Travel Hit List: Japan

Forget the cold, rainy weather, your overstuffed inbox, and that growing pile of voicemails. Take a minute to go on a virtual trip to Japan, where they revere the old, but embrace the new.

Read: Serene temples, beautiful gardens, and a reverence for ancient traditions can be found on Japan’s less-traveled San-in Coast. From Smithsonian Magazine.

Hear: Sakura: A Musical Celebration of the Cherry Blossoms. From Smithsonian Folkways.

Watch: A video of modern Japanese artisans faithfully recreating the painstaking processes of Edo period printmaker Katsushika Hokusai. From the Smithsonian Channel.

Eat and Drink: Become a student of tea and discover the intriguing beauty that is the Japanese Tea Ceremony. From the Smithsonian Journeys Blog.

Check out: Masterful Illusions, an online exhibition of Japanese Prints. From Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries.

Go: Now is a great time to book a journey to Japan.

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