When thinking about Japan most people imagine the vast metropolis of Tokyo and this certainly is one of the most exciting and lively cities in the World. Japanese cities are like nowhere else in the World – city planners will be left reeling at the organic nature of the way in which cities have risen up at a phenomenal rate. Buildings constructed in every available space; raised expressways snaking across the urban landscapes 6 storeys above the crowded walkways; over ground power lines and cables, one piled on top of the other, providing the telecommunications and electricity that power the Japanese economic dream; everywhere neon lighting bringing a surreal glow to the cityscapes as dusk falls and businessmen come out to play. And amidst all this, little reminders of the past and snippets of traditional culture almost lost to the juggernaut of ‘progress’. This is urban Japan and time spent here is sure to be a unique experience.
However, wherever you are in Japan you can be in mountainous wilderness in around two hours, the swarming hordes of the urban centres seeming like a distant unreality. The entire Japanese population lives on just 15% of the land area as due to the volcanic nature of the Japanese archipelago, very little of the country is suitable for settlement. Thus, it is very easy to have a holiday in Japan that combines both rural and urban settings.
Osaka skyline Lake Chuzenji, Nikko
Starting “up north”, the city of Sapporo is the principle city of the island of Hokkaido. A vibrant city, Sapporo combines a lively night life area with parks and gardens and is also the venue for the yearly, “Yuki Matsuri” the snow festival where giant ice sculptures are exhibited. Sapporo makes a great base or an excellent starting point for a tour of the National Park regions of Hokkaido where you can experience real wilderness and rugged beauty.
Back onto Honshu, Japan’s largest and most heavily populated island, the city of Sendai is built around the sweeping natural bay of Matsushima. The city makes a very convenient access point for the visiting the bay which is studded with pine covered islands that shimmer with mystical beauty at sunrise and sunset. Despite, the big city back-drop, Matsushima can feel like another world. Back in the city, Sendai is a lively cosmopolitan town well known for its jazz bars and boisterous night life.
On the opposite side of Honshu, the craggy enclaves and remote beaches of the Japan sea coast stand as testimony to the harsh shaping effects of Nature. The Noto peninsula is an ideal destination, dotted with quaint little towns and picturesque fishing villages. The best access city for this area is Kanazawa. Once a castle town, the city still retains remnants of its feudal past with beautiful strolling gardens, the remains of a samurai district and geisha quarter.
Miyojin-ike, Kamikochi Neon lights in Shinjuku, Tokyo
If a warmer climate sounds attractive then the volcanic expanses of Kyushu may be the ideal destination for you. The old colonial trading ports of Fukuoka and Nagasaki are attractive urban stop-offs whilst a cruise around the islands of Hirado or a drive up to the rolling hills and craggy peaks of the Unzen National Park will satisfy any urges to be at one with nature!
The options for a tour that combines urban and natural settings are limitless and the length of the Japanese archipelago is such that there is great variation in the scenery and lifestyle throughout the country. For more information and ideas on planning a trip that takes in the best of Japan's cities and countryside just contact us and we'll be delighted to assist you.