The best place to travel for a special occasion in Japan

AFTER WALKING THE KUMANO KODO IN SEPTEMBER, WE WILL CELEBRATE MY HUSBAND'S 60TH BIRTHDAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, AND AN ITINERARY FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK? J. BROWN, STANMORE NSW

That calls for a special celebration, and you might also feel like a long session in a hot tub.

One place that fits the bill is Ryokan Yunominesou (yunominesou.com), a mountain onsen, a natural hot springs, which is located in the south-east quarter of the Kii Peninsula, about a one-hour drive from Nachikatssuura.

Yunominesou is a traditional ryokan, which means you'll sleep on futons on a tatami floor and eat a kaiseki menu, a multi-course meal, and soak in the indoor or outdoor hot-spring baths.

Buses run from close to Yunominesou to Kii-Tanabe Station, where you can take a train to Osaka.

If you feel like a big-city experience, Osaka has a dining reputation second only to Tokyo's.

At the top of the tree, Fujiya 1935 (fujiya1935.com) is one of the city's finest, serving a kaiseki menu with French influences.

Another of the city's three Michelin-star restaurants, Kashiwaya (jp-kashiwaya.com/senriyama) serves a classical kaiseki menu, very old school. Hajime (hajime-artistes.com) is more at the gastronomic cutting edge.

For the remainder of your time, Kyoto is a must, but another possibility is Naoshima (benesse-artsite.jp/en), Japan's "art island" in the Seto Inland Sea known for its modern art museums, architecture and sculptures.

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