Japan

Spring (March to May), with its clear skies and cherry blossoms, is probably the most celebrated Japanese season, but the Golden Week period, which is 29 April to 7 May, is a holiday period for the Japanese and many of the more popular travel destinations tend to be flooded with domestic tourists.

Autumn (September to November) is a great time to travel: the temperatures are pleasant, and the autumn colours in the countryside are fantastic. Mid-winter (December to February) can be very cold, while the sticky summer months (June to August) can turn even the briefest excursion out of the air conditioning into a soup bath; on the plus side, major tourist attractions will generally be quieter at these times of the year. It's also worth considering peak holiday seasons when you plan your trip. Moving around and finding accommodation during New Year, Golden Week and the midsummer O-Bon festival can be a real headache.

Affected by seasonal wind reversal from the southerly monsoon, Japan has a quite different climate to its Asian neighbours of the same latitude. You can expect the warmer temperatures of the south to cool as you move north so that the average July day is about 28°C (83°F) around the southern islands and only 23°C (73°F) near Hokkaido. Most of the year, the climate is moderate, but in winter it's cold throughout most of the country, with the exception of southern Kyosho and Okinawa. Rainfall varies across the nation but is quite regular the year round and usually just a bit heavier during the June rainy season (which misses Hokkaido).

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Flying is an efficient way to travel from the main islands to any of the small islands, and is often not much more expensive than going by rail. Check whether you qualify for discounts - there are some weird and wonderful ones (for example JAL offers discounts for three or more women travelling together, or for a husband and wife if their combined age totals 88 or more).

Train is the way to travel in Japan. The trains are fast, frequent, clean, comfortable and often very expensive. Services range from small local lines to the shinkansen super-expresses, or 'bullet trains', which have become a symbol of modern Japan. Shinkansen reach speeds of up to 300km/h (186mi/h), are spookily efficient and can be travelled on with one of Japan's few travel bargains, the Japan Rail Pass. Japan Rail Passes must be pre-purchased overseas and are valid for almost all Japan Rail services. Intercity buses are generally slower than trains, but they are markedly cheaper.

Also, unless you've got a sleeper, travelling overnight in a reclining bus seat can be preferable to sitting upright on the train. Check out the Japan Rail Pass if you are going to be a frequent rail user. Driving in Japan is much more feasible than it's normally made out to be.

You wouldn't want to get behind the wheel in Tokyo, but in other urban centres the roads are fairly well signposted in English, other drivers are mostly considerate and cautious, petrol, while expensive, is not prohibitively so, and parking is not as difficult to find as popular mythology suggests. Motorcycling can be a great way of getting around Japan; 50cc 'step-thrus' are often available for local sightseeing, and you don't need a motorbike licence to drive one. Traffic in Japan moves on the left. Exploring Japan by bicycle is perfectly feasible. The secret of enjoyable touring is to get off the busy main highways and onto the minor routes. Ferries are an excellent way of seeing parts of Japan you might otherwise miss.

The most dense network of ferry routes connects Kyosho, Shikoku and the southern coast of western Honsho, across the waters of the Inland Sea. Ferries also connect the mainland islands with the many smaller islands off the coast and those dotted down to Okinawa and beyond to Taiwan. Local transport is generally efficient. The largest cities have subway systems, which are the fastest and most convenient way to get around. Almost every Japanese city will have a bus service, but many foreigners find buses difficult to use. Trams, which operate in a number of cities, are easier to negotiate. Taxis are convenient but (what a surprise!) expensive.

Bombard the senses from full-speed Tokyo to Hokkaido hinterland.

Japan is such a kaleidoscopic jumble of ritual and history, neo-this and mega-that, full-colour countercultures, verdant islands and urban wastelands, past scars and future dreams, gardens, shrines and glittering cities that the only trouble will be fitting it all in.