旅行
ryokō
Definition
A trip or journey to another place; to travel somewhere. Often used for leisure or business travel.
Example
来月、家族と日本を旅行します。
Show translation
Next month, I will travel Japan with my family.
Etymology
From Sino-Japanese: 旅 (ryo, "travel / journey") + 行 (kō, "go / movement"). The character 旅 originally depicted a person following a banner — the image of a traveler on the road. 行 is one of the most fundamental characters meaning "to go."
Cultural note
Travel has deep cultural roots in Japan. The haiku poet Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694) immortalized the spirit of 旅行 in his travel diary *Oku no Hosomichi* ("The Narrow Road to the Deep North"). Today, Japan has a strong domestic travel culture — "okurimono" (souvenirs called *omiyage*) bought during 旅行 are an important social custom. Note: 旅行 is broader than 旅 (tabi), which carries a more literary, solitary, or spiritual nuance.