Giappone in Liberta - la fioritura dei ciliegi

About the destination: Tokyo is the capital of Japan and one of the largest urban area in the world. Tokyo is the financial center of Japan and a blend of high-technology and tradition. Tokyo is huge and a well-organized modern city. The city landscape of Tokyo consists of temples and shrines, quiet nature reserves, historical buildings, futuristic architecture and neon lights. The core of the city includes Chiyoda and Chuo. This area features the impressive Imperial Palace, the national government buildings, the famous shopping area of Ginza, Tsukiji fish market, Akihabara electronics market and the historic Tokyo Station. The quiet neighborhood of Asakusa has some must-see attractions such as the Sensoji Temple, the Nakamise-dōri shopping arcade, and the Golden Poo. Nearby is the Ueno area, including the Ameyoko market. A perfect spot to shop for traditional gifts and see a great Buddhist temple. Another major attraction of the city is the Meiji Shrine, located in Shibuya. Tokyo is a unique city that has something for everyone, busy shopping areas, famous nightlife, historical sights, quiet parks, and amazing scenery.

About the destination: Takayama was settled as far back as the Jōmon period. The city is best known for its inhabitants' expertise in carpentry. It is believed carpenters from Takayama worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and on many of the temples in Kyoto and Nara. The town and its culture, as they exist today, took shape at the end of the 16th century, when the Kanamori clan built Takayama Castle. About a hundred years later the city came under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. However, the high altitude and separation from other areas of Japan kept the area fairly isolated, allowing Takayama to develop its own culture over about a 300-year period. The city was formed on November 1, 1936 by a merger of the towns of Takayama and Onada. On February 1, 2005, the town of Kuguno, and the villages of Asahi, Kiyomi, Miya, Nyūkawa, Shōkawa and Takane (all from Ōno District), the town of Kokufu, and the village of Kamitakara (both from Yoshiki District) were merged into Takayama, which made Takayama the largest city in Japan by surface area.

About the destination: Kanazawa is a historic city in Ishikawa prefecture. Kenrokuen Garden is a beautiful Japanese garden with an area of 11.4 hectares located on the heights of the central part of Kanazawa and next to Kanazawa Castle. Kenrokuen Garden has a big artificial pond, and hills and houses are dotted in the garden. Visitors can appreciate the whole, dropping in at them. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa as a new-style art museum different in image from conventional art museums was opened in October 2004. The museum exhibits experiment-type contemporary arts that visitors can touch or sit on, and includes zones where visitors can enter free. Both adults and children can experience an excited time in the museum.

About the destination: For over a thousand years Kyoto was the capital of Japan and it is probably the best preserved of all its cities. It’s a beautiful vibrant city where modern life meets old traditional Japan. The city is surrounded by the mountains of Western Honshu and is a perfect base when visiting the Kansai region. The city is rich in heritage sites and culture, it has a great variety and number of restaurants and is fairly easy to navigate around. Its rich culture and heritage permeates from each and every architecture and customs. Kyoto has thousands of temples and shrines, including the spectacular golden Kinkaku-ji, Ryoanji with its Zen garden, the popular Kiyomizu-dera, Sanjusangendo with its life-size statues of Kannon and the more tranquil Tenryu-ji in Arashiyama. Also in Arashiyama, there is the famous Bamboo Grove. A wonderful thing to do in Kyoto is a walking tour of Gion, one of the main Geisha districts. Its wooden buildings and lamps create the perfect ambiance. Kyoto is one of the greatest historical cities in the world, filled with temples, shrines, teahouses and imperial residences. Kyoto is a city steeped in culture and heritage it’s a must for anyone with an interest in Japanese history and culture.

About the destination: Takamatsu is a city located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the capital city of the prefectural government. It is designated a core city by the Japanese Government. It is a port city located on the Seto Inland Sea, and is the closest port to Honshu from Shikoku island. For this reason it flourished under the daimyōs (feudal lords) as a castle town in the fiefdom of Takamatsu, during the Edo period. Takamatsu is a city with a large concentration of nationwide companies' branch offices, which play a large role in its economy, and it contains most of the national government's branch offices for Shikoku. The castle tower formerly used as the symbol of the city was destroyed during the Meiji period. In 2004, construction of the Symbol Tower, the new symbol of Takamatsu, was completed. The Symbol Tower is located in the Sunport area of the city. The Symbol Tower is the tallest building in Takamatsu, and is right next to another tall building The JR Clement Hotel (formerly the ANA Clement Hotel), which is also part of the Sunport complex.

About the destination: Okayama (岡山) is the capital of Okayama Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chugoku Region after Hiroshima. The city is an important transportation hub, being the location where the Sanyo Shinkansen meets with the only rail connection to Shikoku. The city developed as a castle town during the Edo Period (1603-1867) and became a significant regional power. Okayama's most famous attraction is Korakuen Garden, which is ranked as one of the three best landscape gardens in Japan, along with Kanazawa's Kenrokuen and Mito's Kairakuen. Okayama Castle is located just across from the garden. Okayama serves as the locale for the popular fairy tale of Momotaro (the Peach Boy), so visitors will notice many references to the legendary hero.