There is nothing better to ease away the aches and pains of an exciting day on the slopes than the saunas and pools available at an onsen.
The Grand Hotel has a lovely outdoor pool area where you can sit in a warm pool surrounded by falling snow.
Don't be put off by the fact that the site is in Japanese. Look up onsen etiquette and there will be plenty of help when you arrive to buy tickets, point you in the right direction.

www.niseko-grand.com/
nisekosnow.net/niseko-snow-features/onsen-no-hairi-kata-way-entering-onsen
+81 136-58-2121
Google map: bit.ly/zALYzj

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Sleek accommodation on this laid-back, modern-art loving island, with views over the tranquil Sea of Japan, as well as of Kusama Yayoi's giant spotted pumpkin on the seashore. Desert island bliss and a change of pace guaranteed.

www.benesse-artsite.jp/en/benessehouse/
Gotanji, Naoshima, Kagawa 7613110 Japan
+81 (0)87 892 3223
Google map: bit.ly/AAfBjY

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

A journey or destination takes on life-changing status when you suddenly feel that inexplicable frisson that stirs your soul. It can be something as simple as a smile, the quality of light, or a hand carved wooden bowl, that can make you see life from a new perspective.
The country that affects me that way above all others is Japan; a hypnotic mix of rigid convention and outlandish weirdness, and the home of Zen. Japan showed me how to appreciate beauty in a single moment or a simple object - the sweet hay smell of a tatami floor; a screen door sliding open to reveal the colours of the autumn trees; the sound of tea pouring.
The Japanese understand how beauty is most clearly seen in imperfection, and more importantly they understand the transience of nature - which is why cherry blossom is the perfect symbol of the Japanese soul.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The guidebooks warned us that we would be very fortunate to actually see any Geisha in the Gion district of Kyoto. The women are not there as tourist attractions, but they are actually working as entertainers. Wandering around the narrow side streets and up steep hills leading towards the beautiful Buddhist temple and gardens would have been enough, but as dusk settled we were lucky to not see just one Geisha on her way to work but we saw and photographed several. Two were generous enough to stop and be photographed with our son. So if you want to see this traditional aspect of Japanese culture, patience and exploring the area at dusk are more likely to provide lasting memories.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Now Iconic, thanks to Lost in Translation, the New York Bar is situated on the 52nd floor of Shinjuku’s Park Hyatt Hotel. The bar has arguably the best views in Tokyo and if you venture up there in the day before 8pm you won’t have to pay the 2200¥ cover charge. However, the view at night is priceless. They have an outstanding whiskey list if you fancy doing your best Bill Murray impression. If not, the house cocktail list is wonderful. Try the sublime L.I.T: a fusion of Sake, Sakura liqueur, Peachtree and cranberry juice. The perfect accompaniment to the live music.

tokyo.park.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/entertainment/lounges/index.jsp
3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku Tokyo, 東京都 163-1055, Japan
+81 3-5322-1234
Google map: bit.ly/sAYLlq

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Everything seems new, shiny and expensive when shopping in Japan, so the Toji Temple market in Kyoto is a refreshing find. It's open on the 21st of each month (in honour of the founding priest who died on 21st of March 835) and the stunning grounds of the temple and many of the surrounding streets, are filled with stalls selling various treasures. My favourites are the ladies selling beautiful antique kimonos and rolls of delicately embroidered kimono fabrics for astonishingly low prices. Among the Japanese antiques, new and vintage clothing and rows of shoes, bedding and cookware, priests wander past stalls selling sizzling "takoyaki" octopus balls, the temple bell tolls and clouds of incense drifts on the air. Best of all, being Japan, everyone is unfailingly polite so despite the crush you don't need sharp elbows.

Tō-ji is located in Minami-ku near the intersection of Ōmiya Street and Kujō Street, southwest of Kyoto Station.
Japan, Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto Minami Ward Kujocho １
+81 75-461-5786
Google map: bit.ly/ujghKE

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Tokyo offers every possible shopping experience, from the achingly cool to the seriously quirky.

Try the traditional-style Nakamise Market in Asakusa for reasonably priced souvenirs, and the Harajuku district for off-the-wall fashion. The vast department stores in Shinjuku and Shibuya are great for designer accessories, and often have basement food halls that are a feast for the senses. They are also one of the best places to buy kimonos - usually cheaper than those in souvenir shops. The noisy, garish electronics district, Akihabara, is worth a visit even if you aren’t buying. However, be aware that some goods are exclusively for the domestic market, so check voltages etc. To experience the latest innovations in technology, check out the Sony Building in Ginza.

The power of the yen means that bargains are hard to find - but try the ‘100 yen’ shops, where you can pick up cheap souvenirs such as chopsticks, kites and fans.

Google map: bit.ly/vvfiW9

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

We spent a fabulous afternoon with Taro and his family, learning to prepare a typical Japanese dinner. Taro responded to my online booking enquiry immediately and I was really excited about the experience. After all the temples, eating out, navigating Japanese menus, sightseeing etc it was lovely to spend a cosy afternoon in Taro's family home. We prepared a two course vegetarian lunch and were given recipes to keep. Taro has a genuine enthusiasm for Japan, cooking and meeting new people. If you are curious to know more about Japanese food and culture and want to see another side to the wonderful city of Kyoto, I highly recommend booking this class. Also, Taro's daughter is adorable and his wife is a lovely lady too.

www.vegetarian-food-kyoto.com/index.html
+81(0)90 4284 7176

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

BDL is a lodge for skiers and snowboarders based in Niseko Village on the island of Hokkaido. It offers simple comfortable accommodation including breakfast, its own restaurant and bar as well as a range of Backcountry guided tours that are all well priced. It attracts a mix of international punters and professionals alike.
The lodge is well linked to the resort free bus service which allows you to access some of the best snow in the world. Yes, the rumours are true, it does not stop snowing and it didn’t when were there. The staff (a mix of Canadian and Japanese) know Niseko like the back of their hand. They are also extremely helpful before you arrive and will offer you assistance with internal flights and transfers.
The backcountry tour packages they offer range from one day to longer trips in Niseko but also to Rusutsu and beyond. We did a day's guiding with Andrew, who took us through the back gates of Niseko for an unforgettable day of powder riding.
Once you have done all that you can return to the lodge and relax in their wonderful but strange massage chair!

www.bdlodge.com/
+81 136 44 1144
Google map: bit.ly/qqpywa

reservations@bdlodge.com

Black Diamond Lodge
Higashiyama 24-3, Niseko-cho
Abuta-gun, Hokkaido
Japan

Nearest Airport: Sapporo Chitose
Nearest train: Hirafu

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

It's a job that anyone with a degree can do. It's well paid and easy. It'll give you an insight into one of the most enigmatic countries in the world and will change your whole perspective on the consumer society.

Because Japan has just started teaching English in Elementary schools, they are crying out for native speakers.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This small family-run inn in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district features ultra-clean singles starting at £45 and doubles at £67. The rooms are Japanese-style: tatami mats and futons with private baths. The free light-drenched public bath on the fourth (and top) floor is a delight, and so are the family that own Saiko Inn. It's a 10-minute taxi ride from bustling ikebukuro station (the inn gives a 1000-yen rebate on your arriving taxi receipt.) Ikebukuro's a cool area, with lots of inexpensive restaurants and cafés.

www.familyinn-saiko.com/
2-34-16 Nagasaki, Toshima-Ku
+81(0)03 3972 1315

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This shop stocks the best tshirts ever - many of them designed by artists, all of them graphically striking and the prices are great - they tend to start at £18. They last forever and don't fade.

www.graniph.com/en/index.html
171-8557, Tokyo-Prefecture Ikebukuro PARCO 6F, 1-28-2
+81(0)3-3980-3007

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Originally a school to teach girls how to be free, this 1921 Frank Lloyd Wright building is low-slung and plain-style, and one of the must-sees of the ikebukuro district.

2-31-3 Nishi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
+81(0)339717535
www.jiyu.jp/index-e.html
Google map: bit.ly/kFaBCV

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

In the heart of the Kirishima National Park with its glorious volcanoes lies this little gem, Kirishima art no mori (Art in the woods).
It is an incredible art gallery, complete with a forest littered with outdoor sculptures. Without a doubt the best art gallery I have visited.

6340-220 Koba, Yusui town, Aira county
+81(00995-74-5945
Kirishima National Park, Kagoshima prefecture, Kyushu.
From Kagoshima city or Kokubu take the highway and follow signs for Kirishima art no mori. Easy to follow signs in English

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Tsukiji Fish Market, in the centre of Tokyo, is the biggest in the world. You need to get there for 5am, but trust me, it’s well worth the agony. Visitor numbers are strictly limited and to get in on the action at the tuna auction you need the early start.
2000 tonnes of seafood is processed and sold here every day and the inner market is a maze of stalls selling every type of marine creature known to man. A plethora of fish, molluscs, seaweed and crustaceans, in every colour, shape and texture, from the beautiful to the grotesque.
Whatever you do, don’t miss breakfast at one of the tiny sushi restaurants in the outer market. Perch at the counter and feast on the freshest, tastiest sushi and sashimi. Without a doubt the most memorable breakfast I’ve ever eaten.

Tsukijishijō Station - Oedo line, Tsukiji Station - Hibiya line
www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm
+81 3-3543-4176
Google map: bit.ly/hcECTP

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Every October this small town, some 70km NW of Tokyo, goes into full-on celebration mode with an exuberant festival, or 'matsuri'. Gigantic, eerily lifelike 'dolls' are paraded through the streets on floats, complete with attendants and musicians in full traditional costume. Everyone turns out to graze on uniquely Japanese fast-food from the dozens of street stalls, take boat-trips down the Ono river and peek into some of the beautiful old houses - rare survivals in modern Japan. We stumbled across it by chance as it seems to be ignored by the major guidebooks, and had a wonderful day there. A real not-to-be-missed event if you're anywhere near at the right time.

Sawara, Chiba Prefecture. 1 hr 30 mins by bus from Tokyo Station on the Keisei Line, or 30 mins from Narita Airport.
Google map: bit.ly/fd1OYt

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Japan is a land of elegance, etiquette and tradition, and most of the street festivals reflect that, and can seem a touch staid.
However this is also the land of the quirky and downright daft, and one of it’s oddest carnivals is without doubt the Mount Tsukuba Toad Festival. This takes place every August at the Tsukuba Shinto Shrine, and is in honour of the toads that have surrendered their lives to the production of toad grease since feudal times, when it was believed that it protected the skin against sword wounds.
The shrine itself is toad shaped, and large models of the sacrificial amphibians are held aloft and paraded on palanquins. The traditional costumes and music are fabulous, and some of the dance displays are truly strange. As the sake flows aplenty, you’ll find yourself tempted by the array of ‘toady’ wares on offer.
This unique night ends with a spectacular firework display.

Tsukuba is 50km north east of Tokyo and takes an hour by train.
tsukubainfo.jp/Events/MountTsukubaToadFestival
Google map: bit.ly/g8TCoa

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The island of Nao-shima is a wannabe Bond location and Chichu Art Museum is housed in just the sort of building you can picture being the villain’s hideout, a stylish underground warren of concrete rooms and winding passageways that duck in and out of darkness, punctuated by stunning artistic set-pieces and glorious sea-views. One of the celebrated features of Tadao Ando’s architectural design is the way natural light is creatively channelled into the subterranean spaces to the point that the galleries need no other light source. And as such the permanent installations of the three represented artists – Claude Monet, James Turrell and Walter de Maria –will appear differently depending on the climate and time of your visit. Monet, in particular, has never been seen like this before – even the most blasé observer of his water lily series will be seduced by the staging of the five works here, a dreamy half-light seeping through apertures at the side of the ceiling into a room of white mosaic tile. What’s more Chichu is just the jewel in Nao-shima’s art crown. Hours of gallery-hopping await at nearby Lee Ufan and Benesse House as well as the many outdoor installations and intriguing art houses of Honmura village. Complete the day in the Nao-shima baths, another art project, where you can lie in a swelteringly hot indoor pool and gaze at erotic prints, exotic plants and a huge model elephant.

Chichu Art Museum, 3449-1 Nao-shima, Kagawa, 7613110 Japan
+81 (0)878923755
www.benesse-artsite.jp/en
Google map: bit.ly/fTP6kp
Access to Nao-shima: Regular ferries run from Uno to Nao-shima (20 mins). Uno is 2-3 hours by train from Osaka or Kyoto. On the island shuttle buses run from the ferry terminal to Chichu Art Museum and other galleries.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This is one of Tokyo's best private art museums and was founded by Mr.Ishibashi (his name means stone bridge) the president of Bridgestone Tyres. It houses a small but impressive collection of French Impressionist art. It is also a rare opportunity to see Japanese paintings in the Western style dating from the Meiji Period onward. Since there are only 10 small rooms of displays, it makes a quick and worthwhile one hour detour if you're in the vicinity of Tokyo JR station (it's a short walk directly east). There is also the delightful, if expensive, 'Georgette' tearoom.

Bridgestone Building, 1-10-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku,Tokyo.
www.bridgestone-museum.gr.jp
+81 3-3563-0241
Google map: bit.ly/dKUb7i

Tokyo (Yaesu Central exit, 5 min.), Kyobashi (Meidi-ya exit, 5 min.), or Nihombashi (Takashimaya exit, 5 min.). On Chuo Dori (with an entrance around the corner on Yaesu Dori)

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

In Japan, onsen (hot springs) are enormously popular and part of everyday life-their temperature and mineral content are regulated by the Government. My favourite is the town of Hakone, where you can relax in the one of the many bath houses on the picturesque mountainside. There are several "onsen ryokans", traditional Japanese inns which have their own hot springs even if you aren't staying, they will allow day visits. Many of the pools are outdoors in beautiful wooded surroundings, even glimpsing Mount Fuji on a clear day. The onsen at Hakone Kowakien Yunessun are split into two separate areas - one, a traditional, nude environment and the other, a family zone requiring costumes where you can experience the surreal sight of enormous bottles of wine and casks of sake dwarfing the bathers soaking in themed pools. In one pool, coffee is added so caffeine can stimulate the skin, and in another, green tea is believed to help weakened immune systems. Afterwards, you may be offered black eggs cooked in the sulphurous pools nearby; eating one is supposed to add seven years to your life.

www.yunessun.com/english/yunessun.html
1297 Ninotaira Hakone-machi Ashigarashimo-gun Kanagawa-ken , 250-0407 Japan
+81 0460-82-4126
Google map: bit.ly/hbn0Sh

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends