Upgrade rooms at the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo offer some of the best views of the Imperial Palace grounds.

Peter's Bar at the Peninsula Hotel, Tokyo is arguably the hottest place in town for an early evening cocktail and live jazz later in the night.

Visit Yokohama - down the bay from Tokyo - for cocktails at Landmark Tower, Chinatown and some of the best summertime firework displays.

From the city's finest pastries to the beautiful traditional washi paper lampshades, the Ritz Carlton in Kyoto is the epitomy of style and luxury in Japan's most historic city.

Despite stiff competition from newer hotels over the last decade, the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar is still the place for live jazz in the city.

Ticket windows in Japan can be bewildering but fortunately the pronunciation is relatively manageable. A little sign language also goes a long way!

This iconic beachside sculpture on Naoshima Island is as eccentric as the artist, Yayoi Kusama. That hasn't stopped it being the inspiration for Louis Vuitton products.

Geisha and junior Maiko put the finishing touches to their kimonos in the Gion area of Kyoto.

The Hoshinoya in Arashiyama outside Kyoto is an exclusive tranquil retreat, reached by boat up the Hozu river.

Kanazawa is a treasure trove of pre-modern teahouses and houses of the nobility where arts such as taiko drumming can be experienced

Traditional Japanese wooden clogs are called 'geta', which are worn for ceremonial occasions but visitors can try them at hot spring spots like Kinosaki Onsen.

Nomura is one of several beautifully preserved nobles' houses in Kanazawa, with a small but perfectly formed ornamental garden.

'O-hanami' cherry blossom festivities carry on late in the evening in Maruyama Park, Kyoto.

Japanese gardens are particularly beautiful when the autumn leaves start turning red to match the ornamental bridges, such as this one at Korakuen Gardens.