Incheon (Seoul) to Tokyo

Incheon is rising to new heights, literally. The city is developing metropolitan real estate with dramatic results, including a district called Songdo International City, home to the world’s tallest twin tower buildings and South Korea’s tallest building, the North Asia Trade Tower. Visit Independence Memorial Hall commemorating General MacArthur, who turned the tide of the Korean War, while farther afield the Incheon Islands are favored by hikers and beachgoers.

Jeju province encompasses the South Korean island of Jeju in the Korea Strait. It’s known for its beach resorts and volcanic landscape of craters and cavelike lava tubes. Hallasan Mountain, a dormant volcano, features hiking trails, a crater lake at the 1,950m summit and nearby Gwaneumsa Temple. The Geomunoreum Lava Tube System includes 7km-long Manjanggul Cave, created centuries ago when Hallasan was still active

As Japan’s only access to the West, Nagasaki flourished during a period of national isolation in the 16th century and continues to be influenced by the ideas and technology of other cultures. Must-see attractions include Japan’s oldest gothic-style wooden church, the inspirational Peace Park, and the stately Glover Mansion, an impressive hideaway which was the legendary setting of Puccini’s opera, Madame Butterfly.

Part of the Okinawa (or “Churashima” meaning beatuiful islands) prefecture, this tropical haven is home to some of Japan’s most breathtaking beaches, ideal starting points for snorkeling along the coral reefs. And while aquatic adventures of most any kind are a centerpiece of Miyako-jima’s charm, exploration along the cape, into the wetlands and botanical gardens, and to the vast sugarcane fields is also an enlightening experience.

The seas surrounding these islands, located about 20 miles from Okinawa, are a window to the wonders below, astoundingly transparent and reflecting nearly neon hues in the sunlight. Beneath these waters is a snorkeler’s playground, with sea turtles swimming along the coral reefs among the hundreds of endemic species here. Watch for migrating humpback whales who also favor the warm waters among the islands for their annual breeding grounds.

Despite its brief period of travesty during the second World War, Hiroshima’s past and present are remarkably peaceful. Throughout the modern cosmopolitan city center lie cultural curiosities and a friendliness that permeates every facet of exploration here. Lush greenery is everywhere along the wide boulevards, as are monuments to 20th-century tragedies and historical Japanese temples and gardens that illustrate the city’s beautiful history of centuries past.

This cosmopolitan gem boasts a proud maritime history and is a gateway to some of Japan’s other legendary locales. Venture to the spiritual heart of Kyoto, home to the famed Golden Pavilion and many cultural intricacies, from the secret lives of the geisha to today’s innovative cuisine. Explore Nara’s Daibutsu (Great Buddha) and wander a park of temples on this journey through Japan’s sacred past and chic present.

This cosmopolitan gem boasts a proud maritime history and is a gateway to some of Japan’s other legendary locales. Venture to the spiritual heart of Kyoto, home to the famed Golden Pavilion and many cultural intricacies, from the secret lives of the geisha to today’s innovative cuisine. Explore Nara’s Daibutsu (Great Buddha) and wander a park of temples on this journey through Japan’s sacred past and chic present.

From the timeless beauty of the Meiji Shrine to the glittering Ginza District and impressive Tokyo Tower, Tokyo is a complex blend of East and West where houses of wood and paper stand beside soaring steel skyscrapers while kimono-clad women stroll along trendy teenagers. Here in this city of more than 11 million people, the timeless Imperial Palace bears testament to Japan’s enduring traditions, existing in a verdant parkland of isolation.