Japan is one of the world’s most fascinating travel destinations. It’s a country of contrasts where medieval temples are hidden away in mountain forests, just a short drive from bustling city centers.
Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms and geishas, as well as its shinkansen bullet trains and high-tech electronic districts. What’s less well-known is Japan’s astonishing natural beauty and a thread of Jewish culture in Japan that goes back to the late 1800s.
A Jewish kosher trip to Japan has never been easier with the emergence of kosher-friendly luxury hotels and gourmet kosher dining and options for Shabbat observance. Modern Japan rates as one of the world’s increasingly kosher-friendly destinations, while the Japanese people have traditionally always been welcoming and tolerant towards Jews. Japan is an amazing place to visit, especially if you’re willing to step out of the big cities and explore a little further afield!
Jewish and Kosher Travel in Japan
Japan only really opened up to the West after Commodore Perry’s 1853 expedition. It’s likely that a handful of Jews found their way to Japan in the 1700s, but the first established Jewish settlement was formed in Yokohama, growing in size to just 50 families in the 1890s. More Jews - mainly refugees from Russia - arrived in Nagasaki and then moved to the city of Kobe.
The Kobe community contained Jews from Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia and established a unique Jewish culture in Japan. It grew with the onset of World War Two as another wave of refugees fled new and horrifying dangers. The Japanese diplomat (later declared Righteous Among the Nations) Chiune Sugihara issued thousands of visas to desperate Jews, allowing them to cross the Soviet Union and enter Japan.
Jewish refugees in Japan were generally treated with kindness by the ordinary Japanese and were not persecuted by the authorities. Today there are small Jewish communities in Tokyo, Kobe and Okinawa mainly drawn from expats, business people, diplomats and travelers. There are kosher dining opportunities in all these cities, particularly where there is an established Chabad presence. Chana’s Place in Tokyo offers tasty home-cooking style Kosher food.
Kosher travel in Japan is entirely possible. It just takes a little organization and some patience. The average Japanese store owner or neighborhood restaurant proprietor probably won’t have the slightest idea what kashrut is, but an experienced Jewish travel company will smooth the way and ensure that you don’t miss out on Japan’s superb gastronomic experience. The local Chabad people are also a great source of local knowledge and practical advice about kosher travel in Japan.
Your Jewish travel company and private tour guides will also ensure that you have full access and receive a warm welcome at local synagogues and Jewish community centers. A carefully prepared and exquisitely presented Japanese-Jewish Shabbat dinner or holiday meal is a real culinary delight. Your tour company will also arrange accommodation in kosher-friendly luxury hotels when you are in Tokyo.
Hidden Gems: Exploring Unique Areas in Japan
Most Americans think of Japan as a country of big cities, bright lights and the latest technology on every corner. In fact, Japan is a country of mountains and forest with plenty of small towns and villages. Once you get out of the big cities, the pace of life changes and you’ll see centuries of historical Japanese culture side by side with ordinary modern amenities.
Kanazawa: The Little Kyoto with Kosher-Friendly Options
Kanazawa sits between the majestic and mysterious Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan. The town has a long history and is famous for its carefully preserved samurai district - a real step back in time - and its traditional tea houses. It’s a real adventure to stroll through the local markets and to take in the precise ordered beauty of the Kenroku-en Garden and then explore Kanazawa Castle. When you visit Kanazawa, your tour guide will arrange for kosher bentos (Japanese lunch boxes) and visits to any kosher-friendly food destinations in the town.
Hakone: Relaxing Onsen Town Near Mount Fuji
Hakone is a famous Japanese spa town, much of which is located in the Fuji-Hokone-Izu national park. Hakone is treasured by the Japanese for its superb views of Mount Fuji and its natural hot springs.
Relaxing in an onsen (communal Japanese bath) is a real pleasure, especially after a busy day exploring the scenic routes around Hakone. Your Jewish travel company will make sure that you are accommodated in a suitable ryokan or Japanese inn and that the private baths and spas meet your requirements for modesty and propriety.
Takamatsu & the Art Islands
The popular American image of Japan is a highly conformist and conventional society. That’s broadly true, at least by individualistic American standards, but every now and then, Japan delivers a surprise like the art islands near the city of Takamatsu. Naoshima and Teshima are two small islands in the Seto Inland Sea that are renowned for their modern art installations.
As you explore the islands, you’ll never quite know what to expect next. The art is fun, occasionally surreal, and includes massive brightly colored sculpture, work by Andy Warhol and Monet, as well as some excellent museums and galleries. Your tour company will arrange a flexible itinerary that includes a boat trip to the Islands.
Nikko: A UNESCO Heritage Destination
Nikko is a memorable UNESCO World Heritage site set in some wild country 70 miles north of Tokyo. It’s only a short drive or train ride, but you’ll feel like you’re going back in time when you start to explore the splendid shrines and temples among the area’s old growth forest.
Nikko will really give you an insight into the Japan of the 1600s - a lost world of samurai, ninja, warrior monks and wandering yamabushi mountain ascetics. It doesn’t take much imagination to picture their ancient journeys as your guides show you around Nikko’s hiking trails, focusing on the spectacular natural beauty of the waterfalls and forest clearings. The national park is a special place to enjoy a kosher picnic with delicacies brought from Tokyo.
Planning a Luxury Jewish Travel Adventure in Japan
Japan is one of the world’s safest kosher-friendly destinations. Street crime is exceptionally rare in Japan and the country is clean, civilized and well organized. In the last few years the Japanese have introduced a lot more English signage and ATMs, and local people are welcoming and quick to offer assistance to foreigners who appear lost or confused.
Kosher travel in Japan is a little more challenging, but by no means problematic. When you work with travel experts to devise your custom itinerary, it will incorporate all your dietary requirements. Your local guides will take you to Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores that stock kosher-certified products. Dairy isn’t a big part of traditional Japanese cuisine and there are plenty of kosher-friendly Japanese food options. Luxury kosher-friendly hotels employ some of the world’s top chefs and the food is amazing.
Japan is a polite country and has complex rules of etiquette that evolved over centuries. Don’t be intimidated by these because the Japanese make allowances for foreigners. As long as you are polite, don’t talk on your cellphone on public transport or in restaurants or museums etc. and cover any visible tattoos, you will be made to feel at home. If in doubt ask, smiling and a bowing from the neck will smooth over any misunderstandings.
Gil Travel is one of America’s most experienced Jewish Travel companies and is expert at arranging luxury kosher travel tours of Japan. Talk to Gil Travel today about creating a custom itinerary with private guides and transport, and a choice of interesting and unusual destinations.
Author Bio
Iris Hami is President of Gil Travel Group, the largest travel management firm sending people to Israel. She has over 40 years of experience in the travel industry and uses that knowledge to craft unique Jewish journeys around the world. Her company has won multiple awards, including one from State of Israel Bonds for Extraordinary Achievements Promoting the State of Israel.