Japan: Tokyo, Kyoto and Mount Fuji — a journey into another world

Tokyo: a city of contrasts

Tokyo is enormous, yet remarkably easy to get around. The Shibuya Crossing, where hundreds of people cross at once, the neon streets of Shinjuku, trendy Harajuku and Senso-ji temple in the old district of Asakusa — every neighbourhood feels like a city of its own. At the Tsukiji morning market you can taste the freshest sushi, and in the evening you head up to an observation deck to take in a sea of lights.

Kyoto and Nara

Kyoto is the former imperial capital, home to hundreds of temples and gardens. The thousands of orange torii gates at Fushimi Inari shrine, the Golden Pavilion, the Arashiyama bamboo grove and the old Gion quarter, where you might spot a geisha — these are classics worth seeing at least once.

From Kyoto it's an easy trip to Nara: deer roam freely in the park and bow back when you bow to them, and Todai-ji temple houses an enormous bronze statue of the Buddha.

Osaka, Hiroshima and Fuji

Osaka is the capital of street food: in the Dotonbori district you can try takoyaki and okonomiyaki beneath dazzling signs. From Osaka or Kyoto it's easy to reach Hiroshima, with its Peace Memorial Park, and the island of Miyajima, with its “floating” torii gate standing in the sea.

Mount Fuji can be seen from the Fuji Five Lakes area and from Hakone, which also has plenty of hot springs. Clear weather is the key to a good view, so it pays to choose the day of your trip by the forecast.

What to try

Japanese cuisine is much more than sushi.

• Sushi and sashimi — especially at the fish markets.
• Ramen — every region has its own favourite broth.
• Tempura — vegetables and seafood in a light batter.
• Okonomiyaki and takoyaki — Osaka's street-food classics.
• Matcha sweets and Japanese tea.
• Convenience-store food — onigiri and bento on the go.

Good to know before you go

The Japanese are polite and punctual, and it's a pleasure to follow their lead.

• Tipping isn't customary — good service is simply the norm here.
• On trains people speak quietly and don't talk on the phone.
• There are few bins on the streets, so people often carry their rubbish back to the hotel or a shop.
• You take your shoes off in traditional inns and some restaurants.
• Cash still comes in handy at small places.

Staying connected on your trip

In Japan your smartphone is your best helper: planning a route with transfers, finding the right exit at a huge station, translating a menu, showing a booking. You can install your eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, so you won't have to hunt for a SIM card at the airport after you land. When a plan's validity begins is shown on the checkout page before you pay: for some plans it starts the first time you connect in your destination country, for others on installation or right after purchase. Your main number stays in your phone, and calls and messages to it keep arriving as usual, under your carrier's terms.