| If you're determined to explore Asia but | | | | Before you depart to travel Japan, it's a |
| unsure which country to visit, you might want | | | | good idea to get a sense of the people and |
| to set your sites on Far East Asia and travel | | | | their culture. Japan is one of the most |
| to Japan. Here is some general but useful | | | | densely populated nations in the world, with |
| information that is good to know when you | | | | some 330 persons per square kilometer (almost |
| travel Japan. It will help you get a better | | | | 860 persons per sq. mi.). The Japanese are a |
| understanding of Japan before your trip and | | | | Mongoloid people, closely related to the |
| allow you to experience Japan more | | | | major groups of East Asia. However, some |
| comfortably. | | | | evidence also exists of a mixture with |
| | | | Malayan and Caucasoid strains. About 750,000 |
| About the Country | | | | Koreans and much smaller groups of Chinese |
| | | | and Caucasians reside in Japan. |
| Japan consists of four main islands and | | | | |
| several smaller ones. Together the islands | | | | Religious Beliefs |
| take the shape of a sea horse and occupy an | | | | |
| area of 377,435 square kms. Tokyo, the | | | | When you travel Japan, you will be exposed to |
| capital city, is very modern and bustling | | | | a new world of religious and personal |
| with activity, so when you travel to Japan, | | | | beliefs. Buddhism is important in Japan's |
| be ready for a few crowds. The landscape of | | | | religious life and has strongly influenced |
| Japan, away from the big cities, is | | | | fine arts, social institutions, and |
| mountainous with spectacular scenery; some of | | | | philosophy. Most Japanese consider themselves |
| the mountains are volcanic. Mt. Fuji is the | | | | members of one of the major Buddhist sects. |
| tallest mountain in Japan, and is known for | | | | |
| its symmetrical slopes. | | | | Shintoism is an indigenous religion founded |
| | | | on myths, legends, and ritual practices of |
| About the Climate | | | | the early Japanese. Neither Buddhism nor |
| | | | Shintoism is an exclusive religion. Most |
| When you travel to Japan, it's important to | | | | Japanese observe both Buddhist and Shinto |
| know the country's seasons and when they | | | | rituals: the former for funerals and the |
| occur during the year. The islands of Japan | | | | latter for births, marriages, and other |
| lie in the temperate and at the northeastern | | | | occasions. Confucianism, primarily an ethical |
| end of the monsoon area. The climate is | | | | system, profoundly influences Japanese |
| generally mild, although it varies | | | | thought as well. |
| considerably from place to place when you | | | | |
| travel Japan. Summer, which is warm and mild, | | | | About 1.3 million people in Japan are |
| begins around the middle of July following a | | | | Christians, of whom 60% are Protestant and |
| rainy season that usually lasts for a month. | | | | 40% Roman Catholic. |
| Except in northern Japan the winter is mild | | | | |
| with many sunny days. Spring and autumn are | | | | Japan is an exotic and beautiful travel |
| the best seasons of the year with balmy days | | | | destination that is worth traveling to. Now |
| and bright sunshine. | | | | you can travel to Japan for less with the |
| | | | lowest discount airfare on cFares. The number |
| About the People | | | | one wholesale travel site for the shrewd |
| | | | international traveler. |