City vs. Countryside

URBAN DELIGHTS

Whether a futuristic metropolis or a time-worn town, step into the alternate universe of Japan’s urban centres.

Tokyo

Frenetic, neon-clad and infinitely mesmerising—nowhere else feels more otherworldly than Tokyo. It’s the drawcard of Japan’s urban milieu. With temples and techno clubs, skyscrapers and postage-stamp restaurants; whatever your taste, Tokyo will provide.

EAT

Grab one of the gold-dust seats at Sukiyabashi Jiro’s eponymous and hard-to-find restaurant. Three Michelin stars are just one of the many accolades under the sushi master’s belt.

NAP

The dizzying heights that come with the Aman Tokyo, an urban retreat perched atop a skyscraper, are worth it for the spectacular views of the city’s futuristic skyline.

DO

An intimate cocktail tasting at Gen Yamamoto. It’s just you eye-to-eye with the prized bartender at his tiny, no-frills bar as you sample his exemplary cocktail creations.

Osaka

For a riff on Tokyo, Osaka’s vivacious cosmopolis is another high-energy option where lights flash above designer hotspots and Dotonbori’s exclusive bars and bright arcades set the scene for another galaxy of urban explorations. Its culinary prowess is well-lauded so foodies won’t be disappointed.

Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel

St. Regis Osaka

EAT

For out-of-this-world cuisine, head to Hajime Yoneda’s restaurant to taste intricate, experimental dishes such as ‘chikyu’ (planet earth), artfully constructed from 110 ingredients.

NAP

Retreat from the bustle and bunker down in cream-and-gold serenity at The St. Regis Osaka, where your room is kittedout with Egyptian cotton, marble bathrooms and rainforest showers.

DO

Ride the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel perched 369 feet up ontop of a skyscraper. Unreal views come guaranteed.

Kanazawa

Hop onto a bullet train from Tokyo and discover Kyoto’s heritage-rich rival. Kanazawa is a pocket of urbanity in Japan’s rural West Coast brimming with old-world charm. Lose yourself in its wonderfully preserved temples, castles, and geisha districts.

EAT

The 290-year-old Omi-cho Market is the foodie mecca. Dine on snow crab and raw oysters plucked fresh from local waters or head to gourmet hotspot Sento for to-die-for Szechuan-style dishes.

RURAL BLISS

From cloud-tickling peaks to remote and mistywilds, Japan’s countryside scenes have to beseen to be believed.

Hakone and Mt. Fuji

Red torri gates rising out of serene lakes, lush mountains shrouded in blue mist and a healthy sprinkling of steaming hot springs—it’s hard to imagine Hakone’s beauty lies just on the fringes of Tokyo’s concrete jungle. Crowned by the iconic Mt. Fuji, it’s the perfect antidote to the bustle.

THE INSTAGRAM MOMENT

Taking in world-class sculpture against a panoramic mountain backdrop at the Open Air Museum.

Nagano, The Japanese Alps

For fresh alpine air, Nagano is just a bullet train away from Tokyo and is home to some of the country’s most spellbinding mountain scenery. Hike the endless trails in summer or ski the powder-soft slopes in winter and share your après-ski hot spring with the region’s wild monkeys.

THE INSTAGRAM MOMENT

Catch the beautiful Matsumoto Castle in spring when it’s surrounded by a pink haze of cherry blossoms.

Noto Peninsula

Rugged and dramatic, the Noto Peninsula is Japan’s raw and wild side with beguiling seascapes where Japanese aesthetics and mystics went in the search of solitude.

THE INSTAGRAM MOMENT

Watching the red sun as it melts into the Sea of Japan from a clifftop.