It is only comparatively recently that Japan came out of the shell of its isolation, but the country of pink cherry blossoms and genteel geisha girls has made up for lost time. There are few people in the western world who have not driven a Japanese car, eaten sushi or played on a Nintendo or Sony game console.

The nation of Japan consists of an island archipelago stretching from northeast to southwest off the coast of mainland China, Russia and Korea, separated from its Asian neighbours by the Sea of Japan. Between 1639 and 1859 Japan elected to cut itself off from trade or traffic with the rest of the world, except for some marginal contact through the southern Kyushu island ports. Since opening up its doors once more, just 150 years ago, the densely populated islands have developed in leaps and bounds and much of the country is now covered by sprawling neon-lit cities and the world's most sophisticated public transport networks.

Modern it may be, but Japan still retains plenty of its mystical oriental charm. From the intricacies of etiquette demanded in social situations, to the minimalist décor behind rice paper screens, Japanese culture is alive and well and cannot be ignored, which makes a visit to Japan a fascinating experience.

The modern metropolises are dotted with numerous ancient shrines and temples; the countryside is riddled with hundreds of volcanoes and hot springs overlooking pastoral paddy fields; parks are festooned with rigidly raked white gravel Zen gardens or coated with layers of lilac and cherry blossom.

Japan's islands are mountainous in the interior - 75 percent of the country's landmass is made up of mountains - and most of the people are tightly packed within the limitations of the coastal plains, particularly on the main island of Honshu. Tokyo, the capital and largest city, situated on Honshu's east coast, has a population of 12 million. Despite this seething mass of humanity Japan is well ordered. Everything runs on time, and crime levels are almost non-existent. It is still possible to find beautiful vistas and wide empty spaces in the countryside, and when you are forced to mingle with the urban throngs you will find the Japanese to be charming, courteous and friendly to foreign faces.

Ueno Zoo

Address: 9-83, Ueno Park, Taito-ku Tokyo

Admission: ¥600 (adults); ¥200 (students); Children free, other concessions available. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am-5pm (last tickets sold at 4pm). Closed Mondays.

Telephone: 03 3828 5171

Tokyo Imperial Palace

Address: Tokyo

Admission: Free East Garden is closed on Mondays and Fridays. Otherwise it is open daily 9am-4pm (until 3:30pm between November and February). Gardens closed from 28 December to 3 January and when Imperial Court functions take place.

Yasukuni Shrine

Address: 3-1-1 Kadunkita, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

Admission: Museum: ¥800, concessions available. Shrine open 24 hours daily. Museum open daily 9am-5pm (November to February); 9am-5:30pm (March to October).

Telephone: (03) 3261 8326

Edo-Tokyo Museum

Address: 1–4–1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku Tokyo

Admission: ¥600, concessions available. Daily 9:30am-5:30pm, closing at 7.30pm on Saturday. Closed on Monday

Telephone: (0)3 3626 9974

Akihabara

Address: Tokyo

Admission: Stores are open 10am-7pm daily.

Senso-ji Temple

Address: 2-3-1 Asakusa Taito-ku, Shitamachi (downtown) Tokyo

Admission: Free Daily 6am-5pm.

Telephone: (0)3 3842 0181

Tokyo Disney Resort

Address: Tokyo

Admission: Entry to each park: ¥6,200 (adults), ¥5,300 (children ages12-17), ¥4,100 (children ages 4-11). Several other ticket options are also available, including multi-day passports that allow entry to both parks. Check website for details, as hours vary according to season and day of the week. Generally open daily 8am-10pm with shorter hours in winter.

Telephone: (045) 683 3333

Tokyo National Museum

Address: 13-9 Ueno Park,Taito-ku Tokyo

Admission: ¥600 (adults), ¥400 (students), free for scholars. Daily 9:30am to 5pm, depending on season; closed Mondays. On Fridays from March to December open until 8pm; Saturdays and Sundays from March to September until 6pm.

Telephone: (0)3 3822 1111

Mount Fuji

Address: Tokyo

Telephone: 55 572 0259 (Fuji Visitor Centre)

Kamakura

Address: Tokyo

Yokohama

Address: Tokyo

Telephone: (0)45 441 7300 (Tourist Information Center, Yokohama Station)

Kyoto Imperial Palace

Address: Kyoto

Admission: Free Daily tours at 10am and 2pm, except weekends. Closed for official functions and from 28 December to 4 January.

Telephone: (0)75 211 1215

To-ji

Address: 1 Kujo-cho, Minami-ku Kyoto

Admission: ¥500 admission is charged for the Main Hall and pagoda Daily 9am-4:30pm (September to mid-March); 9am-5:30pm (mid-March to August).

Telephone: (0)75 671 9612

Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji)

Address: 1 Kinkaku-ji-cho Kita-ku, Kyoto Kyoto

Admission: ¥400 (adults), ¥300 (children) Daily 9am-5pm.

Sanjusangen-do

Address: Shichijo Dori Kyoto

Admission: ¥600 (adults), ¥300 (children) Daily 8am-5pm (April to mid-November); 9am-4pm the rest of the year.

Telephone: (0)75 525 0033

Gion

Address: Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera

Address: Kyoto

Admission: ¥300 adults, ¥200 students Daily 6am-6pm.

Telephone: (0)75 551 1234

Katsura Imperial Villa

Address: Kyoto

Admission: Free The villa may be visited only on pre-arranged conducted tours organised by the Imperial Household Agency, with tours held each weekday, Sundays and occasional tours on Saturdays. Tours are in Japanese only, and can be arranged at the office of the Imperial Household Agency next to the Imperial Palace in central Kyoto. Closed 28 December to 4 January and for imperial functions.

Telephone: (0)75 211 1215 (Imperial Household Agency)

Nara

Address: Kyoto

Inokashira Park

Address: Gotenyama 1-chome, Kichijoji-Minami-cho 1-chome, Musashino City Tokyo

Telephone: 0422-47-6900

Peace Memorial Park

Address: 1-2 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku Hiroshima

Admission: ¥50 (adult), ¥30 (child) Museum: daily 8:30am-6pm (March to November); 8:30am-7pm (August); 8:30am-5pm (December to February).

Telephone: Museum: (0)82 242 7798

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

Address: Hijiyama Koen Hiroshima

Admission: ¥360 (adults), ¥270 (students), ¥170 (scholars). Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm.

Telephone: (0)82 264 1121

Hiroshima Castle

Address: 21-1 Motomachi, Naka-ku Hiroshima

Admission: Castle tower: ¥360 (adults), ¥180 (children). Castle grounds free. Daily 9am-5:30pm; 9am-4:30pm (October to March).

Telephone: (0)82 221 7512

Miyajima

Address: Hiroshima

Admission: Itsukushima Shrine: daily 6.30am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)82 944 0008

Sandankyo Gorge

Address: Hiroshima

Kukuoka Castle

Address: Fukuoka

Admission: Daily

Shofukuji Temple

Address: 6-1 Gokuso-machi, Higashi-ku Fukuoka

Admission: Free Shofukuji Temple is always open.

Telephone: (0)92 291 0775

Fukuoka Asian Art Museum

Address: Riverain Complex, 3-1 Shimokawabata-machi, Hakata-ku Fukuoka

Admission: ¥200 (adults), ¥100 (children). Admission for special exhibitions varies. Daily 10am-8pm. Closed Wednesdays, and from 26 December to 1 January.

Telephone: (0)92 263 1100

Kushida Shrine

Address: 1-41, Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata-ku Fukuoka

Telephone: (0)92 291 2951

Dazaifu

Address: Fukuoka

Mount Aso

Address: Fukuoka

Admission: Aso Volcano Museum open daily 9am-5pm.

Telephone: (0)96 734 2111

Nagasaki

Address: Fukuoka

Admission: Atomic Bomb Museum: ¥200 (adults), ¥100 (children) Atomic Bomb Museum: daily 8:30am-5:30pm

Hokkaido Ainu Centre

Address: 7F Kaderu 2-7 Bldg., N2 W2, Chuo-ku Sapporo

Admission: Free Daily 9am-5pm; closed Sundays and between 29 December and 3 January.

Telephone: (0)11 221 0462

Historical Village

Address: Konopporo 50-1, Atsubetsu-chyo Sapporo

Admission: Summer: ¥830 (adults), ¥610 (students). Winter: ¥680 (adults), ¥550 (students). Daily except Mondays 9am-4:30pm (October to May), and 9am-5pm (June to September).

Telephone: (0)11 898 1000 (recorded information)

Sapporo Beer Museum

Address: Sapporo

Admission: Free; a fee is charged for tasting Monday to Friday 9am-6pm.

Telephone: (0)11 731 4368

Mount Moiwa

Address: Sapporo

Admission: Mt Moiwa Ropeway: ¥1,100 (return) Hours vary according to season; generally 10:30am-9pm or 9:30pm.

Telephone: (0)11 581 0914

Noboribetsu

Address: Sapporo

Tokyo Tower

Address: 4-2-8 Shiba-Koen, Minato-ku Tokyo

Admission: ¥820 Adults; ¥460 junior high and primary school students; ¥310 children. Daily 9am-10pm.

Telephone: 03 3433 5111

Meiji Jingu

Address: 1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku Tokyo

Admission: Daily from sunrise to sunset.

Telephone: 03 3403 1171

Minamiza Kabuki Theatre

Address: Kyoto

Admission: ¥2,500 to ¥15,000, depending on if time of day and how many acts seen.

Monkey Park

Address: Mount Takao Tokyo

Admission: ¥400 (adults); ¥200 (children) Opening hours depend on the season; generally 10am to 4pm.

Telephone: (042) 661 2381

Kite Museum

Address: 5th floor of Taimeiken Restaurant, 1-12-10 Nihonbashi, Chuoh-ku Tokyo

Admission: Open Monday to Saturday 11am–5pm. Closed national holidays.

Telephone: (03) 3271 2465

Joypolis Sega

Address: 1-6-1 Daiba Minato-ku Tokyo Tokyo

Admission: ¥500 (adults); ¥300 (children). Additional fees for rides. Open daily 10am–11pm.

Telephone: (03) 5500 1801

National Children's Castle (Kodomo-no-Shiro)

Address: 5-53-1 Jingumae Tokyo

Admission: ¥500 (adults); ¥400 (children). Open Tuesday to Friday 12:30pm-5:30pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am–5:30pm. Closed for December-January holidays.

Telephone: (03) 3797 5666

Nanbantei

Address: 4-5-6 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo

Food Type: Japanese

La Tour D'Argent

Address: New Otani Hotel, 4-1 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

Food Type: French

What the Dickens?

Address: 4th Floor, Roob 6 Building, 1-13-3 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku Tokyo

Food Type: British

La Granata

Address: TBS Garden building, basement, 5-1-3 Akasaka Tokyo

Food Type: Italian

Maisen

Address: 4-8-5 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku (near Omotesando station) Tokyo

Food Type: Japanese

Tonki

Address: 1-1-2 Shimo-Meguro, Meguro-ku Tokyo

Food Type: Japanese

Chotoku

Address: 1-10-15 Shubuya, Shibuya-ku Tokyo

Food Type: Japanese

Boheme

Address: 6-4-1 Ginza Tokyo

Food Type: Italian

Roti

Address: Piramide Building, 1F, 6-6-9 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo

Food Type: American

Sonoma

Address: 2-25-17 Dogenzaka, Shibuya Tokyo

Food Type: American