A beautiful garden at Kyoto's Shunkoin Temple provides a view for visitors during meditation classes. (ROBIN ROBINSON/QMI Agency)

9 crazy Asian cities World’s largest shopping malls Japan's must-sees in photos

TOKYO -- Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Canon, Nikon, Toshiba, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan -- these are just some of the brands that helped build Japan's reputation as a leader in cutting-edge technology. But this ancient country is also home to centuries-old traditions, which endure despite the hi-tech revolution that has taken place around them. The contrast between old and new is what makes Japan a truly fascinating country to visit.

Here are a few of the discoveries that await those who venture beyond Tokyo's glittering Ginza or touristy Asakusa district:

MIRAIKAN -- BOLDLY GO

I can't think of another museum that embodies the spirit of Japanese innovation quite as well as Miraikan: The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

Created by Japan's Science and Technology Agency -- and led by astronaut Mamoru Mohri -- the futuristic glass building is packed with permanent exhibits and fun hands-on gadgets that explain the science behind technology and its application to daily life. Visitors can build a robot, meet the humanoid ASIMO, "drive" a virtual reality horse, brush up on nano-technology, peek inside the body or take in a show in the Dome Theatre.

Most fascinating of all is the giant Geo-Cosmos -- representing planet Earth -- that floats over a six-storey atrium. The 6.5-metre sphere is made of 3,715 panels lit by nearly 1 million LED lights, which display daily conditions on Earth. The images are gathered from observation stations and satellites, and show real time planetary conditions such as weather, sea temperatures and carbon monoxide concentrations, as well as simulations of global warming.

You can see the Geo-Cosmos from every floor but the leather loungers on the first floor provide a unique perspective.

Information is available in Japanese and English, and volunteers are on hand to answer questions. Miraikan is on Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Tuesdays and from Dec. 28-Jan. 1). Admission is about $7.50 for adults, $2.50 for children and students. See miraikan.jst.go.jp/en.

WALK THIS WAY

The Kii Mountains have been a place of pilgrimage for more than 1,200 years. Considered the homeland of many gods, this is where Shintoism -- Japan's indigenous religion -- merged with Buddhism, and a new unique mixed-belief system was born.

The densely forested mountains are laced with ancient paths called the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. These once linked three important sacred sites -- Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan -- to the ancient imperial capitals of Nara and Kyoto. Along the routes are hundreds of centuries-old shrines, temples, monuments, beautiful waterfalls, rivers and old growth forests. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the region draws 15 million visitors per year -- not only religious pilgrims but also hikers and others wanting to connect with nature and authentic Japanese culture.

More than 50 temples in the area offer accommodations. We stayed at Sekishoin (Inn of the Temple), where we enjoyed a traditional Buddhist vegetarian meal and participated in morning prayers.

Information on sacred sites and routes is available at the Kumano Hongu and Wakayama World Heritage centres, see tb-kumano.jp/en/world-heritage/index.html.

YES DEER

The Sika deer who wander the streets of Nara -- Japan's capital from 710 to 784 -- are not the shy creatures that frolic in our woods. While equally as cute, these self-confident members of the cervidae family have nothing to fear from humans. Shinto followers believed deer were divine messengers of the gods and -- until the mid-1600s -- killing one could result in execution.

We visited the Nara Deer Park -- considered a "place of scenic beauty" -- on a rainy day but the inclement weather didn't deter Bambi's cousins from assertively interacting with anyone they thought might feed them shika-senbei (rice crackers that are sold in the park).

After the Second World War, the deer were stripped of their exalted sacred status but were designated as National Treasures and still protected by the state.

A path through the park leads to Todaiji, the Great Eastern Temple complex that encompasses the Great Buddha Hall -- the world's largest wooden building that contains the world's largest bronze Buddha, a 15.25-metre-high behemoth known as Daibutsu. Todaiji -- also a UNESCO site -- is the Japanese headquarters of Kegon Buddhism. The park is also home to the five-storey Kofukuji pagoda and the Nara National Museum.

Admission to the park and museum are free but there are fees for Kofukuji and Todaiji. See pref.nara.jp/nara_e.

PEACE BE WITH YOU

Sixty-five years have passed since the first atomic bomb was detonated over Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. The stark horror of how the bomb instantly flattened and incinerated buildings -- along with some 140,000 people -- is well documented at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where exhibits, photographs and artifacts such as melted roof tiles, metal lunch-boxes, even scorched human remains, and the testimony of survivors are displayed.

Other exhibits document the post-bomb period, when an estimated additional 70,000 people died of their injuries or illnesses from radiation exposure, the rebuilding process, the Cold War and the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the world. In the adjacent Hiroshima Peace Park are dozens of monuments, including the main Peace Memorial -- the ruins of the Genbaku Dome or A-Bomb Dome, the only building left standing in a 2-km radius after the blast.

If it sounds a little overwhelming, it is, but the museum does an excellent job of putting everything into a 21st-century context, explaining how Hiroshima has dedicated itself to world peace and is active in the fight to abolish nuclear weapons around the world. Each year the mayor delivers a Peace Declaration, the city protests every nuclear weapons test, and it reaches out to communities around the world (426 so far, including Toronto) to join forces for peace.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (closed Dec. 29 to Jan. 2). Admission is about 65˘ for adults, 35˘ for children and students. English signage, brochures and English audio guides are available (about $4 per recorder). For more information, see pcf.city.hiroshima.jp.

SHRINE ISLAND

Those who venture to Itsukushima Island -- also called Miyajima or "Shrine Island -- won't be disappointed. The view of centuries-old Itsukushima Shrine -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- is considered one of Japan's most iconic vistas. At high tide, the Shinto shrine and its red O-Torii -- or Grand Gate -- appear to float in the waters of the Inland Sea. When the tide recedes, the complex is surrounded by tidal flats and you can walk out for a close-up look at the enormous gate. The shrine buildings themselves are linked by pier-like covered wooden walkways so visitors don't have to get their feet wet or muddy.

Wild deer wander freely around the sparsely populated island. It's not unusual to see them near the ferry terminal, walking along sidewalks -- even browsing in souvenir shops that leave their doors open! The island is also known for its abundant Japanese maples, which are smaller than North American varieties but also turn crimson in the fall. Many shops sell maple treats including leaf-shaped cookies.

The mountainous island is home to many other historically significant shrines and temples as well as a botanical gardens. A tram takes visitors up Mt. Misen -- the island's highest peak. From there, hikers can follow the Miyajima Ropeway to the top.

Itsukushima Island in Setonaikai National Park and makes an excellent day trip from Hiroshima. There are frequent ferries from the mainland. The ferry trip takes about 10 minutes. For details, contact the Miyajima Tourist Association at miyajima.or.jp or Hatsukaichi City Tourism at miyajima-wch.jp.

FIND YOUR ZEN

With more than 2,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, Kyoto is Japan's cultural heartland. Many of these religious establishments offer meditation classes and take in guests for temple stays.

I visited Shunkoin Temple with some colleagues, where we met Reverend Takafumi Kawakami for a class in Zen meditation followed by a tour. I wasn't sure what to expect from the experience but the articulate and friendly vice-abbot put us instantly at ease. Kawakami advised us to relax, sit comfortably on the wooden floor with legs crossed and backs straight, regulate our breathing and focus on the moment as we gazed off into space in a cool room overlooking a lush garden.

His calm demeanour erased the self-consciousness I was feeling and for a few minutes I did slip into a meditative state before being distracted by the view.

Shunkoin belongs to the Myoshinji temple complex (the largest of Japan's Rinzai sects). Kawakami's family have strong ties to the temple that go back five generations. Shunkoin -- or Temple of The Ray of Spring Light -- originated in the 1500s (the present building was built in the 18th century) and houses many historical items connected to Buddhism, Shintoism and, surprisingly, Christianity. These include beautiful screens painted by Eigaku Kano that depict Christian and Confucian themes, a bronze bell from Nanbanji -- a Jesuit-founded church dating to 1577 -- which was hidden by Shunkoin monks after Christianity was outlawed, and the Garden of Boulders modelled after the Grand Shinto Shrine of Ise.

Shunkoin offers classes and tours in English three times a day (about $25 including refreshments). The temple also has two rooms with private baths (about $65 per night with temple tour, add $12.50 for mediation class). For details, see shunkoin.com. For Kyoto info, contact the Kyoto Tourism Council at kyoto.travel.com.

IF YOU GO

To Japan

MORE INFORMATION

For details on all aspects of travel in Japan, including rail passes and tours, contact the Japan National Tourism Organization in Toronto at 416-366-7140 or the JNTO Canada website, ilovejapan.ca. We flew to Tokyo with Japan Airlines and travelled around the country by train. Return economy class fares start around $1,300. See ar.jal.com/en for details.