Must-See Japan (2020 Edition): The complete insider's guide to seeing the best of Japan in one trip

Getting there – It’s easy to travel from Tokyo to the Fuji Five Lakes region; a train to Kawaguchiko station takes about 2 hours from Shinjuku station (4110 yen). Note that you must change to the Fujikyu railway line at Otsuki, so your JR Pass won’t be valid for the later section of the journey. Use (◙ www.hyperdia.com) to check train times and con

Hakone (箱根) A popular weekend retreat for busy Tokyoites, Hakone is famous

Harajuku** itself is Tokyo’s youth culture capital, focused on the Takeshita Dori (east from the station), a narrow street lined with quirky shops and often even quirkier fashions.

Walk there in 40 minutes from Arashiyama Station, via the equally lovely Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street, a scenic route lined by Meiji-era style machiya (town houses).

Another historic, but less well-known area is the Yanaka district just north of Ueno Park. The old shitamachi atmosphere from Tokyo of yesteryear still survives here; the streets are full of rustic charm, busy locals and a whole variety of shops and trades. There are now very few places in Tokyo quite like it, and its well off the usual tourist tra

Kawagoe (川越) Only 30 minutes from Tokyo by train, Kawagoe is a nice getaway if you are looking for a taste of traditional small-town

Located in a large and interesting looking building, the Edo-Tokyo Museum is a fascinating showcase of what Tokyo would have looked like during the Edo period, with many lifelike models and figurines on display. Between 10am and 3pm English-speaking volunteers are on hand to explain some of the details, and there are a number of temporary Tokyo-rel

To the west is Roppongi Hills, a stylish complex of office and residential spaces, shops and restaurants, and the Mori Art Museum and Tokyo

Just five minutes walk from Hase station is Hasedera (Hase Temple), one of the many popular temples in Kamakura. This one is famous for its eleven-headed, 9.1 metre high wooden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The grounds also contain pretty gardens and a small museum, and there a good views over Kamakura city. Entry is 300