Published: 3:32PM GMT 21 Jan 2010
Japan is famous for its bustling modern cities - but it's also home to some of the world's most stunning areas of natural beauty.
Kappa Bashi Bridge, Kamikochi
The thrill of seeing Mt. Fuji for the first time, its perfect, cone-shaped symmetry rising majestically against a blue sky, is a travel memory you are sure never to forget.
Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring, but equally stunning are its irises, wisteria, hydrangea, and many other blossoming plants and trees, not to mention its maples which blaze a fiery red across the country in autumn.
Mountains beckon with hiking trails in summer and top-rated skiing in winter (Japan has hosted the winter Olympics twice), while Japan's hot-springs spas - among the most numerous and varied in the world - have been soothing aches and pains for more than 1,000 years.
Nagano
Mountainous Nagano prefecture is a great place to discover Japan beyond the neon lights - see traditional rural villages and experience Japan’s great outdoors.
Choose from hiking in the stunning Japan Alps, rambling along old trails from the days of samurai in the Kiso Valley or see the cheeky snow monkeys in Yudanaka.
In winter (Dec - March), the area offers world-class ski resorts just two hours by bullet train from Tokyo.
Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
Kanazawa
This historic castle town has beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts. It is also home to one of Japan’s prized three most beautiful gardens, Kenroku-en Garden.
Other sights include Ninja-dera, a temple from the samurai days that earned its nickname because of its many deceptive defences and hidden escape routes, and Omicho Market, the region’s largest fresh food market
Mt. Fuji in autumn, Hakone
Hakone
Just 90-minutes from Tokyo, Hakone is a great base for exploring the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. In the summer months (July and August), you can climb Japan’s highest and most iconic mountain, Mt. Fuji.
For those who would prefer to admire it from afar, the Hakone area offers a range of traditional inns where you can experience living like a local – sleeping on futons, sitting on tatami mats and relaxing in onsen hot spring spas while gazing out over Mt. Fuji.
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