What if one half-day walk in Asakusa could reveal the bigger story of Japan? This tour goes far beyond sightseeing, using real landmarks to explain not just what you see, but as a gateway to understand Japan’s history, beliefs, and society. With your expert guide, you’ll:
1) Explore Japan’s 300-year isolation and reopening to the world.
2) Understand why Japan chose the Netherlands as its only trading partner when it closed itself.
3) Learn how the 19th-century Japanese art had an impact on the West, especially French impressionists.
4) Discover how Shinto and Buddhism have coexisted for over a millennium, with shared worshippers and a shared influence on everyday life.
5) Compare Japanese and Western symbolism, including dragons.
6) Discover the shared mindsets in Japan and the West a millennium ago.
7) Experience the contrast between the sacred temple and former entertainment districts
8) Explore nostalgic postwar lanes, and streets that evoke Edo-period Japan.