Tokyo, Japan

Welcome to Japan’s cutting-edge capital, the world’s largest city famed for its blazing neon, techno-gadgets, and serious fashion sense. Get a glimpse into Tokyo’s glorious past while strolling the Imperial Palace gardens, or take a rickshaw ride through the Asakusa district with its ancient Sensoji Temple and colorful atmosphere that echoes Old Edo. Wander the Tsukiji Market — aka, “Tokyo’s Kitchen” — the world’s largest fish and seafood market, and raise a glass of rice lager at the Philippe Starck-designed Asahi Beer Hall located near the 2,080-foot-high Skytree, the world’s tallest tower. 

Osaka, Japan

Japan’s second-largest city is famous for its imposing, photogenic Osaka Castle, set in a park with decorative fruit trees that provide extravagant blooms in the spring. It has always been a merchant city, and the business sections are busy and crowded. For visitors, the city holds numerous shrines and temples, including the Shitenno-ji, Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple from 526 AD, and the Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in the country, from 211 AD. The Peace Pagoda, built in 1963, continues a common Japanese theme. For museum lovers, the city has a National Museum of Modern Art, focused on postwar art, and a five-story Science Museum, as well as a unique Oriental Ceramics Museum with over 2,000 items from Japan, Koreas and China.

Busan, South Korea 

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country's seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Kanazawa, Japan

Akita, Japan

The vibrant heart of the expansive Akita Prefecture in northern Tohoku stands out as a unique destination where modernity entwines with tradition. Sheltered along the enchanting Sea of Japan coast, Akita boasts a captivating blend of modern and old, with a cityscape that showcases an intriguing contrast of architectural styles. Immerse yourself in the pristine natural beauty as you walk through lush amber forests and soak in the tranquil vistas of immaculate crystal lakes or absorb the serene ambience of the Sea of Japan; daydreaming and beachcombing. 

Miyako, Japan

Set along the east coast of the Iwate Prefecture, Miyako was Japan’s main seaport for hundreds of years before a series of tsunamis took their toll. Yet what the city lacks in historical buildings, it more than makes up for in natural attractions such as Sanriku Fukkō National Park. Stretching some 110 miles along the coast, the park showcases amazing flora — including Japanese red pine and a virgin forest of Tabu trees — while a variety of seabirds find refuge along its cliffs and beaches. Birders also flock to nearby Sanganjima island, one of Japan’s main nesting grounds for Swinhoe's storm petrels. 

Hitachinaka, Japan 

Get a glimpse of bygone Japan in the port city of Hitachinaka, located around 100 miles northeast of Tokyo on Honshu. Hitachi Seaside Park is considered one of the most beautiful places in the entire country, blanketed in millions of flowering plants; during late spring, the park is awash in a sea of vibrant blue nemophila blossoms. Follow the coast down to the 9th-century Oarai Isosaki Shrine; its revered Kamiiso-no-Torii gate is believed to be where the gods descended to earth. Ushiku Daibutsu, a 390-foot-high figure of Buddha, stands among the world’s tallest statues; step inside to view some 3,000 golden buddha statuettes.