If you’re reading this, then chances are that you are intrigued by the idea of a country and culture which really is unique, and perhaps the most foreign in the world. In Japan’s case, this is no cliché; the country has fascinated westerners for centuries due to its social and cultural, as much as geographical inaccessibility. Japan is a place where ancient traditions stand shoulder to shoulder with the latest in cutting-edge technology, where glittering skyscrapers are blessed by Shinto priests, and where speeding bullet trains cut through rice paddies which are still tended by hand. From the pulsating neon streets of Tokyo to a serene Kyoto temple, from the world-class ski resorts of Hokkaido to the turquoise waters of Okinawa, from a refined kaiseki (haute cuisine) dinner to a steaming bowl of noodles, Japan has everything to give you the holiday of a lifetime.