Japan
Japan , known as Nihon or Nippon in Japanese, is an island
nation in East Asia.
Japan consists of four main islands and many smaller islands,
notably Okinawa. Honshu, by far the largest and most populated
island, is divided into five regions.
Hokkaido - northernmost island, and snowy frontier
Tohoku - north-east Honshu, for seafood, skiing and hot springs
Kanto - coastal plain of Honshu, includes the cities of Tokyo
and Yokohama
Chubu - mountainous middle region of Honshu, dominated by the
Japan Alps and Japan's fourth-largest city Nagoya
Kansai - western region of Honshu, ancient capital of culture
and commerce, including the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and
Kobe
Chugoku - south-westernmost Honshu, a rural region best known
for the cities of Hiroshima and Shimonoseki
Shikoku - smallest of the 4 main islands, a destination for
Buddhist pilgrims, and Japan's best white-water rafting
Kyushu - southernmost of the 4 main islands, birthplace of Japanese
civilization; largest cities Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
Okinawa - semi-tropical southern island chain reaching out toward
Taiwan
Cities
Map of JapanJapan has thousands of cities; these are nine of
the most important to the traveller.
Tokyo - the capital, modern and densely populated.
Hiroshima - large port city, the first city to be destroyed
by an atom bomb
Kanazawa - historic city on the west coast
Kyoto - ancient capital of Japan, considered the cultural heart
of the country, with many ancient Buddhist temples and gardens
Nagasaki - ancient port city in Kyushu,the second city to be
destroyed by an atom bomb
Nara - first capital of a united Japan, with many Buddhist shrines,
and historical buildings
Osaka - large and dynamic city located in the Kansai region
Sapporo - largest city in Hokkaido, famous for its snow festival
Sendai - largest city in the Tohoku region, known as the city
of forests due to its tree lined avenues and wooded hills
Understand
The "Land of the Rising Sun" is a country where the
past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia,
yet has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions
and trends.
Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese
corporations dominate their industries, yet if you read the
financial news it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt.
Cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown
wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer
condominiums. On an average subway ride, you might see childishly
cute character toys and incredibly violent pornography - sometimes
enjoyed by the same passenger, at the same time! Japan has beautiful
temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs
and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you
might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional
chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These
juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored
by your travels in Japan.
People
As an island nation shut off from the rest of the world for
a long time, Japan is very homogeneous, with around 98% of the
population ethnically Japanese. The largest minority are Koreans,
around 1 million strong, many in their 3rd or 4th generations.
There are also sizable populations of Chinese, Filipinos and
Brazilians?(many of which ethnically are actually Japanese).
Indigenous ethnic minorities include the Ainu, driven north
over the centuries and now found mostly on Hokkaido, numbering
around 50,000 (although the number varies greatly depending
on the exact definition used), and the Ryukyuan people of Okinawa.
The Japanese are well known for their politeness. Many Japanese
are thrilled to have visitors to their country and are incredibly
helpful to lost and bewildered-looking foreigners. On the other
hand many are not used to dealing with foreigners (commonly
known as gaijin (??, outsider, or gaikokujin (??? - a more polite
phrasing) and are more reserved and reluctant to communicate.
