GENERAL

The Land of the Rising Sun, home of the samurai, karaoke and manga, Japan is a nation whose cultural influence can be found all over the world. From the humblest paddy field to the tallest skyscraper, if there was ever a nation that balances the modern with the traditional, it is Japan.

Choose a holiday to Japan and discover a breathtakingly beautiful land of mist-shrouded mountains, hillside Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines and dreamlike blizzards of cherry blossoms; interlinked by speeding bullet trains that transport you to some of the most vibrant urban areas in Asia.

Modern Japan..

Tokyo is the world's largest metropolis and the most advanced. Most people on holiday in Japan will come to the capital at some point and it is a dazzling, thrilling and unforgettable experience. Tokyo is a futurist glass-and-steel neon jungle that enjoys a never-ending 24hr nightlife, supreme shopping opportunities and some of the finest dining in the world. Perhaps surprisingly for a city of such cutting-edge modern dynamism, Tokyo is also home to many historic sights, temples and tranquil gardens. And in the background stands the imperious Mount Fuji that not even the mightiest of skyscrapers can challenge.

Ancient Japan...

An ancient city and a highlight of any holiday to Japan, Kyoto was the nation's capital for over a millennium and is saturated in history, culture and classical Japanese imagery. Home to no fewer than 17 Unesco World Heritage sites, Kyoto is one of the great historic cities of the East. The makeup of Kyoto is what most people imagine when thinking of Japan; temples, palaces, traditional wooden abodes, teahouses and lovely garden areas combine to create the most beautiful of cities.

Find more amazing Asian escapes from MyTravel.

For inspiration, take a look at holidays to South Korea, holidays to Hong Kong and holidays to China.