Destination Management Company (DMC) / Japan
SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
Photo by Takashi Yamada
Supplier Management
As a full-service DMC, we work closely with our hand-picked network of local suppliers to provide your clients with reliable service of the highest standard for every journey. We pride ourselves on finding the best properties at competitive rates, sourcing the most exciting and authentic activities, and of course offering efficient transfers and ground services to enable us to deliver the trip of your clients’ dreams.
Accommodation
We offer a wide selection of properties, ensuring you can give your clients a full range of options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for luxury hotels or smaller boutique properties, traditional Japanese inns (ryokan) or Buddhist temple lodgings (shukubo), you are guaranteed a comfortable stay and an experience not to be forgotten.
Transportation
Japan is renowned worldwide for its highly developed infrastructure. We will arrange all necessary transportation including rail and bus services, transfers, rental cars and chartered transport. We will also suggest ideal timetables and routes for self-guided days.
Activities
We work with outstanding suppliers to bring your clients a taste of Japan’s magic through a selection of carefully chosen activities that bring out the very best of what each destination has to offer. Try something new and discover the beauty of Japan with us.
Available Activities
At Essential Japan Travel we understand why people fall in love with our home country and we wouldn’t be doing our job properly if we didn’t share that passion! With its ancient history, fascinating traditions, and captivating culture Japan is a destination like no other. Its world famous exquisite cuisine will tempt you with exotic tastes and new flavours. Japan also ranks highly on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list and this combined with an awe-inspiring natural landscape means it is not surprising that visitors have fallen for its charms over the centuries. In addition to our most popular activities below, we can cater to your clients’ interests and arrange any type of activity in Japan.
Guided Tours
Our guides are passionate and enthusiastic - we work with the best people in the industry. We offer both half-day and full-day tours that can be fully tailored to your clients’ interests. As we do not necessarily work with set itineraries, guided days can be customised prior to your clients’ arrival. In addition, our guides have the flexibility to change routes on the spot during the tour.
Private & Group
Tokyo, Kyoto, Kiso Valley
Cycling Tours
Going on a cycling tour is one of the most rewarding and interesting ways to explore Japan. In addition to discovering the more quaint aspects of urban settings such as Tokyo and Kyoto, you can explore the scenic beauty of Japan’s rural areas such as the picturesque town of Hida-Takayama in the Japanese Alps, or cruise along the stunning Shimanami Kaido from Onomichi to Imabari and vice versa.
Private & Group
Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama
Tea Ceremony
Sado, or “the Way of Tea” is one of Japan’s three classical arts, and is a quintessential part of Japanese culture. Brought to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks, it is deeply rooted in spiritual practice. By participating in a tea ceremony experience you will learn the importance of movement and the place and reason for being of each utensil. While sipping the slightly bitter green tea you will taste a traditional Japanese sweet - enjoy the harmonious blend of flavours.
Private & Group
Tokyo, Kyoto
Ramen Tour
Ramen is one of the most popular and beloved dishes in Japan, and plays an important role in the country’s food culture. It comes in a wide array of regional varieties and is a classic example of Japanese comfort food. This tour takes an in-depth look at the history, preparation, and etiquette of eating ramen. After choosing one ramen shop to visit, indulge in ramen like a local. You will receive a list of specially selected ramen shops at the end of the tour - feel free to visit them independently.
Private & Group
Tokyo
Sushi Making Class
Sushi is easily Japan’s most famous export and most recognisable dish. Try your hand at making some delicate, bite-sized pieces of sushi. During the class you will make visually stunning and equally tasty ‘Rainbow Roll’ sushi and learn how to make nigiri sushi, moulding each piece into an intriguing oblong shape and topping it with seafood. The best part though is getting to eat your creations at the end of the lesson.
Private & Group
Tokyo
Kayaking
Outdoor enthusiasts and active travellers will love seeing Miyajima from a different perspective. Skim across the surface of the Seto Inland Sea in a rental kayak, approaching Itsukushima Shrine from the water and passing under Miyajima’s Floating Torii Gate. Paddle along the shore and admire the beauty of the island, said to be the dwelling place of the gods.
Private & Group
Kiso Valley, Miyajima
Sumo Training
Dating back over 1,500 years and with origins steeped in the mythology of the ancients, sumo is the oldest sport in Japan. Sumo wrestlers follow a strict regimen and abide by a specific code of conduct. Visit a sumo stable, where the wrestlers live and train, to observe the early-morning practice session. You will learn all about the rituals and customs of this fascinating sport.
From one person
Tokyo
Geisha & Maiko
Clothed in exquisite kimono and perched atop impossibly high geta sandals, geisha are the epitome of elegance and poise. Instantly recognisable with elaborate hairstyles and porcelain white skin paired with striking crimson lips, a geisha experience is an essential part of any trip to Japan. Enjoy your encounter with a geisha or a maiko, an apprentice geisha, and observe these artistes at work.
Private & Group
Kyoto