When it comes to bucket-list destinations, there’s no denying Tokyo deserves a top spot. A blend of neon-lit cityscapes and serene shrines, the capital is a lesson in contrasts — but it’s not the only Japanese destination worth exploring. Home to alpine sanctuaries, world-class street food, cherry blossom-lined paths and ancient temples, the cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Appi Kogen are also not to be missed.
The cherry blossoms put on a magnificent show in Kyoto. Credit: iStock Sakura chasing in Kyoto Home to traditional tea houses, tatami-matted inns and more than 2000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, Kyoto has long been considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Japan. Buzzing with festivals in summer and painted red by falling maple leaves come autumn, winter brings a special kind of magic to the ancient city.
With fewer crowds in winter, visitors can admire the glittering façade of the Golden Pavilion in peace, wander through thousands of snow-dusted torri gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine and cosy up inside the town’s many hidden bars, restaurants, galleries and craft shops. Once the weather warms up, Kyoto’s snow-capped dreamscape transforms into an explosion of pink as the cherry blossoms (or sakura) bloom. To celebrate the arrival of spring, locals partake in hanami (flower viewing), so take your sakura mochi to go and enjoy a picnic under the rosy canopies of Maruyama Park or the Philosopher’s Path.
After traversing the cobblestone streets, lush ga.
