Japan

Tokyo is sure to surprise, and perhaps shock, even the most open-minded of visitors. It's a city where a rich cultural heritage sits oddly well with cutting-edge technology. Here you can bed down in a themed love hotel; build synthetic sand castles next to the indoor ocean at the germ-free Seagaia Ocean Dome; or rise early to observe early morning training sessions at the ancient Fatagoyama Beya sumo training stables.

The intricacy of the traditional gardens, the fine artistry of a Japanese meal, the elegance with which a depato sales assistant will package even the most humble purchase - all characteristics of Japan's seemingly in-built appreciation of presentation, precision and the pristine.

How about a hot spring bath in the snow, a glass of sake in one hand, a plate of delicious seafood or ramen in the other, and the magnificent scenery of the Hokkaido peninsula to the north? And despite Japan's dubious distinction of being one of the most seismically feisty regions in the world, the trek from the village of Ebino-kogen to the summits of a series of nearby volcanoes makes for one of the finest volcanic walks in the world.