The Duke’s Diwan is a time capsule of early 20th-century Amman, hidden in plain sight on the busy King Faisal Street. Built in 1924 as the city’s first post office, this Ottoman-era stone house later became the Haifa Hotel before heritage activist Mamdouh Bisharat ("The Duke of Mukheibeh") rescued it from demolition in 2001. Today, its creaking wooden floors lead through rooms frozen in Jordan’s past, complete with antique typewriters, sepia photos of camel caravans on dusty roads, and a balcony overlooking downtown’s metamorphosis. More than a museum, it’s a living diwan (gathering space): poets hold readings at the carved oak table, while artists riff under the Arabian archways. Admission is free, and the duke himself sometimes holds court, spinning tales of old Amman over cardamom coffee. Don’t miss the upstairs gallery, where rotating exhibits spotlight Jordan’s underground creatives.

Shinjuku's Kabukicho red-light district transforms after dark into a spectacle of neon-lit alleyways. The experience is defined by its visual energy, from the looming Godzilla head to the blinking signs of robot-themed restaurants. While not officially part of the district, the nearby lanes of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho offer a contrasting, intimate atmosphere with their tiny, traditional bars and eateries. A relatively new addition to the neighbourhood, Thermae-Yu is a six-storey onsen. The complex uses natural hot spring water sourced daily from Shizuoka. With facilities open for 22 hours every day, it functions as a popular overnight refuge for those who have missed the last train, offering a place to rest until the city stirs again at dawn.

This nationally recognised Shinto shrine is considered one of Japan’s primary symbols of the country’s major religion. Take in the huge 11-metre cypress tree torii (gate) before wandering peacefully along winding paths to the wonderful inner buildings. Near the main complex, the modern Meiji Jingu Museum displays personal artefacts of the imperial couple, from manuscripts to garments. For a small fee, the Inner Garden (Jingu Naien) reveals a landscape of seasonal beauty, most famous for its June iris blooms.