A breathtaking combination of electrifyingly fast adventure and soul-soothing experiences, Japan is both high adrenalin and resolutely calming.

With the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific to the East, this East Asia destination is a land of cherry blossom and geisha and of high-speed bullet trains and famed tea ceremonies. The sacred city of Kyoto is home to bamboo forests, ancient gilded temples and the prettiest of pastel pink sakura, whilst in contrast, futuristic Tokyo offers up a cutting-edge world of skyscrapers, robot restaurants and Harajuku fashion. There’s the hot spring mountain village of Hakone which has legendary Mount Fiji as its backdrop and then the native snow monkeys that play year-round in northern Japan’s Jigokudani valley. This epic destination is also home to five islands including spiritual Shikoku, renowned for its famed 1,400-kilometre Buddhist pilgrimage that take in 88 historic temples. Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun and it's an exquisite and enticing blend of cultures both old and new.