PLACES ABOUT NIHON

Walk straight out of Shibuya station, best done at night, and no other city in the world will have prepared you for it. The sight and sound assault of video screens the size of billboards will seize your attention.The waves of human traffic are likely to carry you with them. This is Tokyo, where the future touches down on planet Earth. It's as enthralling as it is confusing, as captivating as it is claustrophobic.

Get your second dose of future shock on the 47th floor observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. On clear days you can see as far as Fuji. When it's hazy, the city never seems to end. Once you get a feel for the scale of the place you'll realise that comprehending it in a short visit is out of the question, it'll be all you can do to catch your breath.

But the real Tokyo experience is at ground level and much of it can be had for free. Just seeing how it all works is a thrill. Shinjuku Station in the morning rush is a marvel. Three million people bustle through every day. The subway, heaving under their weight, still manages to operate with clockwork precision. At Harajuku you'll get a crash course in the most outrageous fashions, simply by watching the crowds go by. For more glitz, try window-shopping in Ginza, Tokyo's answer to 5th Avenue. Akihabara is a technological bazaar, where hawking the latest gadgets often becomes a street performance. And make sure you get up early (or stay up late), just once, to witness the spectacle of Tsukiji market. It's the enormous, frenetic, daily operation that feeds this fish-hungry nation.

Though rich in history, fires, earthquakes and wars have left few original buildings standing. Tokyo's eye-catching sights are swamped by masses of unlovely concrete. Though both are post war reconstructions, Senso-ji Temple and the Meiji Shrine at Asakusa are worth visiting. At Senso-ji, the trinket sellers, fortune tellers and mendicant monks still vie for the change in your pocket much like they did in Edo times. The densely wooded Yoyogi Park surrounding Meiji Shrine, retains a reflective stillness.

For a bit of sightseeing made easy, take the 40min cruise down the Sumida River from Asakusa down to Odaiba Seaside Park with its obligatory Ferris wheel and amusements. The bridges you'll pass, old and new, will tell you something of the history of this constantly regenerating city.

Of course, the centrepiece of Tokyo is the Imperial Palace, closed except on December 23rd (the Emperor's birthday) and January 2nd. The gardens, however, offer some respite from the urban intensity. Here you can see what remains of the central keep of Edo castle and the controversial Yasukuni shrine that commemorates Japan's war dead. But if that's too much history for you in a city that embraces the modern so readily, remember that Disneyland and the all new Disney Sea are both just a short train ride away.

Osaka, like Tokyo, has all that you could want in a city. It’s far from pretty unless you're a connoisseur of concrete grey but there's enough energy bursting out of the place for you to soak up plenty. The people bear the mark of the city's commercial roots and greet each other with a hearty "Mookarimakka?" ("how's business?"). Notorious for living the good life, they are exuberant, approachable and know a thing or two about eating well, as they would, being from the "Kitchen of all Japan". The nightlife crackles just like the capital's, though locals will tell you that Osaka does it better. It all comes alive at the Dotombori canal when they flick the switch on a valley of neon light. Not long after, you'll see many a salariman staggering amongst the hostesses and gangsters. It's greasy, sleazy and great for people watching. For entertainment of a more traditional kind, try the nearby National Bunraku Puppetry Theatre. Performances of this close cousin of kabuki are held all year round. The artistry of the team of three that animate a single puppet is truly enchanting. During the day you can shop at Umeda, with the largest underground shopping centre in Japan. The maze of basement food halls defy any attempts at navigation, you'll be too drawn by all the tempting looking tasters. Another shoppers’ paradise is Shinsaibashi with its gilt-edged department stores and covered arcade that seems to go on forever. Here, noisy pachinko parlours and amusement arcades sandwich the boutiques and restaurants. On the other side of Midosuji Avenue is Amerika-mura. This is where trendy young things track down the latest from the West - you'll be treated to a fashion parade of the most varied styles and certainly the most extravagant bleached blonde hairdos in Kansai. Like Tokyo, many of the historical sites were bombed during the War. Osaka-jo castle has since been rebuilt as a hi-tech museum complete with elevators to the viewing platform on the top floor. At weekends, bands play in the park around it. Shitteno-ji temple and the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine are also famous. But those tiring of temples and reconstructed buildings should head for the bay. It boasts a 100m Ferris wheel and the Kaiyukan, the world's largest aquarium, where you can see the majestic whale shark up close. The whole area has been turned into a pleasure seekers paradise, you can even hang out with Jaws, E.T. and the Terminator at the Universal Studios Theme Park.   A little more easily managed than Tokyo or Yokohama, Sapporo has breathing space that the bigger cities lack. Odori Park, Maruyama Park and the Botanical Gardens are relaxing places to unwind away from an urban centre that's every bit as vibrant and modern as any 21st century city. Surrounded by stunning natural beauty and pleasantly cool in summer, all four seasons are celebrated in Sapporo. In particular, winter with the Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) in February. Started by kids making snow statues in the park, the trend they set didn't melt away. Instead it grew into an international snow statue competition and a celebration of all things icy that attracts nearly 2 million visitors every year. There's also the five-day Yosakoi Soran Matsuri in early June that celebrates traditional song and dance and attracts just as many. A number of Sapporo's sights will be of more interest to Japanese rather than foreign visitors. The number one attraction, the Tokeidai clock tower, has more than a little of the Mid-Western mission building about it. This, the University, the Sapporo Brewery and the broad, tree-lined avenues all tell of foreign influence that started when American town planners and engineers were invited to build the city in the mid-19th century. A bit of this old Sapporo has been lovingly preserved in the Historical Village of Hokkaido, a short bus ride from the town centre. Comprising of some sixty buildings it's an impressive monument to how the city used to be. Nearby Hakodate and Otaru are also worth visiting. The old port town of Otaru has a canal area that was once grimy with hard work. Now retired, you can amble unhurriedly around the turn-of-the-century Japanese and Western architecture. Hakodate boasts a star-shaped fort (now more of a star-shaped park since the conquering troops of the Meiji restoration had their way with it) and some wonderful night views. But Hokkaido's real charms lie outside the cities. Hokkaido, until relatively recently, was only partially explored and sparsely populated with Japan's indigenous people, the Ainu. Now the peak holiday periods, especially June through August, seem to bring the rest of Japan north for the hiking, climbing and camping opportunities. Near Hakodate is one of Japan's scenic highlights, the quasi-national park around the town of Onuma. Fisherman still make a living from the teeming waters of lakes Onuma and Konuma, even while tourist row boats navigate their way around the lily pads. There are camping and bicycle hire facilities too, all under the watchful eye of Mt. Koma. Shikotsu Toya National Park is within easy reach of Sapporo and boasts expansive lakes, abundant wildlife and onsen baths in which to rest hike-weary legs. The further north you go, the wilder it gets. There is ample hiking on the twin islands of Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park as well as at Daisetsuzan National Park, which encompasses the popular ski resort of Furano. Only the adventurous and well prepared should head to Shiretoko National Park, an untouched wilderness at the northeast tip of Hokkaido, known appropriately in Ainu as "the ends of the earth".