It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.

Located on Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, Hokadate sits under the vast 334m-high Mount Hakodate. Hop on a tram that can take you from one end of the city to the other in just 45-minutes or enjoy a leisurely stroll through the area that takes you past historical buildings. Looking for a break and some soothing relaxation? The Yunokawa Onsen is a spa resort area offering up many hot spring hotel and inn options.

Sakaiminato’s history is steeped in fishing tradition. Now the base of Western Japan’s fishing industry, Sakaiminato has been an open trading port with the U.S. and U.K. since 1899. Today the port town continues to be a haven for seafood lovers with fish markets and world-class restaurants scattered along its streets, making it the perfect place for visitors to taste the catch of the day.

It is Pusans premier trading port, adjacent to the Korean Straits and Japan, that makes it an international metropolis but its beautiful sea vistas that make it a charming place to unwind. Experience the serenity of Beomeo-sa Temple, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and rejuvenate at Hushimchung Spa.

It is Pusans premier trading port, adjacent to the Korean Straits and Japan, that makes it an international metropolis but its beautiful sea vistas that make it a charming place to unwind. Experience the serenity of Beomeo-sa Temple, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and rejuvenate at Hushimchung Spa.

This “city of water and peace” is built in one of the most sheltered harbors on the Seto Inland Sea and is much more than the painful past it both honors and defies. Reflect and ring the bell of peace at Peace Memorial Park, then ferry to the holy island of Miyajima, famed for its Itsukushima Shrine and floating torii.

On the Seto Inland Sea, looking out over the Sanuki mountain range, sits the island of Shikoku and the old castle town of Takamatsu, Japan. Now a vibrant city, Takamatsu has been an economic hub of the region since the Edo period. To get a sense of its history, visit Tamamo-koen Park. The 16th century Takamatsu Castle had been destroyed, but there’s still plenty to explore: ruins, water moats, and classic Japanese-style yagura or turrets.

Famous for the beef that bears it name, Kobe is headquarters for numerous Japanese and international firms, and has long been an important port. It is also a short bullet train ride from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan from the 8th to the 19th century. Here vestiges of the past are easier to find than in many of Japans modern, high-tech cities: countless temples and shrines, the palaces and castles of shoguns and emperors, and narrow lanes paved in stone and lined with wooden buildings housing shops and restaurants that have been serving travelers for centuries.

Famous for the beef that bears it name, Kobe is headquarters for numerous Japanese and international firms, and has long been an important port. It is also a short bullet train ride from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan from the 8th to the 19th century. Here vestiges of the past are easier to find than in many of Japans modern, high-tech cities: countless temples and shrines, the palaces and castles of shoguns and emperors, and narrow lanes paved in stone and lined with wooden buildings housing shops and restaurants that have been serving travelers for centuries.

Japan’s Mt. Fuji is an active volcano about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Commonly called “Fuji-san,” it’s the country’s tallest peak, at 3,776 meters. A pilgrimage site for centuries, it’s considered one of Japan’s 3 sacred mountains, and summit hikes remain a popular activity. Its iconic profile is the subject of numerous works of art, notably Edo Period prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige.

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.