Planning a first trip to Japan

Three to four nights allow a first look at the capital's contrasts: the Asakusa temple district and Ueno's museums, the imperial palace gardens and Marunouchi, the shopping and youth culture of Shibuya and Harajuku, the Meiji Shrine, and the evening lights of Shinjuku. Neighbourhoods are best explored on foot, linked by the Yamanote Line and the subway.

Popular day trips include Nikko, with its ornate shrines in the mountains, and Kamakura, a medieval capital by the sea with its Great Buddha.

One or two nights in the mountains between Tokyo and Kyoto give a break from the cities and the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji, which is most often visible on clear winter and autumn mornings. Hakone offers hot spring inns, the volcanic valley of Ōwakudani, Lake Ashi and open-air art; the Fuji Five Lakes on the Yamanashi side lie directly at the foot of the mountain.

A night at a ryokan here is a good introduction to Japanese inns and onsen culture.

Kyoto, capital from 794 to 1868, deserves at least three to four nights. Its UNESCO-listed temples and shrines include Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji and the torii tunnels of Fushimi Inari Taisha, while the Gion district, Arashiyama's bamboo grove and the Nishiki market show other sides of the city. Starting early in the morning avoids the heaviest crowds.

Nara, less than an hour away, was the capital in the eighth century. Tōdai-ji with its Great Buddha, Kasuga Taisha and the deer park make an easy day trip, and Uji, the home of matcha, lies on the way.

Osaka is known for its food culture and lively nightlife: Dōtonbori's canal and neon, street food such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki, the Kuromon market and Osaka Castle. One or two nights, or evening trips from Kyoto, are enough for a first visit.

On the way west, Himeji Castle, Japan's finest surviving original castle, is an easy stop, as the Shinkansen station lies within walking distance.

Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum document the destruction of 6 August 1945 and the city's commitment to peace; a visit is moving and needs time. The modern city is lively and known for its own style of okonomiyaki.

A short train and ferry ride away, the island of Miyajima holds the Itsukushima Shrine with its great torii standing in the sea at high tide, and trails lead up Mount Misen. Staying overnight on the island shows it at its quietest.

Most European and many other visitors can enter Japan without a visa for short stays; entry requirements should be checked before booking. Registering in Visit Japan Web speeds up immigration and customs. Rooms in Kyoto and during the cherry blossom and autumn colour seasons should be booked early.

A flight into Tokyo and out of Osaka (Kansai) avoids backtracking. Whether a Japan Rail Pass is worthwhile depends on the exact route; for Tokyo–Kyoto–Hiroshima and back it should be calculated, while an open-jaw route often works out cheaper with individual tickets.