LUXURY TRAVEL TO JAPAN-TOKYO

Tokyo is commonly referred to as a megacity, for good reason: the Greater Tokyo area is the world’s most populous metropolis, with a population of over 35 million that is, despite Japan’s declining population, still growing. Moving behind that gleaming, pristine façade of robotics and cars and the newest flat-screens are the seemingly endlessly-milling people of Tokyo, categorically stereotyped as the sea of black-suited, faceless salarymen and high-pitched, perpetually-smiling elevator girls and saleswomen. At night, the scene shifts, huge neon billboards lighting up crowded streets filled to the brim with trendily-dressed teenagers and those who have just knocked off work and are out for dinner and drinks—the women, coiffed and perfectly made-up, the men, with their distinctly indistinguishable jackets and booming laughter. And that is what Tokyo is, a dizzying array of never-ending bustle, noise and movement, a collective representation of the concrete city with all its civilized and uncivilized aspects: Shinjuku, the vaguely-seedy nightlife hotspot where musicians, artists, and those wandering into the red-light district gather, and where Tokyo’s best-known gay district is located; Shibuya, one of the major fashion centers of Japan, especially for young people; Akihabara, the computer, electronic, anime/otaku hub, offering up both new and used goods like a giant warehouse market; Roppongi, an Asian Beverly Hills of sorts, home to the ludicrously wealthy; Marunouchi, the center of Japan’s financial industry and home to the country’s three largest banks; and then there is that unmistakable landmark of the expansive Imperial Palace with sculpted gardens and artfully-drooping trees, set in the middle of skyscrapers and a maze of busy intersections.

Tokyo, as per its reputation as one of the most important business cities in the world, offers a range of impressive business hotels. Stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo (providing for much of the backdrop of Lost in Translation ), the modern, gadget-centric Peninsula or the renowned luxury of the Mandarin Oriental. Design hotel Claska provides a good alternative for those looking for something other than a business hotel while the Four Seasons Chinzan-So, set in a historic Japanese garden, blends period European decor, idyllic surroundings and a spa delineating the best of the Japanese zen aesthetic and an inspired incorporation of the flowers to be found on the grounds of the Chinzan-so gardens.

Beyond Omotesando, we bring you to the back alleys of Tokyo to its hidden bars, delving straight into nomiya culture- a retinue of unpublicized bars hidden in Tokyo's mysterious dark alleys, trading on word-of-mouth and an exclusivity that parallels a private club. These bars, popular amongst the local intelligentsia in old Japan are, in a twist of  'postmodern nostalgia' being celebrated once again amongst Tokyo's beau-monde.

Alternatively, go on a sensory tour of Tokyo, trawling through its fish markets, taking part in a kodo ceremony and finally, sampling the distillation of Tokyo's scents as interpreted by its avant-garde creatives.

From Tokyo, take a one-hour flight to the island of Shikoku (and then another two hours' drive) to reach a spa-hotel that is the brainchild of Shu Uemura. Tapping on the healing properties of the island's waters, piping in the island's concentrated waters from about 1,200 feet down, further refining it before using it for therapy. The island's deep seabeds evidently a repository of stagnant waters, thereby resulting in waters concentrated in minerals and valuable trace elements and the island's waters is used in everything from spa treatments to cooking the meals at the hotel.