walk with a Tokyo chef, tasting tamago, uni and knife-shop craftsmanship.
Naoshima art islands by private boat
Chichu, Benesse and Teshima in one unhurried day, with timed entries pre-booked.
Hakone ryokan and open-air onsen
Mount Fuji views, kaiseki dinner and a private onsen on your own veranda.
Kanazawa gold-leaf and lacquer studios
Meet artisans in the Higashi Chaya district, away from the Golden Route crowds.
Bookable now
Experiences here
Suggested route
Our suggested Japan journey
- 1
Arrive Tokyo
Private transfer to Aman Tokyo. Evening walk through Nihonbashi and an omakase dinner counter.
- 2
Tokyo, deeper
Tsukiji with a chef, teamLab, then Shibuya and Golden Gai after dark with a guide.
- 3
Hakone
Shinkansen to Odawara, ryokan check-in, private onsen and kaiseki.
- 4
Kyoto
Arrive by rail. Sunset at Kiyomizu-dera, then Gion by lantern light.
- 5
Kyoto temples and tea
Fushimi Inari at dawn, Arashiyama bamboo, private tea ceremony.
- 6
Nara or Naoshima
Your choice: deer and Todai-ji, or Ando's museums by boat.
- 7
Osaka
Kuromon market, Dotonbori, and a farewell dinner in Kitashinchi.
- 8
Depart
Transfer to Kansai International.
Gallery
Japan in pictures
Questions
Frequently asked
Guest stories
What our travellers say
We had done Japan once before on a group tour and it was nothing like this. The Hoshinoya boat arrival, the tea ceremony, the way every train seat was already reserved — we simply travelled.
Rhea & Nikhil Anand
Mumbai · Japan Sakura Collection, 10 nights
Azulo handled a fully vegetarian Japan trip for four adults including my mother, who is Jain. Every single meal worked. That alone was worth it.
Dr. Vandana Iyer
Bengaluru · Japan family journey, 9 nights
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