Aesthetic
Japan
8 design minds. 9 days. Undiluted curation.
May 6–15, 2026
"I don't care where you go. If I know you've put it together and you're on it, I would go."
— Phil H.
The Experience
A Tiny Collection of
Like-Minded People
"This is different than any group trip you've ever done." — Pam J.
This isn't a tour bus with 40 strangers.
Maximum 8 travellers. Personally vetted. Carefully curated for chemistry.
Split dinners: 2-3 people per table (many Tokyo restaurants only have 3 seats). Solo time built in: Freedom to explore your specific obsessions.
Think two dinner tables, not tour buses.
The Guide
Charlie Scott
Wildly creative (but not a flake) and remarkably logical (but not a nerd). He dances between the left and right sides of the brain.
This isn't any Japan trip. It's Charlie's Japan—undiluted, opinionated, expertly filtered, life-changing.
The Solution
The Panic of Japan
(And How We Solve It)
"There is a panic almost. I'm only here this one time and I'm not gonna be able to go to every cool vinyl bar." — Frank Viva
Japan is beautifully, wonderfully overwhelming. 15 hotels in Tokyo alone that Charlie would call "incredible." You can't do it all.
You don't have to.
Charlie toured the 100+ hotels. You stay in the 4 perfect ones. He found the 30 restaurants. You eat at the 3 you'll remember forever.
No FOMO. No decision fatigue. Just the distilled essence of Japan's aesthetic.
Your Interests
Gently Structured,
Deeply Customizable
"Japan is a country of endless niches. If you're into hi-fi stereo systems and hot dogs, there is a restaurant in Tokyo." — Charlie
Core group experiences everyone shares. Optional branches for different interests (architecture track vs. food track). Solo exploration time with Charlie's recommendations.
Surprise moments. Charlie gives you a pin on the map: "Table's waiting. Just go."
Into manga? Knife-making? Contemporary architecture? Textiles? Typography?
For the 8 guests, Charlie will explore what you're most interested in. He'll weave it into this astounding journey.
basics
May 6-15, 2026
9 nights/10 days
Start—Tokyo / End—Kyoto
Group Size—8 people (plus myself & co-guide)
four chapters, nine days
3 nights
Tokyo
Experience the beautiful chaos of the largest city in the of world, home to 35+ million people. We’ll find our feet in Japanese culture, gaining context through guided walks and neighbourhood & museum visits. Food, architecture, history, fashion, art. . .we’ll start sinking our teeth into all of it. Whatever niche interest(s) you may have (i.e. vintage clothing, ceramics, interior design, coffee, contemporary art, graphic design, kitchen knives, furniture, books, jazz bars, you-name-it), Tokyo has oodles for you to discover (and I’ll help you find it).
2 nights
kanazawa
After a wickedly fast and luxurious bullet train journey, we’ll slow down the pace (a bit) and begin learning more deeply about the classic design and philosophical principles that underpin the Japanese aesthetic. Kanazawa is a small city (we’ll be able to walk everywhere), incredibly rich in tradition and history. Spectacular dry gardens, geisha & samurai districts, a brilliant food market, and an introduction to the worlds of craftsmanship and Zen.
stay
I love great hotels and have taken immense care to select accommodations that are stylish, comfortable, gracious, unique, and perfectly located. Each place has a different and specific vibe, adding texture to the overall experience. All of them embody a Japanese essence and offer unusually gracious service. The line up:
1 night
yamanaka ONSEN
Time to slow things right down and catch our breath with a night in a hot spring town nestled in a green valley. We’ll stay at an iconic ryokan (traditional inn), allowing time to soak serenely in your thoughts (and lovely warm baths). Just outside the door are forest walks and lush landscapes scenery. We’ll also have an opportunity to visit private workshops and try our hands at local crafts like washi paper and wood turning.
3 nights
kyoto
The journey culminates with a few days in the beguiling city of Kyoto. If the Japanese aesthetic had a greatest hits album this would be it. More amazing architecture and gardens (including a 700 year-old moss garden), incredible shopping, and captivating streets to explore on foot or bicycle. This is where all the elements (old & new, east & west) will come together to shape your impression of the Japanese aesthetic. It’s also a fun place to end a journey.
The line up:
Like-Spirited Travellers
Collection of like-minded, but you’re not all the same. The itinerary has been planned in a way that’s gently structured so to include and interpreted all of the central ideas to the aesthetic. But within the itinerary there’s some room for flexibility, and fine tuning. I want the final experience to feel personalized to the character of the group and individuals within.
Frequently asked questions
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If you're looking for a conventional Japan tour—temples at 9am, group photo ops with Mount Fuji—this isn't it.
Aesthetic Japan is for people who want to understand a place, not just see it. We're diving into design principles that shaped Japanese aesthetics for centuries. Spending time with artisans who've perfected a single craft. Eating at places you'd walk past without knowing what you're looking at.
This is for people genuinely excited about the difference between indigo-dyed fabric and synthetic blue. Who want to understand why a tea ceremony matters beyond the Instagram moment. Who appreciate that the best experiences happen in understated spaces.
If that sounds like you, let's talk.
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I am. Charlie Scott.
I've been obsessed with Japan for years—not in a "watched Lost in Translation once" way, but in a "spent weeks wandering Kyoto neighborhoods trying to understand why one street feels completely different from the parallel street two blocks over" way.
I'm a brand strategist, which means I think a lot about how design shapes experience. Japan is a masterclass in this. Every detail matters. Nothing is arbitrary.
Think of this as traveling with that friend who's done the research, made the mistakes, built the relationships, and figured out the timing so you don't have to.
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Most Japan tours operate on a checklist model. Golden Pavilion, check. Fushimi Inari gates, check. Robot restaurant, check. Done.
We're focused on aesthetic immersion:
Architecture and spatial design (why Japanese homes feel the way they do)
Craft traditions (meeting potters, textile artists, woodworkers)
Food culture (understanding the philosophy, not just eating well)
Material culture (paper, ceramics, textiles that define daily Japanese life)
The pacing is intentional. Some days have just two or three main experiences. I'd rather you absorb what you're seeing than race through a checklist.
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Small. Intentional. Interesting.
We cap at 8 people. Everyone's vetted through an application, because group chemistry matters.
Common thread? Curious. Good questions. Comfortable with nuance. Age range typically 35-65, but it's really about sensibility.
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You'll walk 4-6 miles daily, sometimes more. Kyoto neighborhoods are best explored on foot. Temples have stairs. In and out of trains, maybe a bicycle or two.
Nothing heroic, but you need to be reasonably mobile and comfortable being active for several hours. We take breaks. Stop for tea. Sit and observe.
If walking 5+ miles sounds genuinely difficult, this isn't the right fit.
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Places chosen for their design, atmosphere, and relevance to what we're exploring.
Some nights in ryokans (traditional inns) operating for generations. Others in contemporary boutique properties reinterpreting Japanese aesthetics. Maybe a converted machiya (traditional townhouse) in Kyoto's old district.
I'm interested in spaces that teach you something through the simple act of being in them. Tatami mats and futon beds. Minimalist rooms with a single perfect object. Thoughtful details you'll notice if you're paying attention.
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We're eating very well.
But we're choosing places for specific reasons. A neighborhood soba shop where the owner makes noodles by hand. A kaiseki restaurant where the chef changes the menu based on what's in season that week. A standing bar where the yakitori is perfect.
Some meals included, others you're on your own to explore. Dietary restrictions? Talk to me. Vegetarian is very doable. Vegan requires planning but is possible. Allergies need advance notice.
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Yes: All accommodations (10 nights, double occupancy) • Most meals • All domestic transport • Entrance fees • Private experiences with artisans • My undivided attention • Pre-trip prep materials • Post-trip debrief
Not included: International flights • Some meals (for freedom to explore) • Personal expenses • Travel insurance (get it) • Shopping
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Talk to your accountant. I'm not a tax professional.
Many participants classify this as professional development. If your work involves design, hospitality, brand strategy, or creating experiences, there's a legitimate argument this enhances your professional capabilities.
The cultural intelligence and aesthetic education you'll gain applies to virtually any creative or strategic work. But talk to your tax person.
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Japan is one of the safest countries on earth. Tokyo has a lower crime rate than most small North American towns.
Bigger "risks": getting lost (we provide maps and SIM cards), miscommunication (I speak enough Japanese, plus local guides), eating too much (genuinely possible).
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Apply anyway. We're planning future trips, and the application helps us understand if this is the right fit. Many people secure spots on the next iteration.
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Good. A bit of nervousness means you're taking this seriously.
Japan is remarkably easy for first-time visitors. Trains run on time. Signs have English. People are helpful (extraordinarily so). Yes, there's a language barrier, but we'll navigate it together.
Part of what I provide is cultural translation. Not just language, but context. Why things work the way they do. What you're actually seeing when you look at something.
By the end, you'll wonder why you were nervous in the first place.
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I'll review your application, and if it looks like a good fit, we'll have a conversation. Twenty minutes, maybe thirty. I want to understand what draws you to this trip and make sure I can deliver what you're hoping for.
If we both feel good about it, you'll receive confirmation, payment details, and prep materials. Then we start building toward May.
Simple as that.
what people say
The Insider Perspective
"Next time I go to Japan, I want to go with Charlie for sure. I really just scratched the surface. I didn't know how to get beneath the surface myself."
— Pam J.
"This kind of trip is bang-on a dream. It can bring so much into what we're doing now, but a perspective on everything."
— Kim D., Interior Designer
"You could take me wherever. I would go in with full trust. You will bring everything to the table."
— Katherine D.
investment
Professional & Life
Development in Motion
$17 300 CAD
per person
(single occupancy)
$14 850 CAD
per person
(double occupancy)
Included
9 nights accommodation
Daily breakfast, most lunches & dinners (except 2-3 of each, so you have some flexibility)
All ground transportation (bullet trains, subways, private vehicles, taxis, etc.)
All entrance fees & curated events/experiences (involving several local guides/experts)
Also included is pre/post-trip planning guidance (i.e. itinerary suggestions, hotel bookings).
not included
Flights to/from Japan
Travel insurance (NOTE: I can help you sort out both of these)
3-4 meals (intentional solo exploration)
Personal shopping
Limited to 8 travellers
May 6–15, 2026
Waitlist opens now. Doors open November 2.
Questions? Email charlie@ditoui.com
Now What?
If this trip sounds right for you, your spot is waiting—but please let me know by November 15.
After that, I’ll offer places to those on the waitlist.
