Welcome to Japan

 Japan is a mixture of history, color, technological development, and ritual that makes this nation of 126m a study in contradictions. A feudal society a little over a hundred years ago, today it is second only to the United States as an industrial power.  It is these differences that make Japan such an interesting tourist destination. Here the glittering nightclubs of Tokyo’s Ginza are only minutes away from the serenity of a flower garden or Shinto Shrine.

 Traveling in Japan is comfortable and fast due to its superb network of trains and subways as well as bus and taxi service. Special Railroad passes can be obtained which offer reduced prices for transportation and tourist sights. Before arriving, it is advisable to study transit maps of the cities you will visit. Virtually all cities have a Tourist Information Center for detailed information regarding the sights, accommodations, and transportation there.

 Eating is a national pastime in Japan and it hosts an incredible number of restaurants – from the finest of first class restaurants to fast food. Japan is renown for its seafood and here there are literally hundreds of recipes to delight the gourmet.

 Japan offers a wide range of accommodations – from Luxury Hotels either in Japanese or Western style to midrange Business Hotels to no-frills Budget Hotels that include Youth Hostels.  For long term stays, furnished apartments are available.

 Japan visitors can select from a vast variety of sights – of special interest would be the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the pulsating Ginza entertainment district, Mt. Fuji, Yokohama’s Chinatown, various temples and shrines throughout the country, spectacular gardens such as the Palace East Garden, the Osaka Castle, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The countryside itself offers lovely vistas of volcanic mountains, rushing streams, and picturesque farms. In virtually every area of Japan there is something of beauty and interest for the visitor.