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.

More information ť