A Garden Lover’s Treasure Hunt Through Japan

Last year, our garden tour in Japan became our most loved trip of 2025. After returning home, we asked our Carexplorers which moments they kept replaying in their minds.

They talked a lot about the gardens…

But they also talked about the moments in between.

As you read, count every experience that makes you think: ✓ “Yes. I want that too.” to find out if Japan is pulling you in.

☐ See a garden that doesn’t let you inside
At Adachi Museum, you’re not allowed to walk through the gardens which makes them look like living paintings. A few guests shared it brought them to tears 🤯

☐ Stand beneath 2,000 red maples

☐ Hear the sound of a bamboo forest before you even see it

☐ Watch waves appear where there is no water
At first you see rocks and gravel, but once you understand the meaning behind them, you can’t unsee oceans, islands and mountains.

☐ See the care Japanese gardeners put into a garden
While wandering through the gardens in Japan, you’ll see workers who tend moss by hand, support trees with wooden braces and embrace imperfections.

☐ Wake up and find Mt. Fuji outside your window
While the views aren’t part of the itinerary, our guests loved waking up, looking out the window and finding Mt. Fuji outside. It’s “a complete showstopper,”as one guest described it.

☐ Ride a bullet train with a bento box in hand

☐ Have lunch inside a garden

☐ Sit cross-legged and experience tea as a ritual

☐ See kindness in unexpected moments
A hotel worker crossing a parking lot just to help. A gardener inviting a guest to join gardening. Strangers helping with directions.

☐ Have meals that feel almost too beautiful to eat

☐ Share sake, stories, and laughter around a table

☐ Have someone point out the detail you would have walked right past
We’ve got three guides on this tour: Chris, our garden expert, and Teiko and Yuko, who share insights into Japanese history, architecture, and culture while helping guests with questions along the way.