Top 5
Captains Top 5 Tips
1) Make sure you get a Japan rail pass before you go. Buying train tickets locally is expensive so you will make a saving.
2) Visit the Tsukiji market in Tokyo early in the morning for the freshest sushi imaginable and also great gifts to take home with you.
3) For some of the best powder skiing in the world head to Niseko in northern Japan, a great alternative to the usual ski fields.
4) Get dressed as a geisha in Kyoto, you can even go for afternoon tea in full geisha dress.
5) Stay in a ryokan for a traditional Japanese experience complete with futons and onsens.
Top 5 - Japan and South Korea
Japan
Japan conjures up images of ancient shrines and Buddhist temples, the hidden world of the Geisha and a mystical countryside. It is a stunningly diverse country which stretches two thousand miles from the northernmost tip of Hokkaido to the tropical islands of Okinawa in the south. In between you’ll find huge, buzzing cities, tranquil lakes and gardens, jagged mountain peaks, wild coast lines, bubbling volcanic springs and a culture steeped in history and tradition yet rushing headlong into the twenty-first century with hi-tech design.
Whether you travel for the sweet smelling cherry blossoms of spring, the buzzing festivals of the hot summer, the blazing red, oranges and gold’s of autumn, or the crisp clear skies of winter, a trip to Japan is sure to excite the senses during every season.
South Korea
South Korea is separated by a short distance from Japan and they share many cultural similarities as well as differences. Discover both ancient and modern, and explore the contrasts between hi-tech, highrise Seoul and the traditional rural villages swathed in green, ancient architecture, unspoilt nature and mountains.
Tokyo
Tokyo is a city that rose like a phoenix from the ashes of World War Two to become an economic powerhouse. Yet amidst all this activity are tranquil gardens; havens of quiet away from the unceasing activity in the city.
Tokyo is made up of many different districts; probably the most famous is Shinjuku, where the neon glow of the shopping and entertainment sit side-by-side with the soaring skyscrapers of the Metropolitan Government Buildings to create a unique, vibrant and fascinating district that has been the setting and inspiration for many Hollywood movies. Asakusa is the most traditional district of Tokyo, and full of life at the centre of which lays Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple and the Imperial Palace.
A world away from the modern metropolis and well worth a visit is Hakone National Park in the foothills of Mount Fuji, which is a glimpse of the natural beauty of Japan. Famed for its bubbling volcanic hot springs, you will be following in the footsteps of the first shogun that rested his troops in Hakone in preparation for battle.
From Hakone sweep down the coast on the world-famous ‘Bullet Train’ to Kyoto, a modern city of over one million people yet one which offers a window of the past; a glimpse of the majesty of old imperial Japan; a city where exquisite gardens lie awaiting discovery behind sliding doors and round every corner turned are unknown treasures.
Tokyo
"Enjoy a visit to the Asakusa Temple, the oldest temple in Tokyo. The main entrance is impressive with a huge red lantern and a symbol of Asakusa. This is a great area for purchasing local Japenese goods."
Roz, Flight Centre Head Office
Asia Specialist
Climate Japan and South Korea
Tokyo starts its year with high, cold winter days and, occasionally, snowfalls. Though temperatures sometimes drop below freezing, in general the winter months are reasonable with the right kind of clothing. Spring enjoys pleasant and warm days. Summer is hot and humid, with humidity at its worst in August and late June can see rain that pounds the city during the monsoon. After spring, autumn is the most pleasant season with temperatures cooling and days are often clear and fine. Due to its latitude South Korea can be cold at certain times of year so the best time to visit is between the months from May to September. On the up side, Korean winters tend to have an abundance of blue skies.
