Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Dr. John Freedman is an independent scholar and passionate world traveler who has explored over 160 countries on seven continents. He has been a featured lecturer and designated Asian Studies Expert on over 100 land, sea and river trips for Smithsonian Journeys and other prestigious educational travel programs. John is an ardent Japanophile with a wealth of knowledge that stems from endless study and innumerable trips to the Land of the Rising Sun. John’s presentations combine serious scholarship with an engaging presentation style and rich photojournalistic content gleaned from his own extensive photographic archives. A graduate of Brown University and Yale Medical School, John practiced medicine in California for 34 years before retiring from his clinical practice in 2014 to pursue his passion for travel and teaching full-time. When not exploring faraway lands, John resides in the Sonoma wine country of northern California with his wife, Tina, a wine educator. John looks forward to deepening your understanding and enjoyment of fascinating Japan - a uniquely intriguing land historically and culturally, and one of the world’s most emotionally involving destinations.