Between tradition and modernity for 3 weeks

If, besides Japan, you want to know more about other countries we have visited, go to:

beyond precious tips, splendid images will lead you through new cultures...

TOKYO (Khassan Guest House / Taito Ryokan): an incredible city rich in contrasts, from the most advanced technology to the deepest meditation, from the trendiest fashion of teenagers to the splendid traditional kimonos... and this is only a taste. Main stops: - Fish market: held every morning at 6.00 am - Ginza: an elegant district where you find the elegant shops of the main luxury brands, a few steps from the imperial palace and the very famous Kabuki theatre. - Ueno and Asakusa: more classic and traditional - Shinjuku: the most lively district par excellence in Tokyo. In the evening it is a triumph of lights and coloured neon, bars, restaurants and thousands of people around.

Here you find the "Metropolitan Government", designed by Kenzo Tange, a building with very particular architecture where, going up to the 40th floor, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Tokyo for free, perhaps sipping a good tea - Harajuku and Shibuya: young districts, full of super trendy shops that offer the chance to observe the goth kids just outside the Harajuku metro station, on Takeshita street - Tokyo Bay: an ultramodern district that can be visited by monorail, an absolute must at sunset, when the pinkish reflections of the sun mirror themselves in the bay and in the glass of the enormous skyscrapers - Roppongi: the entertainment district for foreigners

TAKAMATSU: a stopover for Kochi, it presents itself like many Japanese towns, with a gallery full of shops of all kinds forming its centre. Remarkable, however, is the Ritsurin-Koen garden, among the most beautiful in the country. It offers the classic view of Japanese gardens with tea houses, bridges and islets that make it a serene and tranquil oasis

KOTOHIRA: an interesting destination for visiting the Kompira San shrine, with its 1368 steps leading to the top of the mountain where the temple is located. Although the route is a little long and tiring, it is quite pleasant thanks to the visit of the temples situated along the way itself and the presence of wooded paths

KOCHI (Los Hotel): 10 and 11 August are very interesting dates to immerse yourself in the traditional Yosakoi-Matsuri festival, where more than 20 thousand dancers parade through the city streets to the notes of traditional Japanese music. Moreover, from Kochi you can take part in Whale Watching, a very fun half-day excursion where you have the chance to admire the giants of the sea.

HIMEJI (Toyoko Inn Hotel): since the Japanese trains allow you to reach the various points of the country easily and quickly, it is worth making a stop at Himeji-jò, one of the few castles visible in its original structure

KYOTO (overnight at K's House Kyoto, highly recommended): together with Nara, it is the main destination of the Kansai region. Kyoto, imperial capital between 794 and 1868, is considered the cultural heart of Japan with more than 2000 temples and shrines, the tea houses populated by the ancient female figures of the geishas, women of exquisite refinement who entertain wealthy gentlemen. It mirrors what the image of traditional Japan can be for Western peoples. On 16 August, on 5 hills, great fires are lit to celebrate the final farewell to the souls of the ancestors – Daimon-ji Yaki

NARA: Even before Kyoto, it was Nara that played the role of imperial capital. It too boasts numerous sites to visit, the most important being the Nara-Koen, which in August (on the 16th), on the occasion of the commemoration of the ancestors, is strewn with thousands of lanterns that give to the eyes of those who see them a spectacle hard to forget

HIROSHIMA (Minshuku Ikedaia, we don't recommend it): a chaotic, modern city, sadly remembered for the atomic bomb explosion on 6 August 1945. The only destination of interest is the Peace Memorial Park, which attracts visitors from all over the world, and the A-Bomb Dome, once the seat of the Industrial Promotion Hall, the only building symbol of the devastation that struck the city

MIAJIMA: easily reachable from Hiroshima (about 1 hour between train and ferry), the island is rich in shrines and temples. Famous for the floating torii (entrance of the Shinto shrine), classified as one of the three most fascinating views of the country

KURASHIKY: again thanks to the fantastic Japanese trains, it is possible to think of making a quick excursion to this small town whose main characteristic is a small district made up of picturesque buildings arranged along a canal onto which pour the flowing canopies of numerous weeping willows. In feudal times such warehouses were used to store the rice transported by boat from the surrounding countryside

BEPPU (Beppu Youth Hostel, so-so): in the Kyushu region, the area of Oita ken is famous for its many onsen, among the most important towns that of Beppu. A centre of pleasant escapism, it offers nothing much except numerous spa centres where you can treat yourself to a relaxing break at the end of the trip. Beware, no swimsuit is needed. You enter strictly naked, even in the baths shared by men and women. Good practice is to carry a towel with you to cover your private parts while moving from one area to another. For dinner we recommend a good little restaurant in Beppu station. Excellent Tempura Udon. About 40 km from Beppu (train and bus), you can make an excursion to the town of Usuki, where there is a collection of Buddha statues. In a gorge you can see more than 60 of them