Beauty by Design: Architecture and Amazing Hotels in Japan

Spend the next three nights staying at the Hotel Capitol, a glass and metal building designed by architect Kengo Kuma. This is one of the few establishments in the heart of Tokyo where you can feel connected to nature: vegetation colonises the common areas, and the bay windows of the large guest rooms open onto the imperial garden. And to get rid of jet lag, swim a few lengths in the beautiful 60ft pool, or run three laps around the palace in the Imperial Garden: a Tokyo jogging classic.

Included in the itinerary is a day with a guide who will be at your disposal with no preconceived route, so you can discover their city as you wish. Other activities include a visit to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, where you can admire the style of the punkettes of Shinjuku, the lolitas of Harajuku, and the hipsters of Naka-Meguro; get up a little earlier to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market, where fishmongers carve up gigantic tuna and you can savour fresh sushi in front of the tuna stalls; visit the Edo-Tokyo Museum, which retraces the history of the capital, particularly through its architecture; admire the works of contemporary Asian artists at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills; get a birds-eye view of the city from the 51st floor of Tokyo Sky View; stroll through the garden of the Meiji-jingu Shinto shrine; visit the Hara Museum of contemporary art both for its collections and because it was originally designed as a private residence and, completed in 1938, it is one of the few examples of architecture from the beginning of the Showa period. Another must-see is Omotesando Avenue, a showcase for major international brands, where the Tod's, Prada, Vuitton and Dior boutiques were designed by eminent architects such as Jun Aoki and Toyo Ito.

Catch the train to Hakone today. Along the way, the bustling capital gives way to the mountainous region of Fuji. The volcano that gives the town of Hakone its name also ensures its prosperity: it's the subterranean volcanic activity that sees hot spring water bubble up from the ground. Originally sacred places of Shinto worship, onsens (hot spring baths) are both therapeutic institutions and meeting places; true antidotes to the rigours of life, where you can bathe, relax and socialise. In the hollow of a rock or in the soft wooden tub of a ryokan (traditional inn), the bath will leave you with a feeling of well-being you won't forget in a hurry. Stay overnight at Kitanokaze Saryou, an intimate ryokan designed by architect Makoto Nakayama, which highlights light and the surrounding nature. Take the cable car up Mount Hakone and enjoy impressive views of Mount Fuji, Hakone Gongen - one of Japan's largest Shinto shrines, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Botanical Garden and the open-air sculpture museum.

Take the train to Kyoto, the cradle of the Japanese soul, where one is constantly switching between the 18th and 21st centuries. Spend three-nights staying at the Ishibekoji Ryugin ryokan, which boasts only two luxurious suites, with traditional charm and the state-of-the-art comfort you would expect from a luxury hotel. It is located in a small cobblestone alley, the best preserved in Gion, with houses featuring antiqued wooden facades the colour of honey and liquorice.

As in Tokyo, you have a day with a private guide to discover the city as you wish, as well as a guided tour of the Katsura Summer Palace, one of the Emperor's former residences, where you can appreciate the surprising modernism of ancient Japanese architecture, bordered by a Japanese garden masterpiece. While in Kyoto, you can journey along the Philosophers' Path; visit Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion; get lost in the Buddhist garden paradise of Kinkakuji; stroll through the former residential districts and admire the simple architecture of the machiya (wooden townhouses) of the Gion district. Wander through the Shinto Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, its hundreds of torii (elegant wooden gateways) lining your path; shop for tea at Ippo-cho and tofu at Iriyama-Tofu; take part in a tea ceremony; take an afternoon detour through the Nishiki market, nicknamed 'Kyoto's kitchen', past eel and octopus stalls; eat steaming tempura; attend an Ikebana flower ceremony; enjoy lunch at the Kawamichi-ya soba restaurant. You can also meditate in the mineral garden of the Ryoan-ji Temple; visit the Hosomi Art Museum for shinto and Buddhist art, and the Nomura Museum for its beautiful ceramics and tea ceremony utensils. Kyoto Station is not to be missed, a glass and steel temple designed by Hiroshi Hara, inspired by the chequerboard structure inherited from the seventh century Chinese cities, which characterise the streets of old Kyoto. Or head to Tadao Ando’s Time's I & II project, a small-scale shopping complex whose design was inspired by the takasabune, the small boats that used to carry freight on the Tasake River, which the buildings overlook.

Catch the train to Toba on the western coast of the Kii Peninsula, and stay for two-nights at Oyado The Earth. Enjoy breath-taking surroundings, impeccable service, amazing architecture and an atmosphere in perfect harmony with nature.

While in Toba, we’d recommend exploring wild coastal coves; visiting the Toba Aquarium, one of the largest in the country; visiting Mikimoto Museum, one of Japan's largest pearl cultivators and its first artificial oyster producer; and exploring Ise City, home to the country's largest Shinto shrine, Ise-Jingu.

Catch the train back to Kyoto and stay overnight on the outskirts of the city at Hoshinoya Kyoto. Take a private boat (ten minutes) to reach this peaceful retreat in the heart of nature, on the quiet wooded shores of the Hozugawa River. Once a traditional ryokan, it has been beautifully renovated by architect Rie Azuma, who enhanced its spirit and charm. In the rooms, expect cedar wood, sliding glass doors and large picture windows with breath-taking views of the river, bamboo groves and surrounding mountains.

Train and ferry to Naoshima Island. Stay for two nights in the extraordinary museum hotel, Benesse House, designed by Tadao Ando. We've opted for a room in the Oval section, accessible by a funicular, with spectacular views of the entire island. The museum houses pieces from the most iconic artists of the 20th century, but also a restaurant and minimalist rooms with a zen aesthetic, some of which have direct access to the exhibition rooms.

Since a billionaire visionary art enthusiast invested in Naoshima, this was followed up by investment Inujima, Teshima and Mejijima, which have all now become hotbeds of contemporary design. Just board a ferry and let yourself drift into this impressive landscape to browse the museum islands and admire the creations of major artists of the 21st century along their beaches and trails. This is a truly aesthetic and sensory experience, seeing contemporary art in symbiosis with nature. Walk from the ferry dock to the top of the hill overlooking the island and you’ll see works of art are everywhere, including sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle or Yayoi Kusama, which look out over the sea. Then visit the Chichu Art Museum, another project from Tadao Ando. The bare museum, built entirely underground with the exception of wells providing natural light, is all concrete and corridors, and designed to get you to rethink the relationship between man and nature. The highlights of the museum are the five 'nympheas' of Monet's late period, illuminated by daylight in a pristine room. The Art Project House re-envisions former fishermen's houses (deserted since the decline of the traditional fishing economy) as residences for artists whose work is inspired by the genius of the place.

Catch a ferry and a train to Osaka, where you will stay overnight in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, designed by Jun Aoki, designer of the Louis Vuitton boutiques in Tokyo, Nagoya and New York. A little further from the city centre, this 500-room hotel has walls made of hundreds of metal rings. The attentive welcome, soothing gardens and spacious rooms overlooking Osaka City or the bay deserve a special mention. Visit the castle, stroll around the popular Tsutenkaku district, watch a performance at the Bunraku Puppet Theatre and wander along Dotonbori Street in the evening.