The Sky Deck is the tallest outdoor observatory towering 270 meters above sea level in the Kanto region and, along with City View, offer an unobstructed, and mighty impressive 360-degree view of Tokyo and the surrounding areas. You visit at night, you would not be disappointed. For it is at night when the city truly comes alive with the all glitter and glow of the buildings below.

After taking in the 360-degree panorama of Tokyo from the Sky Deck Observatory, a relaxing way to ground oneself again can be found in the nearby Mohri Garden adjacent to the TV Asahi Bldg. Hydrangeas bloom in summer and cherry blossoms bloom in spring in this small, yet oasis-like garden in the middle of Roppongi.

Kakiyasu is a traditional sukiyaki restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district. The staff are beautifully dressed in traditional kimono and the attention to service and detail is world-class. Besides being incredibly delicious, the presentation of the meal was art-like and added something special to an already heightened dining experience.

No trip to Japan is complete until you don a traditional kimono or yukata and take a leisurely stroll about town.The Kimono Gallery in Ginza offers kimono and yukata rentals for travelers. The staff is attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable and they will do their best to match you to a kimono or yukata that fits your personality.

Tsuruya Yoshinobu is a 200-plus-year-old confectionery store, offers traditional Japanese sweets made from glutinous rice, flour and sugar. It is recommended to sit at the bar to watch as the master craftsmen carefully sculpt the treats.

The Nihonbashi district of Tokyo first gained prominence in the 17th century due to it being the eastern terminus for the Tokaido and Nakasendo roads that connected Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto. It is recommended to walk over the bridge, paying particular attention while crossing to the lion statues that adorn the bridge on either side.

The Sky Bus Tokyo double-decker bus is as enjoyable as it is informative. And for those of you who do not speak Japanese, fear not, for headphones are provided, free of charge, allowing one to plug into the in-seat audio jack to take advantage of the guided audio tour. This audio service is offered in English, Korean and Chinese.

Soba noodles are the perfect meal for after taking in the sights and sounds of Tokyo from the open-air Sky Bus Night Tour. Made every day from scratch in-house, these noodles take on a lighter and more aromatic quality than traditional soba noodles.
Takadaya overlooks the Rainbow Bridge and is located in Aqua City in Odaiba.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Hotel Marunouchi, located just outside Tokyo Station, offers both convenience and luxury. The rooms are spacious with generous views of the city, the en-suite amenities are ample, and the beds are soft while still being supportive.

Haneda Airport is located just a short 45-minute train ride from almost anywhere in central Tokyo and thus is very convenient. Our flight was extremely punctual, and the comfort of the airport was top notch.

Micchan is known for their take on okonomiyaki (Japanese-style pancake), and it was delicious. We ordered a set menu and were surprised by the volume of food that arrived, yet everything was so good we ate almost all of it.

The Orizuru Tower observation deck was beautifully designed using Japanese Sugi and Hinoki woods, and it was an excellent way to be introduced to Hiroshima from above and to see the Peace Memorial Park for the first time.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park exists as a solemn reminder of not only the complete devastation, suffering and destruction caused by a nuclear bomb, but also the tragedies and suffering inherent to war itself. The park is located city center and features such notable symbols as the Atomic Bomb Dome, Children's Peace Monument, Rest House, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

I am always keen to travel by boat, and the World Heritage Sea Route did not disappoint. It took us a good 45 minutes to reach Miyajima from the port, but it was a nice ride.

Itsukushima Shrine and surrounding area are listed in and protected under the UNESCO World Heritage site conventions. The island is accessible via ferry from the port located near Miyajimaguchi Station or via boat from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

The illuminated nightscape is an extraordinary way to experience the torii at Itsukushima Shrine. It glows bright orange with the illumination and lends itself well to night photography, especially long-exposure photography. The area became peaceful and reflective at night.

The rooms at Kikunoya Ryokan were clean, comfortable and, most of all, offered unobstructed views of the torii at Itsukushima Shrine. The staff was attentive, and the service was excellent.

Kayaking around the torii of Itsukushima was a highlight of our trip. The tour guide was knowledgeable and did his best to show us a fun time. I would recommend this to other travelers to Itsukushima.

We enjoyed a delicious meal of oysters, prepared many different ways, at Kakiya on Itsukushima Island. The dining area was lit nicely with natural light streaming in from the large floor-to-ceiling windows.

The city of Onomichi is known for being the gateway to the Shimanami Kaido cycling route, as well as being known for its hilly geography, many Buddhist temples, and also having inspired many of Japan's artists, poets, and filmmakers with its natural beauty. Whether you are starting your cycling tour on the Shimanami Kaido, or just looking to spend a few days in a beautiful and culturally rich town, you can't go wrong with Onomichi.

We had a great dining experience at Tamaganzou. We enjoyed many seafood dishes and drank some bright and clean Hiroshima-produced sake. Overall, it was an enjoyable dining experience.

The room at U2 Cycle Hotel was modern, clean, well appointed and comfortable. Breakfast in the morning was delicious.

The Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route is a 70-km bike path that stretched from Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture, down to Imabari in Ehime Prefecture. You can rent bicycles from one of the roughly 13 rental stations along the way. While on this particular trip, we only cycled a short section of the Shimanami Kaido, we still very much enjoyed this experience.

We ended up eating at a local ramen shop called Sayo. This ramen shop was unique in that it served lemon ramen. It was a pleasure to be able to try such a uniquely flavored ramen.

Overall I had an enjoyable experience on this trip. Tokyo was fun, what I enjoyed most was our time spent in Hiroshima, Itsukushima and Onomichi. It was all memorable, and I will be sure to recommend this route to my friends in the future when they visit Japan.