Windows to Japan

04/12/2020

Sharing Japan's countryside - Part 2:
Dento in Japanese means tradition or traditional. when looking at the modern characters of the word 伝統 - it suggests the notion of protecting( the tradition)
But when looking at the old way of writing Dento - 伝燈 the literal meaning is Passing of the light.
What a beautiful way to express the tradition being handed down for 1000s of years.

21/11/2020

Sharing Japan's countryside - Part 1:
Recently i traveled few times to the countryside of Japan doing some research and inspection. I love Japan's countryside and spent lots of time there, however, in these short recent journeys i fell in love with these places even more. I found extremely vibrant bright enthusiastic communities of shokunin(craftsmen), each one with an amazing story to tell, dreams to live and beauty to share.I couldn't help it, my mind went wild and a new innovative venture was born.
Below one of my journeys to Tango Peninsula graceful time enjoying mountains and sea, healthy local food ranging from grounding earthy breakfast to refind and delicate Sushi dinner. and above all, amazing welcoming people

14/10/2020

"Tradition is continuous innovation"
“伝統は革新の連続”
Having 2 intensive days of meetings with Kyoto's craftsmen.What an amazing touching and inspiring experience. Meeting different craftsmen whom without exception exploring new ways to keep their craftsmanship alive incorporating innovative ways into their 100s of years old traditions.
From the guy who tries hard to keep the unique tradition of Kitayama Sugi tree- incorporating new products and new ways of promoting his tradition, to the young lady who found her own unique way in pottery using her own original technic, To the small workshop who looks for the perfect sound of their praying bells collaborating with Apple and sound artists.
And the last for the day- an elderly artisan doing mold for Kimono dyeing, who creates fascinating new designs in collaboration with world artists.
So encouraging to see all these people inspired by the past creating for the present.

Japan at its best

13/10/2020

Amazing 2 days seminar/ workshop at Windows to japan office in Kyoto.
Reflecting revising, updating our mission, core values, company culture and our goals for the next few years. Also choosing on what to focus from now on in order to be a better version of ourselves once the Corona is over.
An amazing team that did amazing work and in the spirit of Windows to japan enjoyed well party time with good food and drinks ( yes alcohol is allowed during work time as long as we do not change the style of work and mails 🙂

24/09/2020

Greetings from Kyoto japan-
It has been long time since we posted here. As a company working with travel professionals only and not with direct travellers, we did not develop the social media aspect of our marketing. However, we would like to spread our love to japan so we have decided to become more active and share with you more of japan through our eyes.
Will post soon.
The images below is from Kyotography, a yearly event taking place in kyoto and gather phographers work from around the world. The event exhibit the works all over the city And manage to do that in amazing locations.
Here the combination of art into classic kyoto Machiya( kyoto traditional town house). Great design and installation - well done kyotography 👏

14/12/2018

14/12/2018

14/12/2018

26/10/2016

More Images taken by Dr.Gilad Fiscus. This time in the Fukuro festival in Tokyo.

26/10/2016

25/10/2016

23/10/2016

We were challenged by an amateur photographer, Dr.Gilad Fiskus who asked us to arrange a 23 day tour in Japan scheduled around quite few festivals. Gilad's aim was to explore Japan through his lens. Our target was to bring him to the right places in the right time.
when I started receiving Gilad's images , I understood that he is much more than amateur, and his lens captured beautiful moments along the way.
I was following his journey planed by Windows to Japan team as its evolved, through his images and colors, and was so happy to see that once again the team managed to make a person dream into reality.
In the next few days - I will publish some of the images Gilad cought in his camera, and was kind enough to share, hope it will bring Japan closer to you.
You are also more than welcome to go to Gilad's website at fiskus-photos.com

09/04/2016

The cherry flowers are blown in the wind and another short blossom season came to an end. One of our groups had an in-depth evening touching the traditional and avant-garde in Japanese culture. Here, photos only from the traditional…. The avant-garde is not self explained so i kept it out.
What a wonderful and truly unique evening they had.

21/02/2016

Just love this photo- :)

And we have a new "window" - learn to dance with a Geisha…..
an ishgiht into the Japanese dance world( Nihon Buyo) with a retired Geisha who now teaches dancing and speaks fluent English…. a very unique and authentic encounter.

07/09/2015

Sorry forgot to add our website link :)
http://windowstojapan.com

Let our years of experience in Japan present you with places, people, and possibilities usually accessible only to those who’ve traveled many roads and possess the keenest eye for the interesting. More

07/09/2015

Our new and exciting website is up on line representing our work philosophy and special Windows into the country.
Please do have a look and we would love to have your feedback.
We are still updating few pages but most was completed.

13/01/2015

Kyoto Spring Garden Tour May 10 – 18, 2015
This tour features a garden itinerary custom-designed for the Spring season when the wisteria, iris and azalea will be in bloom along with luxuriant new growth on the maple trees in endless shades of green.
The focus of this tour will be the gardens, arts and culture of Kyoto, the former Imperial capital of Japan. Still very much Japan’s traditional cultural epicenter, the air is alive with aesthetic elegance, and no more so than within Kyoto’s superb gardens. Amidst the colorful spring bloom and verdant lushness of the maples, we will explore 12(+) gardens and sites of scenic beauty in and around Kyoto, some of the finest examples of landscape and garden design in Japan. Allan Mandell, professional garden photographer and devotee of Kyoto’s gardens, has designed the itinerary in collaboration with Ayumi Ikushima and Windows To Japan. Allan will be the tour leader, and Ayumi will be our local guide. Registration will be through Windows To Japan, our agency which is based in Kyoto.
Come with us and have a direct experience of the arts, the flavors and the graciousness of Japanese culture as the warm lushness of spring descends upon Kyoto. Come with us into the garden and experience the quiet and pure beauty that awaits you.
Tour includes 8 nights, 5 fully guided days and 2 free days in Kyoto. This includes 5 lunches and 2 dinners, and all your transportation and garden admissions on guided days.
Highlights include:
• visits to 12 – 14 select gardens in and around Kyoto
• orientation lecture on the cuisine and foods of Kyoto given by an author of numerous guidebooks on Kyoto
• Tea tasting and meditation instruction in a classic Muromachi-period Zen temple, including shojin ryori traditional temple cuisine served for lunch
• visit to the Sagawa Art Museum to view the raku collection and incredible tea-room
• day-trip to Shikoku Island to visit Ritsurin Garden accompanied by acclaimed designer Chisao Shigemorei, grandson of the designer of the famed gardens of Tofukuji
• visit to the Isamu Noguchi Garden Sculpture Museum on Shikoku Island
• garden maintenance demonstration, including raking and Kyoto-style pruning techniques, by Kato-san, President of Kato Zoen Garden Landscape Company
• hands-on lesson in the art of ‘moss-ball’ making
• accommodations in a Zen temple on the grounds of Myoshinji Zen complex (each room w/ensuite bathroom & shower) – every year our guests love staying here – quiet, cozy, and very atmospheric

• Welcome and Soyonara dinners, and all lunches on guided days

• great local neighborhood w/ affordable restaurants within walking distance

• shopping in markets and shops for Kyoto’s renown crafts, both modern and traditional

• two ‘Free days’ with suggestions for a variety of arts activities, including the Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto’s three main festival processions which has taken place for over 1,000 years. The Hollyhock Festival includes hundreds of participants in gorgeous Heian-period traditional dress parading through the streets of Kyoto from the Imperial Palace to Kamigamo Shinto Shrine - this traditional annual event is a true spectacle to witness.
Our daily travel will be primarily by public transportation (taxi, train & subway). Participants should be prepared and in shape for daily walking through scenic neighborhoods, bustling city streets, and tranquil garden paths.
Group size is limited to 12 people.
For details please contact [email protected]

27/09/2014

I looooooooooove living in Kyoto, It is not like any other place i know. An evening walk with guests and we meet a long living and deep tradition in action right there in the street.

23/09/2014

Our season started with a group from Sweden, exciting itinerary with lots of surprises. Today ( Sep.23) we had a great event starting by walking in a beautiful serene garden and then with Robert, a pottery specialist who gave facinating talk about Japanese pottery, from the rough pottery for daily use by the farmers in the country side, to the Zen inspired creation of the tea masters, the refined accurate Chinese style pottery, the artistic sculpture like pottery of contemporary artist and of course, pottery and sake which we experienced first hand as you can see in the following images.
Some sayings of Robert which caught my attention ( free quote from my memory)
" Using a wood kiln the potter had limited control on the final pottery piece, like in life, sometimes we need to have control but we also need to know when to let things go without our control."
"In Japanese there is a saying, "Ichi go, Ichi e" roughly meaning , one encounter one chance- Which means every moment is unique and will never repeat itself, and so the Japanese potter, could never repeat the same piece and every piece is unique ( Except Chinese porcelain style)".
"There is a cup for each season, and so we adjust our life to the change of the season which bring us to live more connected to nature".
"Some of the Japanese pottery pieces are very expensive, also because they are exactly the heart and soul of the Japanese culture.."
Enjoy

13/09/2014

Preparing an exciting and unique activity for a group coming soon, these are some images i captured through my lens at a street that is the pantry of Kyoto - Nishiki market

28/11/2013

After an intensive year we,Wendy and me (avi),decided to say BIIIIIIIG thanks to our team at Windows to Japan. so we treated the team with a 3 days trip to Shanghai which was a GREAT fun and which after i decided to found the Windows to Japan Kuchi No Tabi Club- The mouth travel club :) The photos bellow speaks more then 1000words

02/05/2013

A moment of rest after a very busy season. Kyoto- indeed one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

19/03/2013

First Sakura blossoms sightings in Kyoto!

15/03/2013

Plum Blossoms at Kiyomizu-dera Today

12/03/2013

Japan for the Fashionista
Japan today is considered a center for innovative, unique and quirky fashion spreading new ideas as well as trends around the world. People watching is one of our favorite past times- including the varied, at times crazy, fashion worn by Japan’s youth. If you are interested in understanding and discovering more about this scene in Japan, here are a few musts-
Fruits Magazine- the Magazine that started the latest trends around the world- instead of taking pictures of models wearing what “experts” suggest, pictures of real people on the street- almost all of them captured around the Harajuku area in Tokyo.
Japanese School Girl Inferno – a vivid, colorful and playful illustrated book of all the fashion trends among school girls in Japan. An insight into the culture of the youngsters, the different trands, how they evolved, the influences of the different periods as well as their impact on future fashion and behavioral trends among school girls and boys.
Kamikaze Girls – a film about an unlikely friendship between two girls who differ greatly in their fashion sense – and therefore in their behavior . This movie gives an insight into the life of girls who choose their sense of fashion not just as to dress but as a sub culture altogether. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in the world of fashion, sub cultures and pop culture unique to Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbFEPS8PPic

Meet Momoko, a self-absorbed dreamer who fantasizes about fleeing her backcountry home and living life in 18th century Versailles. When she unexpectedly meet...

08/03/2013

Japan Funny Side Up
Travelling in Japan, where most of us can’t speak the language and encountering the Japanese can provide a handful of hilarious, awkward and unpredictable moments- these are the stories we would all remember the most after returning home.
The first time I read Dave Barry Does Japan, I was crying with laughter. His descriptions of encountering the language, his impressions of the Kabuki Theater and even his wife’s attempts to book a trip before arrival have all resonated with many of my own experiences. Apart from providing comical relief, Dave Barry provides interesting insight into the culture and its people. Easy to read and highly recommended!!
Another thoroughly enjoyable book is “Wrong about Japan”, funny and filled with interesting observations, that turn out to be wrong, as he is pointed out by his hosts, Peter Carey tells a funny and at times surprising story of a Father travelling with his son in the land of manga, swords and otaku.

http://www.amazon.com/Dave-Barry-Does-Japan/dp/0449908100

"One of the funniest peole ever to tap tap on a PC."PHILADELPHIA INQUIRERNot since George Bush's memorable dinner with the Japanese prime minister has the Land of the Rising Sun seen the likes of a goodwill ambassador like Dave Barry. Join him as he belts out oldies in a karaoke bar, ma...

06/03/2013

Samurai /Ninja Tales
The brave, courageous, conniving and sneaky stories of Samurai and ninja have ignited the imagination of many writers within Japan and outside of Japan. Whether based on true stories or complete fiction -these stories have captivated the minds of many throughout the years.
Here we’d like to recommend our top favorite stories, that can perhaps give you more insight to the real way of life of the samurai- and other classes- in that period-
Love and Honor (2006) – a Japanese film that tells the touching story of a Samurai who loses his sight during his service, the way he copes with his new disability and his relations with his wife under these new circumstances.
The Tales of the Otori- this series of books filled with creative, inspiring and imagination invigorating stories of samurai and tribes with imaginary special abilities such as invisibility and splitting oneself, provides entertaining reading for all ages, as well as an interesting insight into many rituals and rules of the lives of the Samurai and the people around them at the time.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1855923/love_and_honor_trailer/

Available November 11, 2008 on DVD! An award winning masterpiece of sacrifice and devotion, Love and Honor weaves a timeless tale set in the waning days of feudal Japan. Directed by Academy Award® nominee Yoji Yamada (The Twilight Samurai) and starring Takuya Kimura (2046), Love and Honor depicts t...

05/03/2013

Geisha Tales
Most people have either read, seen the movie or heard of Memoirs of a Geisha- the epic tale that brought the Geisha back into people’s mind after decades that they were long forgotten. If this mysterious well hidden world has captivated your imagination, we highly recommend reading the following books that might perhaps unveil more about this misunderstood profession-
Geisha of Gion – a true story of the Geisha who first spoke with Arthur golden and supplied him with the basis for his famous book. Told in extraordinary candidness, its indeed eye opening.
A Geisha’s Journey- My Life as a Kyoto Apprentice- a photographed story of a modern day Geisha and her life story and process from entering the “flower world” until becoming a Geisha.
http://www.amazon.com/Geishas-Journey-Life-Kyoto-Apprentice/dp/4770030673

This is the story of a contemporary Japanese teenager who, in a search for an identity, became fascinated with the world of geisha, and discovered in herself the will and the commitment to embark on the many years of apprenticeship necessary to become one.It is also the story of a young Japanese ...

04/03/2013

Not your usual guide book
Before embarking on a trip we all purchase guidebooks for Japan- we are often asked which we recommend. As a rule, those with more explanations and less pictures are probably more thorough, but any guide book will be able to assist you in your basic orientation and explanations. But we would actually recommend is a different kind of guide books- journey tales of people who had travelled and experienced Japan and tell of the interesting, funny and sometimes upsetting encounters with the country and its people- a real representation of Japan.
Roads to Sata- considered a classic, this is Booth’s recount of his journey across Japan on foot- the places he visits, the paths he takes, the people he meets walking along the a unique off the Beaten Track route.
Traveler’s Tales- A collection of short essay written by different people who traveled or live in Japan. An easy read that is highly recommended for those with little time that provide easy reading of all sorts of experiences- funny, upsetting and eye opening.
To Japan with Love - A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur - small and short stories of different places and restaurants around Japan. The personal and interesting approach to introducing area in Japan provide a more interesting guide than your regular guide book.


http://www.amazon.com/The-Roads-Sata-2000-Mile-Through/dp/1568361874

ALAN BOOTH'S CLASSIC OF MODERN TRAVEL WRITINGTraveling only along small back roads, Alan Booth traversed Japan's entire length on foot, from Soya at the country's northernmost tip, to Cape Sata in the extreme south, across three islands and some 2,000 miles of rural Japan. The Roads to Sata is hi...

04/03/2013

Japan- More than Meets the Eye

As the peak season is drawing near and many of our travelers are about to come explore this magnificent country and enigmatic culture, we would like to help you prepare for you trip. Here at Windows to Japan we emphasize not only the best places to visit, but also wish to provide you with a deeper experience and better understanding of the culture and society of Japan, which we feel would make the difference between a simple enjoyable trip and an enlightening and memorable journey.
This special project will introduce you to our top recommendations of books to read about Japan that will give you an added value of discovering and understanding Japan. Since most of us are busy and may not have time to read, we will also suggest Japanese films (available with subtitles) that will both entertain you and expose you to the excellent art of storytelling Japan in known for, as well as give you further insight into the Japanese everyday life.
We welcome your comments and your own suggestions for reading and films!

19/12/2012

And lastly, our new Director of Operations -

MICHELLE (MICHAL) HADDAD
Michelle majored in East Asian Studies and International Relations at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 2003 she moved to Kanazawa and studied with a Japanese scholarship for 5.5 years. Earning first an MA in Law and then PhD in International and Environmental Studies, she graduated in 2008. "Although I specialized in the influences of culture on international bilateral relations, I think should have graduated with a PhD in travelling around Japan. Making it to everyone of the 47 prefectures, as an avid festival and Japanese foliage fan, I spent most of those 5.5 years travelling around Japan".
Michelle has vast experience as a tour guide, guiding groups and private tours all over Japan. In late 2011 she was recruited to the tourism board of a small town in Japan in an aim to increase foreign tourism to the area.
In late 2012 she joined the Windows to Japan team in an aspiration to provide tourists with unique and insightful experiences with the Japanese culture. "I am interested and eager to learn and talk about the differences in cultures, daily Japanese life and life outlook. Every difference spikes my interest and I want to learn more about the reasons behinds it, and then share it with our guests."

18/12/2012

Here is another one of our new staff members, please meet Naoko!
Naoko Ohara
The newest and youngest addition to the company, fluent in French, Japanese, and English, brings in new life to the company. Naoko has worked previously in a hotel and has vast knowledge on hotels and services in Japan.
“I like to discover new quaint places such as shops, restaurants with a great homey and secluded atmosphere that serve delicious and unique dishes. I also enjoy getting out on my bicycle and exploring, looking at beautiful scenery”.
Naoko mainly works on ours group tours, helping make sure all the small details fit into one memorable experience.

17/12/2012

We would like to introduce some of the new staff in our office - the people working hard to make your dreams come true!
The first one is......

KEN FUKUDA
A new addition to the company, he brings laughter as well as vitality into the company. A UCLA graduate fluent in English and Japanese, he will be your helping hand during your journey in Japan.
He has a passion for finding/eating delicious local cuisines as well as drinking fine wines. He definitely enjoys the finer things in life!
An avid follower of sports, domestic and internationally, he will be able to help you with FIFA (soccer), FIA (motorsports), MMA (mixed martial arts), as well as a wide range of domestic sport viewing.　
If you need something prepared for your journey in Japan, Ken will try his best to make it a reality for you.