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Japan’s world-renowned cuisine is a reflection of its storied history—don’t leave the country without trying these foods.

Travel to these places and try one of Japan’s most relaxing traditions.

A country that spent much of its history in isolation, Japan claims unique arts and crafts traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation, with little influence from the outside world.

You might go for the temples. They’ll go for the video games, giant toy stores, and bizarre candy.

Just a five minute train ride from the center of Kamakura is the Daibutsu, a giant Buddhist statue. This bronze statue was created 761 years ago. My husband’s grandfather has photos of himself with the Daibutsu from 1945 when he was stationed outside Kamakura and while the statue’s surroundings alter, it remains unchanged. We paid twenty yen (about 20 US cents) to climb inside the Daibutsu and felt like we stepped back in time. Kamakura is about an hour train ride from Tokyo and the giant Buddha is one of many great sights for a day trip close to Tokyo.

This is a stone statue of Buddha (jizou in Japanese) positioned in front of a withered tree on the grounds of Engakuji Temple in Kita-kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The large temple complex comprises 18 temples and was founded in 1282 by a Chinese Zen monk and was intended to honor warriors slain on both sides of the attempted Mongol invasion from 1274 to 1281.

I am high above Tokyo at night in a helicopter somewhere near Roppongi. Excel Air Service offers a number of excellent helicopter cruising packages that allow you to experience Tokyo and Yokohama in a way no other method of transportation can—flying above the world’s largest metropolis. It is simultaneously exhilarating, beautiful, even surreal, and really cements the feeling of being on the set of Blade Runner. Flight times can be booked from 3:30 in the afternoon until 8:30 at night, depending upon the season, with flight times ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, and you can either fly with other passengers or opt to charter the copter all to yourself (which of course raises the price accordingly). The helicopter (an 8-passenger Sikorsky S-76, I believe) departs from Urayasu Heliport (located directly behind Disney Sea in Maihama on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo and about a 20-minute drive from the city center) every 15 minutes. Before boarding, you can enjoy free soft drinks and COD alcoholic beverages in the elegant lounge area at Excel’s hangar. Rates range 19,800 per person for group tours to 130,000 yen for exclusive use depending on the day and time; the company also offers luxury charter flights around Mt. Fuji and the Kamakura/Shonan area for a cool 920,000 yen per hour in a S-76 (and about half that in a Eurocpoter AS355). Better starting saving now.