A city is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as towns and villages, with the difference that they are not a component of districts. Like other contemporary administrative units, they are defined by the Local Autonomy Law of 1947.
Tokyo
Shining skyscrapers towering above stunning Shinto shrines, and flashing neon lights bathing kimono-clad women: this is Tokyo and it’s a city that thrills.
Brash electronics jostle next to upscale boutiques, giggling schoolgirls doll up for cosplay and salarymen cram onto commuter trains. In Tokyo, you will find everything, from peace memorials, smoking incense and folded prayers, to skull-thumping arcade games and toilets with more settings than your mobile phone.
Dine in world-class restaurants, shop in the world’s largest fish market and taste the world’s best sushi. Duck into roadside cafés to slurp steaming noodles and hide out in bars sipping sake and shochu. Sleep on tatami mats, steam in volcanic onsens, belt out karaoke and gaze up at Mount Fuji.
Effortlessly blending the old and the new, Tokyo is a city with a history and a heart that captivates every visitor.
Osaka
Osaka is a bustling and energetic metropolis with its own distinct commercial culture and regional identity. Although it may appear to lack the sophistication of Tokyo, or the cultural refinement and traditional townscapes of nearby Kyoto, Osaka more than makes up for this with its own enthusiastic embrace of modernity. The city is bursting with eclectic street culture, vast underground shopping malls and futuristic architectural landmarks.
Another defining characteristic of the city is Osaka’s people. They are friendly and outgoing and enjoy good food and entertainment. A local saying which sums up Osaka and the mentality of its people is kuidaore, which quite simply means ‘Eat until you drop'. Osakan people are also very proud of their local dialect, which they think is more warm and expressive than standard Japanese.
A recent period of urban redevelopment has vastly improved many areas of the city, and Osaka is a great place to explore urban Japan.
Nagoya
Nagoya is one of Japan’s wealthiest cities and its commercial power is on display everywhere, from stunning modern architecture to glitzy department stores. Situated halfway between the massive metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka, Nagoya has excellent transport links and is the perfect base for exploring central Japan.
Although Nagoya is an important centre for manufacturing and industry - with major Japanese companies such as Toyota and Noritake based here - the city does have a thriving cultural scene and a vibrant nightlife. The city hosts the annual World Cosplay Summit which attracts fans of manga and anime from all over the world, who gather in central Nagoya in the costumes of their favourite characters.
Nagoya also boasts a wealth of museums, including some excellent art museums. Nagoya’s regional cuisine is also distinctive and there are a vast number of restaurants devoted to serving the chicken and eel dishes for which the city is known.
Kyoto
Kyoto offers a sophisticated mix of old and new Japan – from exquisitely woven silk kimono to hi-tech innovations, the city adapts in its own way and at its own pace.
Kyoto is the treasure house of Japan. Having escaped the destruction of WWII, it remains the cultural heart of the nation, with more than 2,000 temples and shrines and no fewer than 17 major UNESCO World Heritage sites in and around the city.
Ancient festivals and ceremonies are still performed. Despite modernisation, the preservation of old wooden machiya townhouses and the undeveloped verdant hills and mountains which surround the city give the visitor a vivid impression of what traditional Japan must have been like.
The traditional artistic and cultural scene in Kyoto has remained strong and enduring, and renewed local and international interest in the geisha tradition has helped to preserve much of city’s living arts.
Tokyo
Brash electronics jostle next to upscale boutiques, giggling schoolgirls doll up for cosplay and salarymen cram onto commuter trains. In Tokyo, you will find everything, from peace memorials, smoking incense and folded prayers, to skull-thumping arcade games and toilets with more settings than your mobile phone.
Dine in world-class restaurants, shop in the world’s largest fish market and taste the world’s best sushi. Duck into roadside cafés to slurp steaming noodles and hide out in bars sipping sake and shochu. Sleep on tatami mats, steam in volcanic onsens, belt out karaoke and gaze up at Mount Fuji.
Effortlessly blending the old and the new, Tokyo is a city with a history and a heart that captivates every visitor.
Osaka
Another defining characteristic of the city is Osaka’s people. They are friendly and outgoing and enjoy good food and entertainment. A local saying which sums up Osaka and the mentality of its people is kuidaore, which quite simply means ‘Eat until you drop'. Osakan people are also very proud of their local dialect, which they think is more warm and expressive than standard Japanese.
A recent period of urban redevelopment has vastly improved many areas of the city, and Osaka is a great place to explore urban Japan.
Nagoya
Although Nagoya is an important centre for manufacturing and industry - with major Japanese companies such as Toyota and Noritake based here - the city does have a thriving cultural scene and a vibrant nightlife. The city hosts the annual World Cosplay Summit which attracts fans of manga and anime from all over the world, who gather in central Nagoya in the costumes of their favourite characters.
Nagoya also boasts a wealth of museums, including some excellent art museums. Nagoya’s regional cuisine is also distinctive and there are a vast number of restaurants devoted to serving the chicken and eel dishes for which the city is known.
Kyoto
Kyoto is the treasure house of Japan. Having escaped the destruction of WWII, it remains the cultural heart of the nation, with more than 2,000 temples and shrines and no fewer than 17 major UNESCO World Heritage sites in and around the city.
Ancient festivals and ceremonies are still performed. Despite modernisation, the preservation of old wooden machiya townhouses and the undeveloped verdant hills and mountains which surround the city give the visitor a vivid impression of what traditional Japan must have been like.
The traditional artistic and cultural scene in Kyoto has remained strong and enduring, and renewed local and international interest in the geisha tradition has helped to preserve much of city’s living arts.
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