Modern, eccentric, unparalleled, extravagant, attractive, crazy, fun, solemn, traditional... Words struggle to define a city like Tokyo, a vibrant global metropolis with thirteen million inhabitants. Despite spearheading technological innovations and urban modernity, it retains a perpetual traditional soul that makes it a potpourri of contrasts. Highlights awaiting you include the Akihabara neighbourhood, a true geek's paradise; the world-famous Shibuya Crossing, where up to a thousand people can coincide at the same time; or the area known as Golden Gai, a maze of winding streets and narrow two-storey wooden buildings full of cute bars, each with its own eccentric character. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the endless attractions offered by the unforgettable capital of Japan.
Capital of Japan between the eighth and nineteenth centuries, Kyoto proudly hosts an exceptional and diverse legacy in the fields of arts, culture, religion and thinking. Each step will take you to a new architectural treasure in the form of a castle, palace, temple, sanctuary or garden. Among all this architectural wealth, highlights include the sumptuous Nijo Castle, residence of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu; the 1,001 gilded wooden statues of the Sanjusangendo Temple; the temples of Kiyomizu, Ryoanji, Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion); and the Katsura Imperial Villa, one of the finest examples of Japanese architecture. Don't miss the Gion neighbourhood, the ideal place to discover 'Kabuki' theatre, traditional arts such as floral arranging, and the 'Maiko', whose ornate appearance is the stereotype of the geisha for Westerners.
