Japanese culture conjures up images of Samurai and graceful kimono-clad ladies.
Japanese culture conjures up images of Samurai and graceful kimono-clad ladies. This traditional side of Japan is still very much there to enjoy while for the alter ego there is the futuristic neon-lit heights of Tokyo. Pulsating as it is with designer shops, a mecca for the nation's in vogue and modish. The city is teeming with restaurants - bite into sushi and tempura and marvel at the delicate parcels of fish and vegetables laid in front of you. Journeying through Japan, visit Hakone for hot springs and follow with the awe inspiring views of Mount Fuji. The high-speed Shinkansen (bullet train) will whisk you past landscapes brimming with volcanoes, lakes and waterfalls. On to Kyoto, the capital and former Emperor's home which boasts two thousand ornate temples and intricately carved pagodas. This is the real Japan where you will see Geishas pass by gracefully in high wooden clogs. The power and beauty of this fascinating land is nowhere more apparent than on a visit to the beautiful Lake Chuzenji at the foot of the sacred volcano Mount Nantai. The Kegon Falls are mesmeric particularly in autumn when they are framed by the warm reds of the surrounding countryside. A stay in a traditional Ryokan guest house will complete a cherished trip - these intimate family-run guest houses have been part of Japanese culture for years.
Tokyo The Imperial Palace and Gardens, vibrant nightlife, shopping for the latest electrical gadgets and fashions, Tsukiji Fish Market, historic temples and shrines. Mount Fuji Set within Hakone National Park, a leading area for hot springs. Kyoto A must-see destination with ornate temples, dramatic pagodas, tea houses and Geisha strolling through the Gion area. Hiroshima Rebuilt post-war, now a modern and vibrant city. The Atomic Dome and Peace Park are poignant reminders of its tragic history. The island of Miyajima is a short boat ride away and a beautiful setting in which to stay. Yufuin and Beppu Set on the Island of Kyushu close to Mount Aso, an area renowned for its geothermal activity with mud pools and geysers. Nara A former ancient capital with a varied collection of temples and Buddha statues and a beautiful park.
Spring | The cherry blossom front moves up the country and fills parks with soft pink petals. People celebrate with food, drink, and sometimes karaoke under the picturesque trees. May | Aoi festival, Kyoto. Features a long procession of revellers, wearing stunning period costume, making their way through the streets along the Kamo River. The Aoi festival is named after the aoi, or hollyhocks, which are used to decorate the festival floats. Autumn | Celebration of the Japanese maple colours, with leaves turning from delicate yellow to vibrant red. Equally spectacular are the fire festivals in which mountainsides are set alight and huge bundles of fire are carried around temples in many regions. October | Kyoto's Jidai festival parade. November | The national Shichi-go-san festival in which children aged three, five and seven dress in bright kimono and visit local temples in an ancient and picturesque tradition. New Years Eve | A family time with traditional food, decorations and visits to the shrine to pray for good fortune in the coming year. People all over the country visit temples at midnight to ring in the New Year on the huge temple bells, often followed by an early trip to a Shinto shrine to ensure a lucky year.
Sushi - Exquisitely prepared seafood placed raw on a ball of specially seasoned, sticky rice. Non-seafood options are also usually available. Tempura - Fish, seafood and vegetables coated in a very light and crisp batter, deep-fried in vegetable oil. Sashimi - Super fresh, delicately sliced fish eaten raw with soy sauce and fiery wasabi. Kaiseki Ryori - Regarded as the most exquisite culinary refinement in Japan. The dishes are mainly composed of vegetables, fish, seaweed and mushroom flavours and the presentation is truly a work of art. Shabu-shabu - A communal dining experience using chopsticks, fine slices of beef and vegetables are swirled in a pot of bubbling water, then dipped in a special sauce. Soba and Udon - Two kinds of Japanese noodle. Soba is made from buckwheat flour and Udon from wheat flour. They are served either in a soup or a sauce and are available in hundreds of delicious variations. Ryokan - A small, often family-run Japanese guest house. The décor is usually traditional, with paper walls and sliding doors, wooden floors or tatami mats, low tables and futons. Japanese Tea Ceremony - A full tea ceremony is traditionally performed in a specially designed tea house within a formal garden. Sumo Wrestling - The most Japanese of the national sports, weaves together ceremony, ritual and sheer excitement. Though the wrestlers weigh in at around 135kg, they follow a special programme of exercise to strengthen the back, leg and stomach muscles, and are surprisingly agile. Six grand sumo tournaments, or basho, are held yearly. Onsen (Natural hot springs) - An experience not to be missed. A volcanic archipelago with a high rainfall, Japan is a land of abundant natural hot water. Nothing is as intensely soothing as a soak in geothermic onsen pools, and many of the minerals in the water are thought to have healing properties. Flower Arrangement - Ikebana, meaning 'living flowers', is sometimes referred to as kado, or 'the way of flowers'. Ikebana masters create symbolic works from cut flowers, branches, grasses, and other natural and sometimes synthetic materials. Japanese Calligraphy - Shodo. The pictographic nature of Japanese writing lends great artistic scope to Japan's flowing, brush-written calligraphy. Though often ornate to the point of illegibility, shodo is suggestive of natural phenomena even to the untrained eye. With links to Buddhism and tea ceremony, seasonal calligraphic scrolls are paired with ikebana arrangements and hung in the tokonoma alcove of traditional houses and Japanese inns, or ryokan. Bonsai & Gardening - The art of growing and sculpting miniature trees.
CLIMATE With cold winters and hot summers, the best times to visit Japan are March to May and September to November. CAPITAL Tokyo TIME DIFFERENCE GMT +9 hours CURRENCY Yen VISA REQUIREMENTS British passport holders do not require a visa. HOW TO GET THERE Fly direct to Tokyo with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic. FLYING TIME Tokyo: 11 hours 30 mins