JAPAN
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Endless Discovery!

 

Located in the Far East, Japan is an archipelago of four major islands, surrounded by more than 4,000 smaller islands. Japan features rugged coastlines with varied scenery, towering mountains and twisted valleys that invite visitors into the mysterious world of Japan’s stunning nature.

 

Just close enough to mainland Asia, yet far enough to stay separate, much of Japanese history has seen alternating periods of closure and openness. The “Land of the Rising Sun” is a country where the past meets the future. Its culture stretches back millennia, yet has adopted and created the latest modern fashions and trends. Japan is the land of landscape gardening and the tea ceremony, but it’s also the unofficial king of pop culture.

 

Japanese cuisine, renowned for its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, has taken the world by storm. It is an epicurean’s paradise both in the scale and quality of its own food and in the scope of its dining imports.

 

One of Japan’s most compelling attributes is its people, who are legendary for their honesty, politeness, hospitality, and kindness to visitors. Many Japanese are thrilled to have visitors to their country and will often go out of their way to assist foreign visitors.

In short, Japan is a fantastic destination with an incredible variety to offer: rich traditions, splendid national parks, great hospitality, gourmet cuisine, and so much more. The sky’s the limit when it comes to experiencing Japan. The possibilities are endless!

What To See & Do
    • Experience the hospitality of a traditional Ryokan
    • Visit the Bodai-ji temple at Mount Osore, the Gateway to Hell
    • Gourmet dining with delicious Japanese sashimi
    • Hot spring bathing at an Onsen
    • Cruise through Oboke and Koboke gorges
    • Watch the rich traditions of a sumo-wrestling match
    • Scuba diving at the ancient sunken ruins and with hammerhead sharks at Yonaguni Island or at the Iriomote coral reefs
When To Go

Japan’s climate is predominantly temperate, but since the archipelago stretches about 2,900 kilometres from northeast to southwest, there is a great variety in local weather.

 

In summer, southeast winds blowing across the Japanese archipelago from the Pacific bring rain to the Pacific coastal regions, while in winter northwest winds sweeping across the Asian continent bring snow to regions facing the Sea of Japan and to the central mountain ranges.

 

Springtime is one of the most glorious times to visit Japan. This is when Japan’s famous trees burst forth into blossom, beginning with plum trees in March and continuing to May, when the last cherry blossoms drift to the ground in northern Japan.

 

The Japanese summer begins in June with the rainy season, which lasts about three weeks. When the rainy season ends, much of Japan becomes hot and humid. Exceptions are Hokkaido and mountainous regions. In summer seaside resorts are also popular respites. Other summertime favourites are professional baseball and hiking in the mountains.

September signals typhoon season, though storms hit Japan’s coast only occasionally. October brings pleasant, crisper temperatures and magnificent fall colours ranging from crimson to gold.

 

Except for the extreme north, winter in Japan is not severe, especially on the Pacific coast where the climate is generally dry and the skies are often blue. The southern regions of Japan, including Kyushu, enjoy mild and even warm weather, while the northern regions like Hokkaido and the mountain ranges of central Japan become very cold with abundant snowfall.

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