Japan

Ebisu and Meguro are gateways to largely residential (some artsy, some upscale, some both) districts, where Tokyo takes on a more human scale. There are some excellent art museums in Ebisu and Meguro and trend-setting boutiques in Daikanyama and Naka-Meguro. Ebisu in particular has a dynamic dining and bar scene – worth checking out even if you pass on the sights.

Occupying the west of Shikoku and formerly known as Iyo, Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県) is home to Shikoku's largest city, Matsuyama, and has the greatest number of the 88 pilgrimage temples – 27, to be precise. Like Tosa (Kōchi Prefecture), the southern part of the prefecture has always been considered wild and remote; by the time pilgrims arrive in Matsuyama, they know that the hard work has been done and they are well on their way to completing their goal. To pilgrims, Ehime is known as Bodai-no-dōjō, the 'place for attainment of wisdom'. There are large clusters of temples around Matsuyama and Imabari, at the southern end of the Shimanami Kaidō bridge system, which links Shikoku with Honshū and makes for a spectacular bike ride.

The array of cultural attractions in Kanazawa (金沢) make the city the drawcard of the Hokuriku region and a rival to Kyoto as the historical jewel of mainland Japan. Best known for Kenroku-en, a castle garden dating from the 17th century, it also boasts beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, attractive temples, a wealth of museums and a wonderful market (and far fewer tourists than Kyoto – for now). A two- or three-day stay is recommended to take it all in.

Stadsdelen Koenji i västra Tokyo har varit tillhåll för kreativa bohemer i flera decennier. Först på senare år har om­världen börjat upptäcka denna opretentiösa pärla.

Bästa sättet att resa i Japan är med tåg och inte vilket tåg som helst utan Shinkansen, tycker Vagabonds webbredaktör.

Kumamoto (熊本) is deeply proud of its greatest landmark, Kumamoto-jō, the castle around which the city radiates. Even though the castle suffered significant damage in the April 2016 earthquake, it remains a focal point of the city. There's a lively and tempting collection of restaurants, bars and shops in the busy arcades east of the castle.

Japan har infört en ny utreseskatt. Den ska betalas av alla vuxna som lämnar landet med flyg eller båt. Avgiften kommer att användas till att finansiera turistinvasionen i samband med OS år 2020.

Japan's fifth-largest city, and the prefectural capital of Hokkaidō, Sapporo (札幌) is a dynamic urban centre that offers everything you'd want from a Japanese city: a thriving food scene, stylish cafes, neon-lit nightlife, shopping galore – and then some. While many travellers see the city as a transit hub from which to access Hokkaidō's mountains and hot springs, there are enough worthwhile attractions to keep you here for days. Summer is the season for beer and food festivals. In February, despite the bitter cold, Sapporo's population literally doubles during the famous Snow Festival.

Kyoto is old Japan writ large: atmospheric temples, sublime gardens, traditional teahouses and geisha scurrying to secret liaisons.

Affable Nagoya (名古屋), birthplace of Toyota and pachinko (a pinball-style game), is a manufacturing powerhouse. Although Nagoya's GDP tops that of many small countries, this middle child has grown accustomed to life in the shadow of its older siblings, Tokyo and Osaka.