| Your 'land of rising sun,' Nihon or Nippon or Japan is | | | | or the mountains of Chubu and Tohoku are some of |
| an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific | | | | the places to visit. Summer brings number festivals |
| Ocean, it lies to the east of China, Korea and Russia, | | | | that include several big and small local festivals and |
| stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to | | | | impressive fireworks competitions. On July 7th or |
| the East China Sea in the south, Japan is an | | | | early August in some places, Tanabata is a star |
| Archipelago that is comprised of over three thousand | | | | festival commemorating a story of star-crossed |
| islands. | | | | lovers who could only meet on this day. Celebrated in |
| HonshÅ«, HokkaidÅ, KyÅ«shÅ« and | | | | mid-July in eastern Japan (Kanto) and mid-August in |
| Shikoku are the largest islands. The islands are mainly | | | | western Japan (Kansai), Obon is the largest summer |
| mountainous and volcanic; Mount Fuji is Japan's | | | | festival that honors the departed spirits of one's |
| highest peak. Tokyo is the capital, and Hiroshima, | | | | ancestors. |
| Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nagasaki, Nara, Osaka, Sapporo, | | | | Starting in September, autumn is also the best time |
| and Sendai are important cities of Japan. Japan is the | | | | to visit Japan. Temperature and humidity is tolerable, |
| country full of scenic beauties and tourist attractions | | | | days are fair, and colors of fall are mesmerizing. |
| including mesmeric mountains, captivating sites, | | | | Winter is cold and snowy, which is good time for |
| temples, castles, hot springs, etc. | | | | skiing or hot-spring hopping. |
| Japan has total population of 128,085,000 (2005 | | | | Matsuri are local festivals, usually related to the rice |
| Estimate). The Japanese society is homogeneous | | | | harvest, celebrated in late summer/early autumn. |
| with non-Japanese, mostly Koreans, just making up | | | | Matsuri are celebrated almost every region of Japan. |
| less than 1% of the population. Shinto and Buddhism | | | | Gion Matsuri (Kyoto), Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka), and |
| are the principal religions, but varieties of Buddhism, | | | | Kanda and SannÅ Matsuri (Tokyo) are some of |
| such as Jodo, Shingon, and Nichiren, and Christianity is | | | | the most popular. |
| followed by some Japanese people. | | | | Shichi-Go-San is the festival day for children aged |
| Spring is one of the best times to visit Japan; it's | | | | three, five and seven, celebrated on 15 November. |
| warm, but not hot and it doesn't rain too much during | | | | ÅŒmisoka - New Year is celebrated with great |
| this time of year. Famous cherry blossoms (sakura) | | | | fervor and festivity. It is holiday that shuts down the |
| bloom in March-April; the Japan Meteorological Agency | | | | country between December 29 and January 3. People |
| in early March, announces predictions about when the | | | | eat festive foods and gather at temple at midnight |
| blooming will begin. It's a time of revelry and festivals. | | | | to wish in the New Year. Second Monday of January |
| Japanese celebrate Hanami, a festival of outdoors | | | | is Seijin Shiki, which is a nation wide festival of |
| picnics and drunken revelry in parks in March or April. | | | | Coming of Age Day. |
| Hinamatsuri, the Doll Festival is celebrated on 3 March. | | | | Japanese national holidays include January 1 (New |
| The Golden Week (April 27 to May 6) that is the | | | | Year's Day), 2nd Monday of January (Coming-of-Age |
| longest holiday in Japan is not good time to visit | | | | Day), February 11 (National Foundation Day), March 21 |
| Japan, as there are four public holidays and people go | | | | (Vernal Equinox Day), April 29 (Showa Day), May 3 |
| on for vacation, and trains are crowded, flight and | | | | (Constitution Day), May 4 (Greenery Day), May 5 |
| hotel prices go incredibly up, but you may plan you | | | | (Children's Day), 3rd Monday of July (Marine Day), 3rd |
| tour a couple of weeks immediately before or after | | | | Monday of September (Respect-for-the-Aged Day), |
| the Golden Week. | | | | September 23 (Autumnal Equinox Day), 2nd Monday |
| Summer brings a dreary rainy season in June and | | | | of October (Sports Day), November 3 (Culture Day), |
| Japan turns into a steambath in July-August, with | | | | November 23 (Labor Thanksgiving Day), and |
| extreme humidity and the temperature heading as | | | | December 23 (The Emperor's Birthday). |
| high as 40°C. During this time northern Hokkaido | | | | |