SEEKING SPLENDOUR

For a taste of Japan’s rich cultural heritage, Sarah Riches returns to her former home to dine in temple restaurants and stay in traditional inns while on the hunt for antiques

- Sarah Riches

From Buddhist temples to Shinto shrines and castles to historic homes, Japan is rich in national treasures. It's also home to riches ranging from hand-thrown pottery and lacquerware to ancient calligraphy scrolls and one-of-a-kind paintings depicting classical scenes of cherry blossom, koi-filled ponds, geishas and samurai culture. While you'll easily find these prized possessions on display in museums across the country, to buy them for yourself, you'll need to delve into markets and antiques shops - and you need to know where to look.

Tokyo

Tokyo has been inhabited since 300 BC, long before the first Europeans - Portuguese traders whose ship had blown off course - landed in Japan in 1543. Threatened by foreign influence, Japan's rulers imposed a 250-year-long period of isolation. During this time, the economy and arts flourished, as documented in Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, which provides comprehensive exhibitions ranging from Palaeolithic times to the samurai period and beyond.

If the museum offers a snapshot of the city's history, the park provides an overview of its culture, with museums dedicated to art and science. So while you need at least four days to explore Tokyo, if you're short on time, Ueno gives a taste.

Meander east to Asakusa, home of Tokyo's oldest temple, Sensō-ji. Dip beneath an enormous lantern to enter Nakamise, an alleyway flanked with stalls selling parasols, fans and ceramics.