Winter in Japan: Tokyo and Kyoto without the Crowds

Welcome on arrival, private transfer to the Shibuya district and four nights' accommodation in an understated, contemporary hotel. The beautifully crafted rooms are spread between the ninth and thirteenth floors of a new tower - ideal for enjoying a panoramic view of the city. A storey or so below, two restaurants offer traditional Japanese as well as French cuisine. The surrounding neighbourhood embodies Tokyo's vibe: students rush for coffee or a drink, buzzing restaurants and designer label shops abound. Shibuya is the capital's fashion mecca, and you can see every look imaginable paraded around the district.

The workshop of urban modernity, Tokyo turns heads with its dynamism, its taste for innovation, its imagination, its excesses, and its boldness. The trends are there, the cuisine, the technologies and the entertainment of tomorrow. Looking for a little eccentricity? Head to Harajuku, where lolitas and cosplayers compete with dandies in manga style. If you're looking for a lot of electronics, the Akihabara district has plenty of huge shops. If you want a drink, head to The surviving alleyways of the Golden Gai in Shinjuku house some 200 tiny bars where friends crowd in. Looking for a moment of peaceful reflection? Tokyo residents find it in Rikugi-en and Koishikawa Koraku-en parks. If museums are on your list, The Daimyo Clock Museum, the Japan Toy Museum, the Tabi Museum - try these for a glimpse of traditional Japan. Grab a ticket to a kabuki or noh show, a sumo competition, take a walk in the Yanaka Old Quarter or Meiji-jingu, or visit the Fukugawa Edo Museum. And then hit the heights: the Ferris wheel at Mega Web (Odaiba) is a world record 371ft tall. At night, the harbour twinkles at your feet. In the itinerary - an expat takes you on a tour of the city. To take the pulse of Japan's capital, there's nothing better than walking around with a local. A few hours of wandering and sharing, the opportunity to discuss Japanese society and everyday life and to glean valuable information for the rest of your journey. Optional - Fly over Tokyo by helicopter.

Train to Shuzenji (via Mishima), a charming traditional Japanese hot spring resort founded between the 8th and 12th centuries - the oldest on the Izu Peninsula. Appreciated by Japanese spa enthusiasts but unknown to visitors, the peaceful atmosphere on the Katsuragawa River, with its restaurants and shops, and the generous nature all around. Not far from Shuzenji, Tokko-no-yu's ancient hot spring is sacred and a great starting point for lush nature walks. Overnight in a ryokan (traditional inn) surrounded by a beautiful garden and housed in a 150 year old building, classified as a cultural monument.

Train to Kyoto (again via Mishima). Four nights in a hotel that couldn't be more central, a few steps from the Imperial Palace. The hotel is comfortable, with spacious, contemporary rooms decorated in minimalist Japanese style and incorporating local artwork. The hotel is appreciated for its quality of service and attentive staff, who always offer good advice.

From the traditional machiya (wooden townhouses) of the beautiful Gion district to the mineral garden of Ryoan-ji Temple to the Kawamichi-ya soba (buckwheat noodle) restaurant; from the terrace of the impressive modern railway station to the admirable Kyomizu-dera temple, each offering a splendid view of the city in a radically different environment, Kyoto is magic in action, combining perfection with poetry, art, and modernity, making us love the past as much as the present and the future. In the itinerary - A visit to a sake distillery followed by a tasting. Founded in 1726, the Matsui Shuzo Distillery is one of Japan's oldest. It only opens its doors for a few privileged visitors, sharing some of the secrets of making Japan's cherished national tipple using both traditional and modern methods. The tour includes a brewing demonstration as well as a sake and green tea tasting.