Check into your tatami suite and change into a cotton yukata and geta wooden sandals — the inn's okami (proprietress) shows you how to tie the obi correctly for the season.

Wander the historic willow-lined canal at dusk, entering each of the seven outdoor bathhouses at your own pace with your inn-issued bath pail and towel.

Your kaiseki dinner — twelve small courses designed around seasonal produce — is served privately in your room by a kimono-clad attendant, one course at a time.

Rise before other guests for a quiet morning soak in the inn's private rotenburo (open-air bath), watching steam drift over the stone garden as the sun climbs.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple — A UNESCO World Heritage hillside temple whose vast wooden stage opens over Kyoto.

Sannenzaka & Ninenzaka — Kyoto's best-preserved old stone lanes, lined with traditional shops and teahouses.

Kinkaku-ji Temple — the UNESCO World Heritage Golden Pavilion- its gold leaf mirrored perfectly in the pond.

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — Towering bamboo stalks lining a quiet, otherworldly path outside the city.

Togetsukyo Bridge — Arashiyama's landmark bridge over the Katsura River, framed by wooded hills.

Minoh Falls — One of Japan's finest waterfalls, hidden in the forested hills just outside the city.

Katsuo-ji Temple — A mountain temple famous for the thousands of daruma dolls left by past visitors.

Osaka Castle — A towering symbol of Japan's feudal past, rebuilt above stone ramparts and moats.

Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku Tower — A retro downtown quarter built around its own mini Eiffel Tower.

Sumiyoshi Taisha — One of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, in a rare and ancient architectural style.

Abeno Harukas — Western Japan's tallest building, its observation deck opening out over the whole city.

Dotonbori — Osaka's neon-lit canal district, alive with giant signboards and after-dark energy.

Senso-ji Temple — Tokyo's oldest and most iconic Buddhist temple, nestled in the heart of Asakusa.

Tokyo Skytree — At 634 meters, the tallest structure in Japan, framing the city's skyline from Sumida.

Nihonbashi — The historic bridge and stone marker from which every distance in old Japan was measured.

Tsukiji Outer Market — A lively food street of fresh seafood, street snacks, and Tokyo's best-known flavors.

Meiji Jingu Shrine — A forested shrine of towering torii gates, hidden in the heart of the city.

Shinjuku Gyoen — A sprawling garden of ponds, lawns, and seasonal blooms in the middle of Shinjuku.

Shibuya Crossing — One of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world, pulsing with neon and crowds.

Arakurayama Sengen Park — Climb to the classic view of a five-storey pagoda with Mount Fuji rising behind it.

CYCL Sauna — A strikingly modern sauna framing Mount Fuji through floor-to-ceiling glass.

Oshino Hakkai — A village of crystal-clear spring ponds fed by Mount Fuji's snowmelt, framed by thatched-roof houses.

Fujiyoshida Honcho Street — A classic view straight down an old shopping street to Mount Fuji rising at its end.