LAND OF THE RISING SUN

Tokyo is a thrilling mess of contradictions, where exquisite gardens and ancient temples sit side-by-side with ultra-modern skyscrapers and buzzing nightspots. After settling into the sleek Andaz Tokyo, we’d recommend exploring the streets of the historic Toranomon district, one of the oldest parts of Tokyo and located right on your doorstep.

If it’s your first time in Japan, visit the musts, including the Imperial Palace and the serene Meji Shrine, where you can purify your hands and offer a prayer like the locals. Soak up the ancient atmosphere of Asakusa, Tokyo’s old town, where you can visit the city’s oldest temple Senso-ji and take a scenic river cruise.

With three nights in Tokyo, you’ll have enough time to take a short train ride to Kamakura, a sleepy seaside town whose numerous temples and shrines betray its history as a former imperial capital that was once the largest city in the world. You’ll also be able to squeeze in a shopping spree and late night tipple in the affluent Roppongi district and walk underneath the beautifully maintained Ueno and Yoyogi parks.

From Tokyo, you’ll take the world-famous Shinkansen bullet train to Takayama, via Nagoya, embarking on one of the most scenic train journeys in Japan and winding through soaring mountains and plummeting gorges to the beautiful mountain town of Takayama. Dubbed a “little Kyoto” because of its remarkably preserved old buildings, Takayama is also renowned as a producer of sake, and we’d recommend a visit to one (or more!) of the town’s breweries. The morning after visiting the breweries, clear your head with a browse around the Miyagawa morning market, or catch a glimpse of the pastoral past at the Hida No Sato Folk Village.

Your home for two nights is Hidatei Hanaougi, a classic Japanese ryokan bursting with traditional charm. Grab one of the inn’s bicycles and cycle into the centre of the old town to see the temple Hida Kokubun-ji, which has a gingko tree believed to be 1,200 years old, or follow the trails through the Shiroyama-koen park up the mountainside to the ruins of the castle, Takayama-jo.

From Takayama it’s on to Kanazawa, a major city of Japan’s Edo period renowned for its beautiful gardens. En route, you can stop off at Shirikawago, a quaint mountain village dotted with centuries-old farmhouses whose thatched roofs store attics used for cultivating silkworms.

Continuing to Kanazawa, you can experience the old world Japan of the silver screen by visiting the Samurai district of Nagamachi or sampling the fragrant teas in the traditional tea-houses of Kaikaro. Marvel at the stunning Kenroku-en – considered one of Japan’s finest gardens – and enjoy the adjacent Kanazawa castle.

You’ll have two nights in Kanazawa staying in the Hotel Nikko Kanazawa, a beacon of colonial grandeur which befits its historic surroundings.

From Kanazawa it’s back on the bullet train to Japan’s ancient imperial capital, Kyoto. Overflowing with atmosphere, this is the place to experience the Japan of centuries past - and you’ll do just that during your three nights here. Climb to the top of the Inari mountain, ducking under the brilliant orange tori pathways to the famous Fushimi Inari shrine, follow the lakeside loop around the golden Kinkaku-ji pavilion and then try catch a glimpse of a Geisha or maiko in the stunning Gion district.

Further afield, you could take a day trip to nearby Nara, another of Japan’s ancient capitals where friendly deer roam the ancient streets and parks. Alternatively, the small inner garden and wooden bathtubs at the Shiraume Ryokan, your home for three nights, are just ideal for really embracing the Japanese way of life and settling into the authentic ryokan experience.