Tokyo

One of the first images that comes to mind when someone thinks of Japan, is often the pastel pink hues of the cherry blossoms that drift dreamily across the country during the Spring months.

With a fleeting blooming period of just two weeks in March or April, catching a good view of the cherry blossoms (or ‘Sakura’ in Japanese) can be a bit a difficult to plan but certainly not impossible when you know where to go. Meguro River is cleverly lined with beautiful sakura trees that drift along the river waters when they’ve fallen, while Ueno Park and Yoyogi Park in Tokyo are both home to many sakura trees. Why not do as the Japanese do and bring some food and drink for a picnic under the blossoms; an experience known as ‘Hanami’.

This incredible and important shrine sits in one of Tokyo’s surprisingly quiet parks just a stones throw from the bustling shopping Mecca of Harajuku.

If you only have the chance to visit one shrine while you’re in Tokyo, make it Meiji-jingu. The walk up to the shrine itself takes you through a beautiful park that looks it’s best during Spring and Autumn, and ends at the foot of the shrine. The shrine itself is all constructed from wood and offers travellers the chance to leave a prayer tablet and pick up good luck tokens and fortunes for the year ahead.

If you’re visiting Japan after falling in love with Sofia Coppola’s movie ‘Lost in Translation’, then your Japan holiday will be incomplete without a cocktail or two at the world-famous New York Bar.

This incredible bar soars over the Tokyo skyline and offers live entertainment and a curated selection of high-end whiskeys and cocktails to enjoy. Relive Bill Murray’s character’s experience with a Suntori whiskey, or opt for the L.I.T cocktail which was crafted to commemorate the film. The bar is set within the top floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel, which is also home to other fantastic bars and restaurants.

Save this experience for your final night in Tokyo, and you’ll wish you had more time to spare in this incredible city.

The Tokyo Skytree is the 2nd tallest structure in the world (just behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa), with an impressive height of 634 metres! You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world as you take in the incredible sights of Tokyo and beyond if you visit during the day, but we recommend visiting after sundown so you can take in the millions of dazzling lights from the city’s buildings and skyscrapers against the blue night sky; it’s truly remarkable to witness.

You may think you’ve had Japanese food already, but we can guarantee you that you’ll never look back after trying real, authentic Japanese cuisine.

What’s makes Japanese cooking so special is the celebration of seasonality and how dedicated chef’s are about learning how to master the art of their speciality, and with more Michelin stars than any other city in the world; Tokyo must be doing something right! Watch as skilled chefs who have honed their crafts for centuries serve you some of the finest sushi you'll ever taste, devour steaming bowls of ramen along the bench of a tiny noodle bar, and discover mouth-watering street food at festivals and in parks when the weather is just right.