A destination as diversely rich as Japan offers even seasoned explorers insights into the joys of travel. Topping the list is a common craving for one of the world’s most awarded cuisines, which often results in a pilgrimage to Tokyo (it boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants than Paris, France), or the ancient capital of Kyoto, dubbed the “spiritual home” of traditional Japanese cuisine.

Others might indulge in the country’s spiritual splendour with a breath-taking climb up 1,000 steps to the mountain temple of Yamadera in Yamagata; or head north-bound to Hokkaido for a snow-capped diversion. But here’s the thing, many of the Japan’s natural splendours can be found in the Chubu region, which comprises nine prefectures including Aichi by the sea and Gifu in the Japanese alps.

PICKING YOUR PERKS

Flying into Chubu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya) is your best bet. A modern city often makes a good base for day trips, and located just 30 minutes by train from the airport is the industrial city of Nagoya (just 35 minutes from Kyoto on the Shinkansen). Along with its architectural highlights, the city also boasts native gastronomic treats: From miso-katsu (tonkatsu served with a local miso-based sweet sauce) and marinated fried chicken wings (tebasaki), to sumo-sized indigenous tempura ebi (shrimp), as well as a traditional dish of grilled eel swathed in a sweet-savoury sauce and served over steamed rice (hitsumabushi).

The latter is a dish unique to the region and should fill you up nicely for a post-lunch exploration of Nagoya Castle. It was the first castle to be designated a national treasure in 1930, before both its donjon and the Hommaru Palace were destroyed by fire during the 1945 air raids. The reconstruction of the palace is well underway and slated to be completed in 2018 (at a cost of 1.5 billion yen — S$1.8 4 billion), although sections of the main hall are open for public viewing.

A visit to Japan would not be complete without a dip into a few local eccentricities (and, no, I’m not talking about the World Cosplay Summit). Located a little further north is a quiet city of Seto, noted for its production of ceramics, a reputation that has survived 1,000 years (flourishing during the Edo period, from 1603 to 1867). But Seto also hosts the Kurufuku Maneki-neko Festival in September, an annual event that celebrates the original feline idol of Japan: Not Hello Kitty, but the “beckoning cat” — you know, the one with the raised paw.

By the way, if its right paw is raised, it’s said to signify a call for financial fortune, while the other paw raised is said to beckon people. It seems rather apt, given that the city began mass producing this symbolic figurine 100 years ago. The deceivingly-modest-in-size Maneki-neko Museum has more than 5,000 cat collectibles by various artists spanning boroughs, cultures and eras, making this Japan’s largest collection.

Located a short drive away is the restored Inuyama Castle, another castle designated a national treasure. Perched high on the south side of the Kiso River, it has the oldest original structure of any castle in the country — and a top-floor view that will quite literally take you back to a more picturesque time.

Speaking of which, nothing marries a love for antiquity and a peculiar sense of entertainment better than a visit to Meiji-Mura, located in a vast wooded area next to Lake Iruka. The open-air architectural museum/theme park features buildings from the Meiji era, curated from all over Japan and artfully restored. You can even dress up in period costumes for a photo keepsake. But decide what might pique your curiosity the most as you need a good two days to visit to every building in the park.

winter pleasures

Personally, I think Japan is best enjoyed in its more natural settings — like soaking in an open-air hot spring while snowflakes gently settle on your face. An hour’s drive from the famous Gero hot springs on the edge of Gifu, the landscape transformed dramatically, unfolding into a wild and wintery panorama as we headed deeper into the valleys and traversed across mountain passes. Almost unexpectedly, I found myself in Takayama city (Hida-Takayama), gawking at snow-washed mountains on the right and lush forest on the left. This is a city famed for its well-preserved old towns dating back to the 1600s, which include old merchant houses and traditional sake breweries that continue to produce this annual tipple. And one of the perks of arriving in winter is the chance to sample freshly brewed “new sake”.

Timely intoxications aside, one of the city’s main attractions, is one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan, the Takayama Festival. It’s a two-part extravaganza that takes place in spring (Sanno Matsuri, April 14 and 15) and in autumn (Hachiman Matsuri, Oct 9 and 10). There are a total of 23 scrupulously decorated floats (12 for the spring festival and 11 for the autumn parade) that go on display, attracting some 20,000 foreign visitors a year. An exhibition hall — the Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan — showcases these floats, but only four at a time.

And if you’re looking for winter wonderlands, a day trip to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must. This isolated countryside in the mountains, located about an hour’s drive from Takayama, sees unusually heavy snowfall, up to two metres sometimes. This has helped shape the architecture of the houses that make up the 400-year-old village of Ogimachi at its heart, many of which still flaunt the thick gassho-zukuri style thatched roofs. Some still make their home here, while others like the Wada family, have chosen to preserve their house as a showcase to attract more visitors.

Even this far up, hot springs remain a major draw, with some baths located close to the small town of Hida-Furukawa; while deep in the Northern Japanese alps in Okuhida, a short stay at ryokan Hodakaso Sangetsu proved that a fine kaiseki dinner followed by a hot bath in the snow is a lot more transcendent that one might first posit, as I savoured this region’s enchantingly diverse landscape.

This trip was made possible by Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines operate daily direct flights from Singapore to Nagoya, gateway to Central Japan.