Classic Southern Honshu and Shikoku: Onsen, Art and Temples

Kyoto holds the most authentic soul of Japan: imperial capital for more than a thousand years, it preserves a heritage of temples, gardens and traditions that make it one of the most captivating cities in the world. Spared the bombing of the last war, it gathers within its streets more than a thousand shrines and temples, many inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The visit comes to life in the Higashiyama district, where the cobbled lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka climb towards Kiyomizu-dera, a wooden temple suspended on a panoramic terrace overlooking the city. Nearby, Gion is the heart of the geisha world: at dusk, along the wooden teahouses of Hanamikoji, one may glimpse a maiko wrapped in her kimono. To the northwest gleams Kinkaku-ji, the famous Golden Pavilion mirrored in its pond, while Ryoan-ji holds the most enigmatic of Zen rock gardens. Fushimi Inari Taisha enchants with its thousands of vermilion torii gates winding up the sacred mountain, and the Arashiyama bamboo grove, on the western edge, offers a walk through a suspended world, beside the Togetsukyo bridge and the hillside temples. Kyoto is also a refined culture of taste: kaiseki cuisine, ceremonial matcha tea, wagashi sweets and the stalls of Nishiki Market, nicknamed "Kyoto's kitchen". The cherry blossoms in spring and the crimson maples in autumn turn the city into a living painting. A city of temples and silences, of artisans and ceremonies, Kyoto reveals itself slowly, to those who know how to walk with attentive eyes and a patient step. Kinosaki Onsen enchants with its retro atmosphere, set along a canal lined with weeping willows and stone bridges in the northern part of Hyogo, a short distance from the Sea of Japan. This elegant hot-spring town has made its seven public baths (soto-yu) the heart of the experience: guests stroll from one spring to the next wrapped in yukata and wearing geta clogs, in a scene unchanged for centuries. The lanes are lined with traditional ryokan, little shops and inns serving the prized Tajima crab, the winter speciality of this stretch of coast. A cable car climbs to the mountaintop for views over the bay, while nearby lie beaches and the Onsen-ji temple. Kinosaki is the ideal retreat for those wishing to savour the most authentic Japan, between warm waters and old-world charm.

Okayama lies in western Japan and is known above all for Korakuen, one of the country's three finest landscape gardens, where ponds, streams and artificial hills are arranged in full view of Okayama Castle, nicknamed the "Crow Castle" for its black walls. The city is tied to the legend of Momotaro, the hero born from a peach, celebrated in statues and traditional sweets. From here, excursions reach nearby Kurashiki, with its picturesque canal quarter and elegant historic storehouses, and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, accessible along the scenic Shimanami Kaido cycling route. A mild climate and seafood cuisine make Okayama a pleasant and authentic base.

Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea transformed into a remarkable open-air museum, where contemporary art, architecture and landscape converse in perfect harmony. Dotted with museums designed by architect Tadao Ando — among them the celebrated Chichu Art Museum, largely carved underground so as not to disturb the contour of the hills — the island hosts installations by world-renowned artists, from Yayoi Kusama's iconic yellow polka-dot pumpkin set on the pier to the house-artworks of the Art House Project. Among quiet beaches, fishing villages and artworks scattered everywhere, Naoshima is best explored by bicycle, revealing a new emotion at every turn. Naoshima is the unmissable destination for those who love art and wish to experience it in an unusual and poetic setting.

Takamatsu faces the Seto Inland Sea, the main port of Shikoku island and the gateway to one of Japan's most captivating archipelagos. The city is home to the magnificent Ritsurin Kōen, one of the country's finest landscape gardens, with ponds, bridges and tea pavilions framed by Mount Shiun. From its harbour ferries set sail for the famous art islands of Naoshima and Teshima, where contemporary museums and installations converse with the seascape. Takamatsu is also renowned for its sanuki udon, thick wheat noodles served in countless local shops. Between gardens, sea and creativity, Takamatsu is the perfect base for exploring Shikoku and its islands.

Kotohira rises at the foot of Mt Zōzu, in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. The town owes its fame to Kompira-san (Kotohira-gū), an ancient shrine of sailors reached by climbing 785 stone steps lined with shops and tea houses. From the top, the view sweeps across the Sanuki plain to the Seto Inland Sea. Below, one of Japan’s oldest kabuki theatres, hot springs and the renowned Sanuki udon round off a visit blending spirituality and local flavours.

Oboke lies along the gorges carved by the Yoshino River, in the mountainous heart of Shikoku island. The sheer rock walls and emerald waters of the Oboke Gorge (“great dangerous step”) can be explored aboard small sightseeing boats, gliding past rapids and smoothly sculpted stone. A natural gateway to the remote Iya Valley, Oboke offers wild landscapes and the authentic atmosphere of rural Japan, where nature still sets the rhythm of the journey.

Osaka pulses with an unmistakable energy: Japan's second metropolis and the country's gastronomic capital, it is a frank, lively and generous city, where dazzling modernity coexists with the warmth of a merchant tradition centuries old. Set on the bay that shares its name, it has always been a crossroads of trade and the gateway to the heart of the Kansai region. The city's symbol is Osaka Castle, an imposing reconstructed fortress that dominates a vast park, spectacular during the cherry blossom season. But it is after dusk that Osaka shines: in the Dotonbori district, along the canal, neon signs reflect on the water and the famous Glico running-man billboard has become an icon. Here comes alive the philosophy of kuidaore, "to eat until you drop": stalls serve takoyaki (octopus balls), okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) and kushikatsu skewers, in a riot of aromas and voices. Nearby, the lively Shinsekai with its Tsutenkaku tower evokes the retro Osaka of the early twentieth century, while the Namba district reigns as the realm of shopping and entertainment. For quieter moments, Shitenno-ji, among Japan's oldest Buddhist temples, and the modern skyscrapers of Umeda with their panoramic terraces offer opposite yet equally fascinating views. Osaka is also an ideal base for excursions: Kyoto, Nara with its deer and Great Buddha, and the sanctuary of Koyasan are all within easy reach. A city with an open heart and a quick wit, Osaka wins over those seeking the most authentic and convivial Japan, to be savoured at the table and along its illuminated streets.