You'll need at least a couple of weeks just to skim the surface
of what Japan can offer. The capital Tokyo, and the former imperial
city and thriving cultural centre of Kyoto, will be top of most
visitors' itineraries, and deservedly so, but you could avoid the
cities entirely and head to the mountains or smaller islands to
discover a different side of the country, away from the most
heavily beaten tourist tracks.
Few cities in the world can compare to Tokyo in terms of
its scale and the sheer range of attractions, from the serene calm
of the premier shrine Meiji-jingu to the frenetic, eye-boggling
fish market Tsukiji. Here you'll find some of the world's most
ambitious architecture, most stylish shops and most outrageous
restaurants and bars. Frequent tragedies, both natural and
man-made, have destroyed much of historical Tokyo and yet the past
lingers, in the alleys around the temple Senso-ji and in the
elegant imperial gardens now open to the public.
Even on the shortest trip to Tokyo you should consider taking in
surrounding attractions, in particular the historical towns of
Nikko to the north, where the amazing Tosho-gu shrine
complex is set amid glorious mountain forests, and Kamakura
to the south with its giant statue of the Buddha and tranquil
woodland walks. To the west stands Japan's eternal symbol Mount
Fuji , best visited during the climbing season from June to
September, and the beautiful hot-spring (onsen) resort of
Hakone around the lake Ashi-no-ko.
Mountains, lakes and hot-spring resorts continue north from
Tokyo to the very tip of Honshu island. This district, known as
Tohoku, sees surprisingly few visitors, but its sleepy villages and
nicely laid-back cities deserve greater attention. While the region
has little in the way of top-tier sights, the Golden Hall of
Hiraizumi more than justifies the journey, and can easily be
combined with the islet-sprinkled Matsushima Bay or
Tono , where a more traditional way of life survives among
the fields and farmhouses. Northern Honshu is also known for its
vibrant summer festivals , notably those of Sendai, Aomori,
Hirosaki and Akita, and for its sacred mountains. Of these,
Dewa-sanzan , on the Japan Sea coast, is home to a colourful
sect of ascetic mountain priests, while souls in purgatory haunt
the eerie wastelands of Osore-zan , way up on the rugged
Shimokita Peninsula.
North across the Tsugaru Straits from here, Hokkaido is
Japan's final frontier, home to the Ainu, the country's indigenous
people, and popular for its outdoor sports. Daisetsu-zan
National Park , dominating the centre of the island has
excellent hiking trails over mountain peaks and through soaring
rock gorges carved into incredible shapes. For remoteness it's hard
to beat the Shiretoko National Park in the far northeast,
covering the spindly peninsula of volcanoes and primeval forests
that juts out into the Sea of Okhotsk. To the northwest, the lovely
islands Rebun-to and Rishiri-to are ideal summer
escapes, while in the south, the Shikotsu-Toya National Park
, includes two beautiful lakes, onsen and the baby volcano Showa
Shin-zan.
Hokkaido's most historic city is Hakodate , with its
hundred-year-old wooden houses, churches built by expat traders and
lively fish market. Most of the appealing capital Sapporo is
thoroughly modern, particularly the raging nightlife centre
Suskino, but two older attractions are worth catching: the original
Sapporo Brewery and the Historical Village of Hokkaido, a park with
over sixty buildings from the island's frontier days. Winter is
also a fantastic time to visit Hokkaido to catch Sapporo's amazing
Snow Festival ( Yuki Matsuri ) in February, ski at top
resorts or take a boat through the drift ice off the port of
Abashiri.
Skiing, mountaineering and soaking in hot springs are part of
the culture of Central Honshu (Chubu), an area dominated by the
magnificent Japan Alps . Either the old castle town of
Matsumoto or Nagano , with its atmospheric temple of
pilgrimage, Zenko-ji, can be used as a starting point for exploring
this region. Highlights include the tiny mountain resort of
Kamikochi , accessible only from April to November, and the
immaculately preserved Edo-era villages of Tsumago and
Magome , linked by a short hike along the remains of a
three-hundred-year-old stone-paved road. On the Gifu-ken side of
the mountains, Takayama deservedly draws many visitors to
its handsome streets lined with merchant houses and temples built
by generations of skilled carpenters. In the remote neighbouring
valleys you'll find the rare A-frame thatched houses of
Ogimachi, Suganuma and Ainokura , remnants of a fast
disappearing rural Japan and all designated World Heritage
Sites.
On the Japan Sea coast, the historic city of Kanazawa is
home to Kenroku-en, one of Japan's best gardens, and is the
departure point for the charming fishing villages along the wild
coastline of the Noto-hanto , a peninsula to the northeast.
Also accessible from Kanazawa, you can join a working community of
Zen Buddhist monks at Eihei-ji , a beautiful temple in total
harmony with its wooded surroundings. Chubu's southern coast is
heavily industrialized, although the major city of Nagoya
has a few minor points of interest, including the Tokugawa Art
Museum, and the pretty castle-town of Inuyama, which holds summer
displays of the ancient skill of ukai , or cormorant
fishing. Also worth visiting is Meiji Mura, a vast outdoor museum
of turn-of-the-twentieth-century architecture.
South of the Japan Alps, the Kansai plains are scattered with
ancient temples, shrines and the remnants of imperial cities. The
most famous of these former capitals is Kyoto , where at
first the sheer wealth of sights can be overwhelming. The city's
prime attractions are its magnificent temples and palaces, filled
with superb statuary or exquisite painted screens, and surrounded
by the most glorious gardens. Kyoto is also Japan's premier
cultural centre, home to its most refined cuisine and most classy
ryokan, while the city's hidden corners make casual wandering a
delight. Nearby, Nara is a more manageable size but no
slouch when it comes to venerable monuments, notably the great
bronze Buddha of Todai-ji and Horyu-ji's unrivalled collection of
early Japanese statuary. The surrounding region contains a number
of still-thriving religious foundations, such as the highly
atmospheric temples of Hiei-zan and Koya-san . Over
on the east coast, Japan's most revered Shinto shrine,
Ise-jingu , consists of a collection of austere buildings
shaded by towering cryptomeria trees.
Not all Kansai is quite so rarefied, however. The opening of
Kansai International airport has given a boost to the fast-moving,
slightly unconventional metropolis of Osaka . Apart from its
easy-going atmosphere and boisterous nightlife, the city's main
attractions are its fabulous aquarium, a superbly restored castle
and a hard-hitting civil rights museum. Further west, the port of
Kobe , now with 1995's earthquake firmly set behind it,
offers a gentler cosmopolitan atmosphere, but is no match for
Himeji , home of Japan's must see castle as well as some
impressive modern gardens and buildings.
History hangs heavy on Western Honshu (Chugoku) and not just in
its most visited city, the reborn Hiroshima . The Kanmon
Straits separating Honshu from Kyushu witnessed one of Japan's most
crucial naval battles, Dannoura, in the twelfth century, while in
the northern coastal town of Hagi disgruntled samurai
sparked the Meiji Restoration some 600 years later. The most
rewarding sights are on the area's southern San-yo and northern
San-in coasts.
After Hiroshima, on the southern coast, it's worth pausing at
Okayama to stroll around one of Japan's top three gardens,
Koraku-en, and the appealingly preserved Edo-era town of
Kurashiki . The beauty of the Inland Sea, dotted with
thousands of islands, is best appreciated from spots such as the
idyllic fishing village of Tomo-no-Ura, Nao-shima or the
port of Onomichi . If you have time, don't miss out on the
islands themselves, especially Shodo-shima, Ikuchi-jima and
Miya-jima - home to one of the country's most famous symbols, the
waterbound red torii gate at the ancient shrine of
Itsukushima-jinja. All have a relaxed atmosphere, a world apart
from the metropolitan bustle of mainland Japan.
Crossing to the San-in coast, the castle town of Hagi
retains some handsome samurai houses and atmospheric
temples, only surpassed by the even more enchanting Tsuwano
, further inland. Home to the pantheon of Shinto deities, one of
Japan's most venerable shrines, Izumo Taisha, lies roughly
mid-point along the coast, near the watery capital of Matsue
, which has the region's only original castle. The pine-forested
sand spit at Amanohashidate , one of Japan's top scenic
spots, extends at the far eastern end of the region, and is easily
accessible from both Kyoto and Osaka.
You don't need to visit all 88 temples on Japan's most famous
pilgrimage to enjoy the best of Shikoku , the country's
fourth largest island. Apart from dramatic scenery in the Iya
valley and along the often rugged coastline, the places to aim for
are Matsuyama , with its imperious castle and splendidly
ornate Dogo Onsen Honkan - one of Japan's best hot springs; the
lovely garden Ritsurin-koen in Takamatsu ; and the ancient
shrine at Kotohira , one of the most important in the Shinto
religion. Japanese tourists know these places well, but you're
unlikely to run into many other gaijin on Shikoku.
The southernmost of Japan's four main islands, Kyushu is
probably best known as the target for the second atomic bomb, which
exploded over Nagasaki in 1945. This surprisingly
attractive, cosmopolitan city quite rightly acts as Kyushu's prime
tourist focus, but it's worth devoting a few extra days to
exploring the island's more far-flung sights. Hikers and onsen
enthusiasts should head up into the central highlands, where
Aso-san 's smouldering peak dominates the world's largest
volcanic crater, or to the more southerly meadows of Ebino
Kogen . So much hot water gushes out of the ground in
Beppu , on the east coast, that it's known as Japan's
hot-spring capital, complete with jungle baths, sand baths and
wonderfully tacky amusement centres. Major cities such as
Kagoshima and Kumamoto offer more conventional
castles, museums and craft centres, while Fukuoka takes
pride in its innovative modern architecture and an exceptionally
lively entertainment district.
Last but not least, Okinawa comprises more than a
hundred smaller islands stretching in a great arc from southern
Kyushu to within sight of Taiwan. Okinawa was an independent
kingdom until the early seventeenth century and traces of its
distinctive culture still survive. The beautifully reconstructed
former royal palace dominates the capital city, Naha , but
to really appreciate the region you need to make for the remoter
islands. Though not undiscovered, this is where you'll find Japan's
most stunning white-sand beaches and its best diving, particularly
around the subtropical islands of Miyako, Ishigaki and
Iriomote.