Head to the top of the famed Space Needle, enjoy the performers in Pioneer Square, watch fish-tossing in legendary Pike Place Market or spend the afternoon in the impressive Seattle Art Museum. Take in the groovy Experience Music Project or the fascinating Pacific Science Center. Dive into the sea at the Seattle Aquarium or take to the skies at the Museum of Flight.

Totem poles are one of Ketchikan‘s chief attractions, and the best places to view them are Saxman Village and Totem Bight State Park. Drop by the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center to learn about the local cultures and ecosystems.

For a state capital, Juneau maintains a surprising small-town charm, in part because it can only be reached by sea or air due to the surrounding wilderness. Collections from the indigenous people are displayed in the Alaska State Museum. Visit Mendenhall Glacier for outdoor adventure.

Hakodate is one of the main cities on Hokkaido, Japan‘s northernmost island. Looming over the town is 334m-high Mount Hakodate. The mountain‘s summit, reachable by aerial ropeway gondola, offers dramatic nighttime views. At its base is Motomachi, a neighborhood of steep streets with Western-style, early-20th-century buildings. A city landmark is the grand Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward, built in 1910.

Miyako is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 51,150, and a population density of 41 persons per km². The total area of the city is 1,259.15 square kilometers.

Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu. It‘s known for its modern architecture, nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-century shogunate Osaka Castle, which has undergone several restorations, is its main historical landmark. It‘s surrounded by a moat and park with plum, peach and cherry-blossom trees. Sumiyoshi-taisha is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.

Kochi Prefecture, on Japan’s Shikoku Island, is a largely rural area known for its mountains, rivers and Pacific beaches. Capital Kochi City has one of Japan’s best preserved feudal castles, Kochi-jo, established in the 1600s. The city‘s centuries-old Sunday market has hundreds of vendors selling food and other wares. Summer‘s Yosakoi Matsuri is a festival in which colorfully attired dance teams fill the streets.

Beppu is a city and spa resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Set between Beppu Bay and volcanic mountains, it‘s home to more than 2,000 onsen (hot springs). Kannawa Onsen district has facilities for bathing in nutrient-rich water, mud and sand. The 8 Hells of Beppu—6 in Kannawa, 2 in outlying Shibaseki—are dramatic landscapes of thermal pools. To the west is Mount Tsurumi, accessible by cable car.

Visit the skeletal A-Bomb Dome, the Peace Memorial Park and Museum and the statue dedicated to the children who died after the atomic bomb was dropped on this city in 1945. Stroll through beautifully landscaped Hiroshima Gardens, visit the rebuilt Hiroshima Castle or journey to the exquisite sacred island of Miyajima and see the extraordinary Itsukushima Shrine.

From trendy cafes and famous fish markets to sacred temples and traditional tea ceremonies, Busan, the second largest city in South Korea is bursting with flavors and culture. Take a walk in the relaxing Yongdusan Park while admiring the various species of trees and a view of the Busan Tower. At the Hongbeopsa farming temple, explore the renowned large Buddha statues at the Main Buddha Hall while walking along a water lily path, or experience a traditional Korean tea ceremony conducted by one of their monks.

Discover remnants of old Nagasaki beside the modern city. Visit the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. Or travel to Arita, home of magnificent Japanese ceramics, and tour famous Kakiemon Kiln, which continues a 400-year-old tradition. Experience feudal Japan and the natural wonders of Shimabara Peninsula with its volcanoes and hot springs.

Visit the exquisite Iso-Teien Garden and its villa, built in 1660, and enjoy its gorgeous views before a short ferry ride to smoking Sakurajima for a close-up view of the volcano and its lava fields. Or journey into the countryside to Chiran and its well-preserved streets lined with samurai homes. Enjoy the beautiful landscape of Lake Ikeda and the stunning vistas of the Satsuma Peninsula.