Japan

Japan. The Land of the Midnight Sun, or, the Land Where You Wish You Could Find an ATM Machine at Midnight. It's a land that's ultramodern, yet some conveniences to which we Westerners are accustomed are hard to find--like 24-hour ATMs and corner stores that accept Visa. You'll find the most ultramodern buildings around, yet down the street from it there will be an ancient wooden teahouse. On the subway you'll meet the most polite people ever, who, after finishing their conversation with you, will return to their graphic and violent pornographic comic books, which they probably bought in one of the ubiquitous vending machines that sell everything from cans of beer to sacks of rice. Be prepared financially: the money will fly right out of your wallet, but Japan nonetheless can be affordable. In sum, there is something intriguing about a country where a little digital woman wearing a kimono bows after you use a pay phone, after which you can buy a two-dollar subway ticket from a vending machine that accepts a 10,000 yen (US$80) bill!

• Fukuoka

• Kyoto and Osaka

• Nagasaki

• Tokyo