Japan, somewhere between chaos and calm.

Land in Tokyo. Check in. Realise fairly quickly that photographs did not prepare you for the scale of it.

We start in Shibuya, crossing the crossing because obviously we have to, then spend the evening getting acquainted with Tokyo at street level. Food, small lanes, bright signs, spring air and whatever catches our attention.

Later, we make our way towards Shinjuku and Harajuku. Stay for a drink, join the night out or call it when jet lag wins.

Tokyo gets stranger in the best possible way today. We start with a sumo experience, then move into an older side of the city around Senso-ji and Asakusa before looking at Tokyo from considerably higher up.

Spring adds another layer to the city, with Sakura spots appearing between temples, rivers and neighbourhood streets.

By evening, we head back into modern Tokyo for dinner and drinks. Then comes one of Japan’s great social equalisers. Karaoke. Talent is very much optional.

Time to leave the city behind. We travel towards Hakone, where skyscrapers give way to mountains and water.

Explore Lake Ashi, take the Hakone Ropeway and then check into our onsen stay. If Fuji decides to make an appearance, even better.

The rest of the evening requires very little ambition. Hot spring. Dinner. Yukata.

Breakfast, then onwards to Kyoto. After checking in, head towards Nishiki Market for lunch and enough wandering to accidentally eat several lunches.

Later, we step into a quieter side of Japan with a traditional tea ceremony and geisha cultural experience. Those who want to take the calm further can join an optional Zen meditation session.

Then the evening moves towards izakayas and the lantern-lit lanes around Pontocho.

Today is for the Japan people imagine before they arrive. Temples, old neighbourhoods, shrines, gardens and spring landscapes.

We spend the day between Kyoto and Nara, with enough time to walk, stop, eat and actually notice where we are. No racing between landmarks simply to say we saw them.

Back in Kyoto for dinner and another evening in the old capital.

Osaka has a very different personality. We transfer in, visit Osaka Castle, explore the market streets and leave a little room for what the city takes most seriously. Food.

By evening, we join a local food experience through Osaka. After that, Dotonbori.

Neon reflected in the river, enormous mechanical signs, bars tucked into side streets and no particular reason to have an early night.

Today comes with a choice. Take a day trip to Hiroshima for one of the most historically significant stops in Japan. Or stay in Osaka.

Sleep in. Wander. Shop. Find another bowl of noodles. Photograph things. Find a park full of Sakura. Do absolutely nothing productive.

Both are valid uses of a holiday.

No heroic final morning. Breakfast, last-minute convenience-store purchases, badly organised suitcases and the inevitable discussion about which city everyone liked most.

Then goodbyes and onward flights.