Japan Guide
Things not to miss
1 Kyoto
The capital of Japan for a thousand years, endowed with an almost overwhelming legacy of temples, palaces and gardens, and also home to the country's richest traditional culture and most refined cuisine.
2 Adachi Museum of Art
Interesting contemporary art museum – although the real attraction is the stunning surrounding gardens that envelop the galleries and steal attention at every turn.
3 Tsukiji
This hyperactive Tokyo fish and produce market is the place to go for an early breakfast and the freshest sashimi and sushi in Japan.
4 Nara
The ancient former capital of Nara is home to the monumental bronze Buddha of Tōdai-ji and fine collections of religious art.
5 Roppongi
Tokyo's hottest neighbourhood is home to the new Tokyo Midtown complex as well as the National Arts Centre and the Mori Art Museum.
6 Nao-shima
One of the best places to experience the beauty of the Inland Sea is this tranquil island with its amazing contemporary art museums, public sculptures and installations.
7 Climb Mount Fuji
Make the tough but rewarding hike up Japan's tallest peak, a long-dormant volcano of classic symmetrical beauty.
8 Taketomi-jima, Okinawa
Unwind on this tiny island graced with a charming village of buildings roofed with terracotta tiles and surrounded by beautiful flower gardens.
9 Nagasaki
One of Japan's most picturesque cities, whose long and cosmopolitan history is reflected in Western colonial-style buildings and an exuberantly colourful Confucian shrine.
10 Kamikōchi
The busy but beautiful mountain village of Kamikōchi preserves a Shangri-la atmosphere and serves as the gateway to the magnificent Northern Alps.
11 Dewa-sanzon
Join white-clothed pilgrims on the arduous but scenic climb up the sacred mountain of Dewa-sanzan in northern Honshū.
12 Hiroshima
Pay your respects to the A-bomb's victims at the Peace Memorial Park and Museum in the city of Hiroshima, impressively reborn from the ashes of World War II.
13 Yakushima
Commune with thousand-year-old cedar trees in the World Heritage-listed Kirishima-Yaku National Park.
14 Skiing
Hit the slopes and enjoy the perfect powder snow at Niseko in Hokkaidō or the great runs and charming atmosphere of Nagano's Nozawa Onsen.
15 Nikkō Set amid splendid mountains north of Tokyo, the pilgrim town of Nikkō is home to the fabulously over-the-top Tosho-gū shrine, one of Japan's most sumptuous buildings.
16 Onsen
Take a dip at a top onsen resort town, such as Dōgo, with its magnificent bathhouse, or experience the exquisite warmth of a rotemburo (outdoor bath) as the snow falls.
17 Obuse
Surrounded by orchards, this charming town is famous for its excellent sake and chestnut confections.
18 Himeji
Relive the days of the samurai at the magnificent donjon of Himeji-jō, a prime example of a feudal-era fortress.
19 Nebuta and Nebuta Matsuri
Aomori and Hirosaki's Obon festivals feature lively parades with fabulous giant lanterns and paper-covered figures.
20 Kenroku-en
Nature has been tamed and primped to its most beautiful at Kanazawa's star attraction, one of the country's top traditional gardens.
21 Koya-san
Mingle with monks and pilgrims on one of Japan's holiest mountains, home to over a hundred monasteries. .