Asia Unveiled

Cosmopolitan Vancouver is a city that rewards exploration, an eminently liveable place and an easy gateway to the natural beauty of British Columbia. The culinary scene here is a particular draw, with seafood galore and some fantastic Asian restaurants, and the city has also been at the forefront of the craft beer movement. Verdant Stanley Park is a favourite of locals and visitors alike, while Kitsilano's beaches and wooden houses are wonderfully picturesque. Cultural attractions tend to be on a smaller scale than you'd expect from a city of this size, but the thrill of stumbling across one of Vancouver's quirky little galleries is all part of the city's appeal.

Ketchikan is a great introduction to Alaska’s natural attractions, situated at the foot of towering Deer Mountain and within easy reach of the Misty Fjords. The colourful wooden buildings of Creek Street, the old red light district, are a reminder of Ketchikan’s former status as a rough and ready frontier town; these days, things are rather more civilised!

Alaska's state capital is isolated and remote, accessible only by plane or by boat thanks to its dramatic hillside location. The wild hinterland is thick with forest, sculpted by the glaciers of the Juneau Ice Field, while down at the water's edge the harbour bustles with fishing boats and seaplanes.

Situated at the northern end of the Inside Passage, Skagway is an impressively well preserved former gold rush town, with a charming historic centre that’s easy to explore on foot. Popular activities include hiking to the pristine Lower Dewey Lake and the scenic train ride along the old gold rush route.

The misty fishing port of Kushiro, on the east coast of Hokkaido, is the gateway to the protected marshlands of Kushiro Mitsugen National Park. These extensive wetlands are the only place in Japan where you can still find the endangered Japanese crane, a graceful bird with a distinctive red crown.

The city of Aomori, at the northern tip of Honshu island, is best known for its summer Nebuta Matsuri festival, which lights up the streets every August. There is still plenty to see during the rest of the year, including elegant Hirosaki Castle, pretty Lake Towada and the Seiryu-ji Temple, home of the largest Buddha statue in Japan.

Cave exploring, kayaking, and coastal hiking is what visitors to Miyako, on Honshu's eastern shore can expect, with its dramatic, rocky shoreline of bays, cliffs and coves along the 300-km Sanriku Coast. Don't miss the stunning white pebbled shores of Jodogahama Beach, punctuated by jagged, rocky islands.

In a state of constant renewal and forever looking to the future, densely populated Tokyo is a dazzling introduction to Japan and its utterly unique culture. With more neon than Las Vegas and more Michelin stars than Paris, it’s a real assault on the senses.

Shimizu is one of the most spectacular ports in Japan, a sweeping bay in the shadow of the iconic Mount Fuji. You can spend some time admiring the views and wandering through peaceful pine groves, or visit the unique Shimizu Sushi Museum at the S-Pulse Dream Plaza shopping mall.

Small in size and cosmopolitan in its outlook, Kobe is a thoroughly pleasant city with a long and distinguished history as one of Japan’s main trading ports. Kobe’s past as a commercial hub is reflected in its architecture, with a number of unusually European-looking houses, as well as a charming, if slightly touristy, Chinatown.

The small, laid back city of Kochi is situated on the south coast of Shikoku island, an important place of pilgrimage for Japanese Buddhists. Three of the 88 temples on the pilgrimage route are in Kochi, and the city is also known for its elegant 17th century hilltop castle.

On 6 August 1945 the world witnessed the terrifying power of nuclear weapons for the first time, unleashed on the unsuspecting Japanese city of Hiroshima. The modern city's sobering Peace Memorial Park commemorates that fateful day, which left more than 140,000 dead.

Busan is South Korea’s second biggest city and one of the world’s busiest container ports, but it’s an easygoing place with a discernibly different character to Seoul. Haeundae beach is a popular summer holiday destination for Koreans, while the pungent Jagalchi market sells every type of fish and sea creature imaginable.

Three days after Hiroshima was flattened by an atomic bomb, Nagasaki suffered the same horrifying fate. The reconstruction of both cities has been quite extraordinary; Nagasaki today is a vibrant, cosmopolitan place, with a fascinating history that goes back a lot further than 1945.

Steam rises over the spa town of Beppu, home to numerous onsen (hot springs) and the surreal red waters of the macabre-sounding ‘blood pond hell’. Beppu is also close to Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan, and the ancient temples of the Kunisaki Peninsula.

In a state of constant renewal and forever looking to the future, densely populated Tokyo is a dazzling introduction to Japan and its utterly unique culture. With more neon than Las Vegas and more Michelin stars than Paris, it’s a real assault on the senses.