Attractions of Japan

Hakone National Park has a number of interesting features on the so-called Hakone Circuit which can be reached by funicular railway, cable car, lake steamer and train. The hot, bubbling sulphur springs at Owakudani are supposedly beneficial to your health and offer superb views of Mount Fuji. There are also hiking trails along the old shogun Tokaido highway, used to travel between the feudal court in Tokyo and regional centres. Other attractions include an open-air museum of modern sculpture and a cruise on the magnificent Lake Ashi.

The spa town of Yudanaka is famous for the Jigokudani Onsen or ‘Snow Monkey Park’, where Japanese macaque monkeys descend from the hills to soak and play in the hot baths. There are also spots for human bathing as well as good hikes in the surrounding countryside.

The Nakasendo Way was a trading route between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo) used during the Edo period between 1603 and 1868. Some of the sections and staging posts have been preserved today, in particular the section in the Kiso Valley between the villages of Magome and Tsumago which retain a medieval quality and traditional atmosphere.

The historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are examples of a traditional way of life that adapted to the environment and economic circumstances. The villages are characterised by the Gassho-style houses which have steeply pitched thatched roofs to withstand heavy snowfalls and were built to accommodate mulberry leaves and silkworm beds that formed the basis of the villages' economy.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

Nestled in the Japanese Alps, Takayama is a charming and atmospheric old town that is home to many old wooden houses and temples designed to withstand the harsh climate and terrain. Known as 'Little Kyoto', the town is ideal for exploring on foot, including the medieval-like streets of Sannomachi with its many wooden built shops, restaurants and sake breweries and the daily market along the banks of the Miyagawa River. Outside the town lies the Hida Folk Village, an outdoor museum of traditional Japanese architecture set in landscaped gardens.

Kyoto was the capital of Japan from its founding in AD 794 until the mid-19th century. As the centre of Japanese culture for more than 1,000 years and the only major city to escape bombing in the Second World War, Kyoto is Japan's cultural and historical gem, home to over 2,000 temples, shrines and gardens. There are countless attractions in the city which could take weeks to explore. Among those is the imposing Nijo castle, built in 1603 as a palace for the Tokugawa shoguns. Kinkaku-ji Temple, known as the Golden Pavilion, is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Kyoto, much of it covered in gold foil. The temple at Ryoan-ji is noted for its beautiful Zen gardens. The 'Path of Philosophy' along the eastern hills incorporates Ginkaku-ji (the Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Nanzen-ji Temple and Kiyamizu-dera (Temple of Clear Water), the latter with a superb location atop a hill. Elsewhere the Gion Geisha district, made famous in the novel 'Memoirs of a Geisha', has numerous teahouses and restaurants.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)