Japan

Understand

Often called the "Land of the Rising Sun", Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet it 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 Japan has suffered a prolonged economic slowdown since 1989. Cities are some of the most modern and high tech in the world, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass-fronted designer condominiums. Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly concrete buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional room with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored in Japan. Although Japan is seen in the West as a land combining tradition and modernity, and juxtapositions definitely exist, part of this idea is obsolete, and is a product of Japan being the first Asian power to modernize as well as Western patronization and heavy promotion by the travel industry. Continued demolition of some of Japan's historic landmarks goes on apace. Still, with the proper planning, and with expectations held in check, a trip to Japan can be incredibly enjoyable and definitely worthwhile.

History

Japan's location on islands at the outermost edge of Asia has had a profound influence on its history. Close to mainland Asia, yet far enough to keep itself separate, Japan has experienced alternating periods of closure and openness. Until the mid-19th century, Japan was able to turn on or off its connection to the rest of the world, accepting foreign cultural influences in fits and starts. Recorded Japanese history begins in the 5th

See

Castles

The Japanese were also a nation of castle-builders. In the feudal days, you could find several castles in nearly every prefecture. Because of bombings in World War II, fires, edicts to tear down castles, etc. only 12 of Japan's castles are original, meaning that their main keeps or donjons (tenshukaku) date back to the Edo Period or earlier. Four of them are on the island of Shikoku, two just north in the Chugoku region, two in Kansai, three in the Chubu region, and one in the northern Tohoku region. The original castles are:

Japan also has many recon

Getting there

Citizens of many countries, including the US, Canada, UK and EU, can obtain entry permission on arrival without a visa. This is usually valid for a stay of up to 90 days, although Mexicans and some Europeans are permitted to stay for 180 days if they ask for a longer stay upon entry. All others must obtain a "temporary visitor" visa prior to arrival, which is generally valid for a stay of 90 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains an on-line Guide to Japanese Visas.

Transit without a visa (TWOV) No visa is required for a same-day transit between international flights at the same airport, so long as you do not leave the secured area. Visitors with tickets for onward travel to a third country may be granted a Shore Pass for a maximum of 72 hours with their permitted stay area limited to the vicinity of the port of entry. The port of departure does not have to be the same as the port of entry. Instead, it only needs to be in its vicinity. Shore Passes are granted at immigration discretion and airlines may hesitate to allow you to board if you have a multi-day layover and are relying on getting on. Getting a transit visa in advance is always a safer option.

Residence Card Travellers entering Japan with anything other than a temporary visitor visa are required to obtain a "Residence Card", colloquially known as a gaijin card, within 90 days of arrival and carry it at all times in lieu of their passport. Those staying for 90 days or less may complete this registration, but they are not obligated to. This will be invalidated upon exit from Japan, unless a re-entry permit is held.

Customs Foreigners must typically fill out a disembarkation form for immigration, a declaration form for customs, and a quarantine form if required. The Visit Japan Web servi

Getting around

Japan has one of the world's best transport systems, and getting around is usually a breeze, with the train being overwhelmingly the most popular option. Trains are generally very punctual except during inclement weather or natural disasters. Travelling around Japan can be expensive, but there is a variety of passes that can be used to limit the damage.

Plan For sorting through transport schedules and fares, Navitime and Hyperdia are useful companions, although some features are limited to subscribers. Google Maps and Apple Maps can give detailed train and bus directions including platform numbers, but given the plethora of choices on popular routes it can be hard to filter results. You'll often have better results using apps like Jorudan's Japan Transit Planner to navigate the train system, then use Google or Apple for walking from the stations. English timetables for long-distance trains are available on the websites of JR Hokkaido, JR East, JR Central and JR Kyushu. Timetables for the Tokaido, San'yo and Kyushu Shinkansen can also be viewed in English at Tabi-o-ji. Navitime and Tabi-o-ji offer options to exclude the Nozomi and Mizuho trains from search results, which will benefit holders of the Japan Rail Pass. On Navitime, select the Japan Rail Pass option under Tourist Pass; on Tabi-o-ji, select to exclude Nozomi and Mizuho trains.

Navigate

In most of Japan, addresses use a hierarchical scheme that's quite different from Western addresses. Most roads have no name; instead, cities are split into neighborhoods with names, which are divided into numbered districts (chōme), which are subdivided into numbered street blocks. Addresses are written in order from largest to smallest; an example address ending in 45-6 or 4-5-6 would be the neighborhood of Mei