The Joy of Small Things in Japan
It’s not just the top sights and must-do experiences that provide lasting memories on a visit to Japan. Sometimes it’s the simpler moments that make the biggest impression. They take you away from the crowds and into more meaningful experiences with local people, history and culture.
Immerse yourself in traditional crafts as you try your hand at kabazaiku woodworking. Discuss Zazen meditation with a monk, or create your own breakfast at a local market by selecting your own mix of fresh-from-the boat fish. Wabi-sabi has no direct translation, but its concept of celebrating natural simplicity, transience and imperfection as moments of beauty is easily understood. Embrace the details, and find the joy of small things.
What to expect from small joys in Japan:
See where the eponymous beer is made in Sapporo, and visit a winery in Yoichi to sample the wines the coastal climate produces.
Meander through the canals and atmospheric shopping streets of Otaru, before visiting the paddy fields and ancient samurai residences of Kakunodate.
Feel like you have stepped back in time to the Showa Era as you explore Sendai’s historic back-alleys filled with hundreds of small izakaya dining establishments.
Cruise across the waters from Shiogama to admire the pine-tree-clad Matsushima Bay, before visiting Nagano’s Zenkoji Temple and chatting to a resident monk about his beliefs and way of life.
Stepping outside of the high-rise cities in Hokkaido and Honshu allows you to escape from the crowds and unfollow the herd, as you explore some of Japan’s open spaces, verdant rice fields, rural vineyards and gentle coastlines.
Food & drink
Visit the unspoilt countryside to cycle through the paddy fields and stop off at coastal towns that are a seafood lovers delight and provide the perfect climate for wine-making.
Enjoy a wine pairing meal (sake pairing also available) or create your own breakfast dish of kaisendon at a local market by choosing the freshly-caught fish to add to your rice and miso.
Make traditional yubeshi sweets in a local farmer’s home, and discover the many flavours of the sweet fluffy pancakes known as dorayaki in the atmospheric streets of Shiogama.
Meet up with a food-loving guide for a night of eating and drinking like a Sendai local in a few cosy izakaya - they’re made for locals, not tourists, and sit no more than eight people.
Arts & crafts
Picture-perfect Yoichi is famous for its canal, lined with stone warehouses that have been converted into boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Explore its art museum and see some of the exquisite stained glass produced locally.
Kakunodate is a 17th-century castle town offering some of the best examples of samurai architecture and aesthetics. Learn about the 18th-century craft of kabazaiku woodworking that crafts beautiful objects from cherry tree bark, and have a go at creating your own keepsake.
In a local home, discover the regional techniques for dyeing cloth with seasonal plants, and watch as chopsticks and rubber bands are used to create unique patterns.
Temples & monks
The Godaido Temple is a small wooden, Buddhist hall on the edge of beautiful pine forests, with exquisite wooden animals carved on it. Soak up the tranquility and take a walk along the picturesque red bridge into the forest.
Visit the 7th-century Zenkoji Temple situated in the mountain ranges of Japan’s Northern Alps. Meditatively walk through a pitch-black passageway, take part in a private fire ceremony, and talk with a monk about his life and spirituality. You can even stay overnight to really get the feel for monastic life.
