Big in Japan

JAPAN is a country us Brits say we want to visit but rarely do because we think it's too far, or the culture and language seem just too difficult. But Japan is one of the most exciting places in this weird world and should not be missed.

Plus, things are not quite so inscrutable as you might think. These days train services and road signs in the big cities are often in English and, whatever the cultural differences, a good bit of old-fashioned politeness will get anyone a very long way in Japan.

The country is a cultural collision between the Western world and an ancient tradition that has been thousands of years in the making.

Mini-skirted girls walk in the same streets as geishas, sushi and soya dishes jockey with McDonald's and KFC, Western-style blocks of flats sit near traditional Japanese temples and homes.

And often in this highly developed, over-populated country, there is a mix of Western, Eastern and Japanese all rolled into something that surprises, and often assaults, the eyes in equal measure. But one thing is certain - it's never dull.

There are still natural wonders like the famous cherry blossom (Sakura) season in April, the magnificent Mount Fuji and a good sprinkling of national parks, but Japan is a first-rate industrialised nation and a world leader in electronics and car manufacture, so if you want peace and quiet it's not so easy to find, especially in the big cities.

As in all countries there are many different sides to Japan. Kyoto, the ancient capital of the country is, as large Japanese cities go, very traditional and an excellent introduction to the country.

The city is a land of temples and their beautiful gardens - about 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines at last count, and all the more beautiful for being tucked away beside modern buildings, sparkling amid the concrete of a vibrant commercial city.

Highlights of Kyoto include the Higashi Honganji temple and the famous geisha girls who, if you are lucky, can be spotted in full dress after dusk in the beautiful old backstreets of Kyoto between Kamo-gawa and Yasaka-jinja in the Gion district.

It is almost impossible for a Western holidaymaker to visit a geisha house without an introduction, but sometimes they appear at festivals and public performances. Alas, the tradition is dying out in Japan, with only 100 geishas left in Kyoto.

Kyoto is a big place and you could spend years exploring, never visiting the same spot. It has great public transport and an underground, but traffic congestion is a problem.

One place that should not be missed, besides the obvious museums and temples, is the old Shogun villa called Ginkaku-Ji, dating back to 1482.

The Nishiki Market is another fascinating location. Enormous and covered, it's a great place to visit on a rainy day. The sheer bewildering array of food can lose visitors hours of their time.

Delicacies include the notorious blowfish, which can kill diners if its poisonous bits are not removed, and buckets full of tiny dried fish fry used to flavour dishes.

Like everywhere in Japan the area is friendly with local people going out of their way to be helpful (and let you try some of the food).

A few hours in Japan and a visitor might feel that the country has lost its traditional soul, but old Japan is still alive - just sometimes a little lost in the urban sprawl of modern life.

To see the traditional Japan, take a visit to Club Okitsu in Kyoto (www.okitsu-kyoto.com). It is expensive, but the club is in an old-style house with a charming, traditionally dressed host who lets visitors take part in ancient tea and incense ceremonies in English.

Music is provided by the haunting three-stringed shamisen and for about £100 each, lunch and other activities are included too.

Afterwards, for a completely different Japan, head via the fantastic and bilingual 200mph Bullet Train to the melting pot that is Tokyo. In just over two hours you are in something so massive it makes London look like a village. Just give in and enjoy the experience.

Spend the night and next day in Roppongi, the nightspot capital of Japan, where you can sing in a karaoke palace of five floors including a penthouse. Or head to a sidestreet and a traditional Japanese bar - the size of your spare bedroom at home - to sing with local businessmen, busy letting their hair down after 15 hours in the office.

Go to the Roppongi Hills development and scale the Mori Tower for an unforgettable view of Tokyo. Or if the jet lag is still hurting and you are wide awake, go to the Tokyo fish market in Tsukiji at dawn and eat sushi for breakfast.

Buy the latest electronic gadgets and then splash out eating at the Park Hyatt's New York Bar and Grill, made famous in the Hollywood film Lost In Translation. It's well worth a visit even just for as drink at the bar while imagining Bill Murray or Scarlett Johansson beside you.

Then consult a guidebook and start all over again until exhaustion sets in, or your time is up.

Tokyo, like many capital cities, can be expensive and any tourist needs the stamina of an ox, plus no fear of tight places if you use the infamous underground. But flying home you will be smiling to yourself about the sheer exhilaration of the place.

TRAVEL FACTS

Martin Halfpenny flew Japan Airlines, which offers direct daily services to both Tokyo and Osaka (for Kyoto) from the UK from £650 (economy class, incl taxes). Business Class fares start at £3,135.

Japan Airlines reservations: 0845-774-7700 and online at www.uk.jal.com

In Japan, Martin was a guest of Hyatt Hotels, and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto (from £62 per night) and the Grand Hyatt Tokyo (from £162). Further details from www.kyoto.regency.hyatt.com and www.tokyo.grand.hyatt.com

He also dined at the New York Bar and Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, where prices start at £204 per night. Information at www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com

As a package, Far East specialist Cox & Kings can plan tailormade visits to Japan: a ten-day package, including B&B at Hyatt Regency Kyoto and Grand Hyatt Tokyo, with transfers by bullet train and assistance from local reps, and return flights starts at £2,195 from London.

Ex-Manchester and Glasgow, supplements start at £130.

Cox & Kings reservations: 020-7873-5000 and www.coxandkings.co.uk