Japan can be refreshingly weird and Harajuku, a corner of Tokyo near Yoyogi park, is a places where this surfaces every Sunday from an else hidden underground scene. Mostly young people dress up in the most far out costumes taken from mangas, fairytales, films, and forbidden fantasies and parade or just hanging out with their friends on Jingu Bridge. And they are serious about it. The different styles go under names like cosplay, Lolita Goth, and Visual kei. They are top stylize and what looks like a sweet Little Bo Peep can turn out to be middle aged man doing his thing. It is mind blowing and has to be seen before believed.

The volcano Fujisan is the icon of Japan and something you have to at least see, but even better hike. Its symmetrical cone is easily visible from Tokyo on a clear day and it's only getting more impressive the closer you get. The trek to the summit is fairly easy (though cold) and there are huts and tea houses along the routes that are open in the season (1st July to 27th August). It's probably the most trekked mountain in the world with more than 200.000 trekkers per year, but it only adds to the pilgrim experience to do it in crowds.

A fish market might not sound overly exciting, but this is not some random joint. Tsukiji wholesale fish and seafood market is the biggest by any measure. Anything from seaweed to 300 kg tunas is sold here and over 2500 tons are handled here every business day. The market consists of two sectors, the inner where the fishy thing is happening, and the outer where other food stuff and kitchen utensils are sold. The best time to visit is between 5.30 am to 8 am, if you come later all the action will be over, but the retail shops will still be open.

Kagoshima would be fairly ordinary Japanese mid-sized city pleasantly located on the shore of a bay, if it wasn't for the huge and active volcano Sakurajima on the other side. Last major eruption was in 1914 when it covered the town deep in ashes. Today it's one of the most active volcanoes in the world and blows smoke and ashes over the city frequently which make an umbrella handy. The schools have taken this one step further and added a yellow helmet to their school uniforms, which make the kids look like Bob the Builder. The volcano can be visited (though not climbed) and please note the many concrete shelters in case of Sakurajima should rumble.