Discover traditional Japanese hospitality with Aman’s immersive cultural experience

The Japanese concept of omotenashi is the pinnacle of hospitality, a tradition that prioritises a guest's needs without expectation of reward. It can be observed in everything from a business meeting to entering a person's home, and now Aman's Japanese resorts are inviting guests from around the world to experience this unique hospitality for themselves with a range of immersive cultural experiences.

From dining with modern-day geishas in Tokyo to learning about the culinary traditions of coastal Ise Shima, Aman's experiences are designed to dispel the myths of Japanese tourism and instead provide an authentic taste of each hotel's local culture. The two resorts – Aman Tokyo in the capital's Otemachi district, and Amanemu in eastern Ago Bay – have partnered with nearby communities to tailor their tours for visitors.

In Tokyo's exclusive ryotei restaurant Tsurunaka, which is situated in one of the city's few surviving 'flower towns', guests can dine with geishas, who will showcase traditional dance and games. The evening is led by one of Japan's most esteemed geishas Ikuko, who said: "utmost pleasure to show guests of Aman Tokyo the real meaning of Japanese hospitality". >>

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Elsewhere in the upscale Ginza district, sushi master Katsuaki Suzuki offers a culinary masterclass where up to seven guests have the rare opportunity to create their own nigiri, shiromi white fish, uni sea urchin and more – all sourced from the world-famous Tsukiji fish market. Continue your experiential journey with a private iaido lesson, where you can learn the art of the katana sword, the basics of Samurai bushido.

Guests who opt for coastal Amanemu in Ise Shima National Park can experience an underwater adventure cultivating their own akoya pearls, or dive with one of the remaining female ama divers – women who free-dive to the ocean floor to farm for pearls and seafood.

With the area well known for its seafood, Amanemu also offers a bespoke tour centred on the food of the gods – allowing guests to sample ingredients offered daily at the 2,000-year-old Shinto Ise Jingu shrine, one of the holiest sites in Japan – or boat tours along the Seta river to traditional merchant town Kawasaki, well known for its fish cakes, miso and ancient pilgrimages.