Timeless JAPAN

You’ve landed in Japan. Settle in, meet your fellow travellers and step out into Tokyo for the very first time. Watch the city stretch endlessly beneath you from Shibuya Sky, as daylight fades and millions of lights begin to flicker on below.

Then dive into Tokyo after dark — cross Shibuya with the crowds, wander through colourful Harajuku and tree-lined Omotesando, before finding yourself among the tiny lantern-lit alleys of Shinjuku. Somewhere between your first crossing, your first crepe and dinner together, it finally sinks in: you’re in Japan. And this is where the story begins.

Today, we go looking for one of Japan’s most unforgettable sights. Leave Tokyo behind for the lakes and mountains surrounding Mt Fuji. On a clear day, we head towards Lake Kawaguchiko, where Fuji rises above the water — that unmistakable view you’ve probably imagined long before arriving in Japan.

But Fuji reveals itself on its own terms. If the mountain disappears behind the clouds, we won’t waste the day chasing it. Instead, discover Kamakura — ancient temples, the Great Buddha and seaside streets where Tokyo suddenly feels far away.

Or make the day your own at Tokyo Disneyland — because everyone has their own Japan dream.

Today, Japan gets big. Wake up surrounded by the Japanese Alps, with a full day shaped by whatever the mountains have decided to show us. In the warmer months, walk into Kamikochi, where turquoise rivers wind beneath soaring peaks and forests stretch into the distance.

Come winter, the landscape transforms completely. Rise above deep snow on the Shinhotaka Ropeway, surrounded by white peaks in every direction. Different seasons, completely different landscapes — but either way, this is one of those days when Japan makes you stop and simply look around.

Today begins in a Japan that almost doesn't look real. Leave the Alps through Shirakawa-go, where steep thatched-roof farmhouses sit between mountains and rice fields — a village shaped by generations of life through deep Japanese winters. Wander between the old houses before the landscape begins to change again.

By afternoon, arrive in Kanazawa, and everything feels more refined. Walk through Kenroku-en’s carefully shaped gardens, follow the earthen walls of the old samurai district, then wander the wooden streets of Higashi Chaya. And because not everything needs to be serious, try a little gold-leaf ice cream along the way.

Wake early for Arashiyama, when the bamboo rises quietly overhead and Kyoto hasn’t quite gathered pace. Wander beside the Katsura River, then follow your appetite through the stalls and flavours of Nishiki Market.

As evening approaches, leave the city behind and head into Kyoto’s forested mountains to Kifune Shrine. Climb beneath rows of glowing lanterns as darkness settles between the trees — one of those quietly magical evenings that makes Kyoto feel a little unreal. Then return to the city for a bowl of Michelin-starred vegan ramen.

After days of temples, gardens and old Japan, Osaka turns the volume all the way up. Dive into the retro streets of Shinsekai, before following the crowds, giant signboards and glow of Dotonbori into the night.

And in Osaka, the best way to understand the city is to eat it. Follow the smells, try the local favourites and wander between little food stops as the canal lights up around you. Tonight is loud, delicious, slightly chaotic — and exactly the change of pace this journey needs.

Today feels like stepping onto the set of a Japanese epic. Begin beneath the brilliant white walls of Himeji Castle, climbing through one of Japan’s great surviving feudal castles before heading into the forests of Mt Shosha.

A ropeway carries you into the mountains to Engyō-ji, where centuries-old wooden halls sit among towering trees. The setting is so cinematic that Hollywood came here to film The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise — and walking through it, you’ll understand why. Then board the Shinkansen to Hiroshima, as the journey continues west.

After the emotional weight of Hiroshima, today Japan slows down again. Begin in Onomichi, where old temple paths climb the hills above the Seto Inland Sea and rooftops tumble towards the water below. It’s quieter, nostalgic and wonderfully unhurried.

Then continue to Kurashiki, where willow trees lean over canals and preserved merchant houses line the old streets. Wander without rushing before returning to Hiroshima — a day of smaller places and slower moments that somehow becomes one of the journey’s loveliest surprises.