The best of Kansai and Hiroshima

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.

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.

Hiroshima is reborn today as a vibrant, luminous city, a universal symbol of peace after the tragedy of 1945. The Peace Memorial Park preserves its memory around the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a museum that recounts with restraint both catastrophe and hope. Rebuilt along its six rivers, the city offers tree-lined boulevards, its castle and the Shukkei-en garden. Its cuisine is famous for the local style of okonomiyaki, a layered pancake of noodles and cabbage. A short trip away lies the island of Miyajima, where the red torii of Itsukushima Shrine — also UNESCO-listed — appears to float on the water at high tide. Hiroshima unites the power of memory with the warmth of a city looking to the future.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site venerated for centuries as a sacred island, Miyajima rests in the waters of the Seto Inland Sea, a short ferry crossing from Hiroshima. Its emblematic image is the great vermilion torii of the Itsukushima shrine which, at high tide, appears to float on the sea, offering one of Japan’s most celebrated views. The shrine itself, built on stilts and linked by walkways, reveals itself differently with every tide. Beyond the village one climbs, by ropeway or on foot through the forests, to the summit of Mount Misen, where panoramas over the surrounding islands reward the ascent and gentle deer accompany visitors. Along the village lanes one savours grilled oysters, the local speciality, and momiji manju, maple-leaf-shaped sweets. In autumn Momijidani-koen blazes with vivid reds. Miyajima enchants in the silence of dawn, when the torii emerges from the mist.