Day trips

• Is there a bit of sun on the schedule? Then the combination of the island of Enoshima and the associated city is so wonderfully relaxing. 
• Hot springs and views of Mt. Fuji that will blow you away. Hakone is a far cry from Tokyo and can be reached within one to two hours from the city.
• Nikko is popular for its sacred attractions and for Nikko National Park with mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails.
• Have you ever been to Japan without seeing Mt. Fuji? We don't want to spoil the fun, but the weather conditions could easily prevent you from seeing it. Oh well, the Fuji Five Lakes are beautiful even without a view. See more about the Fuji Five Lakes here.

Tsumago

One of the best preserved cities and for that very reason quaint in a good way. The city is trying hard to preserve the Edo period: mobile phones are prohibited on the main street during the day and telephone lines and power cables are seeheld. The city is home to many traditional overnight accommodations, such as Maruya Inn.

Takayama

The old center of Takayama also has a traditional touch. If you are there in spring and autumn, the Takayama Festival takes place then and is one of the best festivals in Japan.

By train from the Alps you leave for the temple city of Kyoto. There is so much to do and undertake. Spend at least three days here. From Kyoto you can easily visit Osaka: the food capital of the country. Don't forget to take a train ride to Nara in this region.

Accommodation

The Ace Hotel in Kyoto is a love letter to Japan's cultural capital, with details of past and future legends. What we see most of all is a perfect looking hotel with a cool low-key vibe and everything in style, with an eye for detail, including a beautiful rooftop barIn Osaka we find Moxy Osaka Honmachi then top again.

Kyoto

Some nice neighborhoods in Kyoto are: Gion (geisha district) with scrazy streets, wooden mansions and lots of tourists (because of this part of the district is closed off and early in the morning it is a must). Saga: a quiet corner along the temple Otago Nenbutsu-ji (with many whimsical statues) and Gio-ji Temple (with a garden full of moss). Of course ccentral Kyoto & the center and Higashiyama and Fushimi. 

Say Japan, Say Food: in Kyoto. When you think of Japanese food, you think of Kaiseki, and Kyoto is the place to go for that. Consisting of a series of small courses (starter and a raw, stewed, grilled and steamed dish) that look beautiful. A creative picture and at Soujiki Nakahigashi (Michelin star and priced) they know what to do with it.

Day trip from Kyoto or Osaka? Think sacred Koyasan, Uji for Matcha combined with Nara and the wild deer.

Okinawa

Japan has everything is often said, and if you look at Okinawa it is really explainable. The piece of Hawaii of Japan, but not yet discovered by the masses. Therefore also painful to tip, but too good not to do. Okinawa is an archipelago, of 160 large and small islands, in the southernmost point of Japan. You will find the blue zones, where people have an unprecedentedly high life expectancy, there are uninhabited islands, it is a paradise for divers and the food is something to write home about.

Hokkaido

Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan (after the much larger Honshu, where much of the above can be found). Hokkaido seems like a completely different country, where nature and adventure are the order of the day. In winter it is the winter sports destination of Japan (and Australia, because you will find a lot of Australians there), with the well-known champagne powder. But also fishing villages and floating ice. In the summer, the national parks are good for weeks of hiking pleasure. In addition, agriculture is one of the most important economic pillars and that is why the food is exceptionally fresh. You fly there from Tokyo in an hour and a half and the train from Tokyo to the ski area comes quickly.