Fragrant smoke wafts from a food stall under the train tracks beyond Ginza's glitz, where Tokyo office workers unwind over skewers of grilled chicken and beer. In Kyoto, monks rise before the first rays of sunlight spread across a temple's grounds, reading sutras before an elaborate altar. Meanwhile, in the shadow of Hiroshima's Atomic Bomb Dome, schoolchildren ring a large bronze bell and pray for world peace.
Few places offer as wide a range of experiences in such a compact swath of terrain as Japan's cultural and geographic heart, stretching roughly from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Within a few hours by train — and the occasional ferry — you'll discover high-octane cities, medieval towns, shimmering seascapes, and mouthwatering cuisine. All throughout, cutting-edge technology and colorful pop culture are balanced by ancient tradition and boundless spiritual depth.
Beyond the most popular stops, this region contains Hakone's hot springs, Mount Fuji's snowcapped cone, Uji's tea fields, Himeji's soaring white castle, Okayama's picture-perfect garden, Kurashiki's romantic canal district, and a constellation of islands strewn across the sparkling Inland Sea — from the forward-looking "art islands" to the holy isle of Miyajima.
Wherever you go, a journey to Japan's core is most of all a chance to experience the omotenashi of the people — from the faultless service of a Kyoto townhouse restaurant to the simple kindness of a family-owned inn. So go, and savor the essence of this remarkable country, unlike any other.
