Japan Travelers Recommend

Day 1: Get Oriented Tokyo is an enormous city, and with so much to do, it’s best to get yourself oriented (heh). A great option for those with a limited stay in Tokyo is the Tokyo Tower, Tea Ceremony, and River Cruise, which. provides stunning views.Day 2: Sights, Sounds, Smells Now that you’ve got some idea of what Tokyo is like, it’s time to immerse yourself in all that the city has to offer. Consider a morning tour to visit local shrines and the world-famous Ginza shopping district, or sushi lovers can head to breakfast at the hub of worldwide sushi fish commerce, the Tsukiji Fish Market Day 3: Tokyo and Beyond For a spiritual outing, a visit to the Great Buddha at Kamakura is a serene retreat, complete with views of the Pacific Ocean. Of course, no trip to Japan is complete without a visit to its snow-capped icon, Mt FujMt Fuji. Want to squeeze in one more city? Take a day trip to Kyoto from Tokyo.

The Japanese province of Kansai has Kyoto as its temple goddess, but working-class Osaka adds the down-to-earth charm of a very modern Japanese city to the province's list of attractions. Find out what made Osaka tick over the centuries at the Museum of History, covering ancient, medieval and modern developments. Osaka has a full calendar of annual events, leading off with Toka Ebisu when crowds flock to the city’s Imamiya Ebisu Shrine for lucky tokens. The city’s biggest festival is when Tenjin Matsuri fills the streets with parades and fireworks. There’s more fireworks in early August when the Yodogawa River lights up. Danjiri Matsuri features huge street processions and floats, and in November the fall colours are celebrated at the city’s parks. Osaka is a city that’s known for its extravagant approach to food – dining out is called "kuidaore" here, meaning "eat until you drop". Sushi and ramen or udon noodle soups are served in massive food courts.

A visit to Tokyo is a feast for all the senses—thanks to everything from the sight of neon lights plastered onto soaring skyscrapers and sounds of festivals to the scent of tiny noodle stalls crammed into back alleys. See below for our top picks and experiences you can't miss in the Japanese capital.