Japan & Russia

A city where you’ll find centuries-old culture jostling for position next to cutting-edge technology – a fabulous blend of history and modernity that has to be seen to be believed.

This cosmopolitan port city is known for more than just its world-famous Kobe beef. Discover the boutiques and markets of the Motomashi and Kokashita districts, explore the Fashion Museum or venture out to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge-the longest suspension bridge in the world. In the Kitano district, tour stately injikan, western-style Victorian and Gothic homes, or enjoy a glass of sake from one of Kobe's famed wineries.

High atop a hill in Kochi sits 17th-century Kochi Castle, once the seat of the Yamauchi lords. Explore this historic site and enjoy panoramic views of the city, then dine on sushi at Hirome Market.

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. Kenrokuen Garden, begun in the 17th century, is celebrated for its classic landscape designs incorporating ponds and streams.

Off-limits during much of the Soviet era, Vladivostok is perhaps best known as one end of the Trans-Siberian Railway and—at least among Russians—for its many hills, which leads to comparisons with another city by the sea, San Francisco. But Vladivostok, nestled in the hook-shaped Golden Horn Bay that lies between two large gulfs, hasn’t even been Russian all that long. It was ceded by the Qing dynasty in 1860 through the Treaty of Peking, when it was only a small Manchu fishing enclave (which explains why the local cuisine reflects strong Chinese, as well as Japanese and Korean, influences).By the early 1900s, Vladivostok had grown past its phase as a military post and into a truly international port, drawing people from around the world—including Yul Brynner's grandfather, for one, who had arrived from Switzerland. During that boom time, the city rapidly filled with theaters, music halls and other fine buildings that still stand, as do the tramways linking them. The arts continue to thrive: Today, the brand-new glass-and-steel Primorsky Stage is a branch of St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky, while a Hermitage Vladivostok is due to open soon. A statue honoring Vladivostok's famous native son Yul Brynner, who was born here in 1920, was also recently erected.

Located on the Sea of Japan just north of Sapporo, Otaru is one of Japan's most picturesque cities. Stroll along the historic Otaru Canal built in 1914; visit Herring Mansion, the lavish home built in 1922 for a wealthy herring fisheries owner; and explore Sapporo's Nijo Ichiba Market for a glimpse of the local lifestyle and enthusiastic trade negotiations. Sample shore excursions: Otaru & the Herring Mansion; The Otaru Gourmet: Sushi & Sake; The Best of Sapporo.

Most Japanese used to think of Aomori merely as the place you caught the ferry to when you were going to Hokkaido. By the time you’d gotten here, they figured, you were pretty much at the edge of the civilized world. The small Tsugaru Strait that separates Honshu from Hokkaido isn’t big—only about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) at its narrowest point—but it’s ecologically important: Hokkaido has animals related to northern Asia, whereas Honshu’s are more closely related to southern Asia’s. The strait is also famous for sudden, very rough weather and for no shortage of shipwrecks. The city was flattened in World War II, so there isn’t much history left to see. Still, it’s a lovely area, not much congestion or development, and because the town is still the major gateway to Hokkaido, the city has money to spend on architecture and parks. Its setting on the edge of Mutsu Bay means you will often be surprised by lovely water views through the buildings. The old way of thinking of Aomori is over. Aomori may not be quite what most people think of when they plan a Japan trip, but it is what Japan thinks of when they consider where they got the new century right.

Explore Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan from the base of Hakodate or fall in love with the city itself.

A city where you’ll find centuries-old culture jostling for position next to cutting-edge technology – a fabulous blend of history and modernity that has to be seen to be believed.