Japan is, for many travellers, the destination that resets their sense of what a country can be. The combination of exceptional cuisine (Japan has more Michelin stars than any other country), extraordinary aesthetic culture (from Zen gardens to manga), ultra-reliable transport, and a hospitality ethic (omotenashi — total dedication to the guest's comfort) produces a travel experience without obvious parallel. Everything functions: the trains run to the second; the convenience stores stock things that would be luxury items elsewhere; the bathroom technology is a decade ahead of anywhere else.
Japan is, for many travellers, the destination that resets their sense of what a country can be. The combination of exceptional cuisine (Japan has more Michelin stars than any other country), extraordinary aesthetic culture (from Zen gardens to manga), ultra-reliable transport, and a hospitality ethic (omotenashi — total dedication to the guest's comfort) produces a travel experience without obvious parallel. Everything functions: the trains run to the second; the convenience stores stock things that would be luxury items elsewhere; the bathroom technology is a decade ahead of anywhere else.
The tourist circuits (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nara) are genuinely wonderful and not over-praised. But Japan also rewards the traveller who ventures into the Tohoku rice country, the hot spring ryokans of Hakone, the subtropical islands of Okinawa, or the volcanic landscapes of Kyushu. Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) and autumn foliage season (November) are the most celebrated times to visit; Japan is equally extraordinary in any season.
