Asia - Japan

Tokyo, located on the eastern side of the main island of Honshu, is the core of the most populated area in the world (urban area 38M). The small fishing village of Edo was fortified in 1457 with Edo Castle (The Imperial Palace now stands at this location) and became one of the largest cities in the world by the 18th C. Its stringent policy of seclusion ended in 1854 and opened Japan to outside trade. Read more about Tokyo, Japan

Shimizu is located on the coast of Suruga Bay, 140km SW of Tokyo, on the island of Honshu, facing the Pacific Ocean. Shimizu-ku is actually a ward or sub-division of the city of Shiuoka. The Kakita River flows through the town. Read more about Shimizu, Japan

Kobe is the capital of the Hyogo Prefecture and lies on the southern side of the main island of Honshu, Japan. A cosmopolitan port city with an international flavour it is hemmed in by Mt. Rokko, and it constantly comes up number one in expatriate rankings of the best place to live in Japan. Read more about Kobe, Japan

Naha is the capital and main city of the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan, and is located on Okinawa Island, the largest of a long stretch of islands between mainland Japan and Taiwan. With the only sub-tropical climate in all of Japan it is a major tourist destination for the Japanese. Till recently there were not many foreign tourists to these shores, but this is quickly changing. Read more about Naha, Japan

Okinawa Island is the largest of a group of one hundred and fifty islands, the Ryukyu islands, scattered over a wide area in the southernmost prefecture of Japan. The city of Okinawa is second to the capital Naha, 22km to the SW. It has a separate history from the rest of Japan, having originally been an independent kingdom (Ryukyu), then under the power of China, followed by the US military which still has many occupied military bases there. Read more about Okinawa, Japan

Hualien City is located on the east coast of Taiwan, on a strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Central Mountain Range, and is the capital of the Hualien County. Tourists visit the city for its own beauty and interest, and it is also the base for a tour to the famous Torako Gorge, just a short distance north of the city. Hire a motor scooter or take a taxi to visit the numerous tourist spots. Read more about Hualien, Taiwan, Province of China

Kaohsiung is located in SW Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait. It is home to a major port, is Taiwan's second largest city, and its largest industrial centre. Interestingly, ferries play a key role in everyday transportation. Read more about Kaohsuing, Taiwan, Province of China

Hong Kong, situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea, is a kaleidoscope of life, a sophisticated fusion of East and West, a city of diversity where new and old meet at every turn. Hong Kong offers a host of memorable tourist attractions within its compact area. Victoria Harbour and the Giant Buddha are among the most awe-inspiring. Read more about Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Taipei, located on the Danshui River, is the largest city and the capital of Taiwan, in the Republic of China. It lies 25 km SW of the Pacific Ocean port Keelung in northern Taiwan. Now a sprawling metropolis, for those who love the hustle and bustle of a big city, it truly is a great place to visit. Read more about Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan, Province of China