It is only comparatively recently that Japan came out of the
shell of its isolation, but the country of genteel geisha girls and
pink cherry blossom has made up for lost time. There are few people
in the western world who have not driven a Japanese car, eaten
sushi or played on a GameBoy or Sony Playstation.
The nation of Japan consists of an island archipelago stretching
from northeast to southwest off the coast of mainland China, Russia
and Korea, separated from its Asian neighbours by the Sea of Japan.
Between 1639 and 1859 Japan elected to cut itself off from trade or
traffic with the rest of the world, except for some marginal
contact through the southern Kyushu island ports. Since opening up
its doors once more, just 150 years ago, the densely populated
islands have developed in leaps and bounds and much of the country
is now covered by sprawling neon-lit cities and the world's most
sophisticated public transport networks.
Modern it may be, but Japan still retains plenty of its mystical
oriental charm. From the etiquette demanded in social situations,
to the minimalist décor behind rice paper screens, Japanese culture
is alive and well and cannot be ignored, which makes a visit to
Japan a fascinating experience.
The modern metropolises are dotted with a myriad of ancient
shrines and temples; the countryside is riddled with hundreds of
volcanoes and hot springs overlooking pastoral paddy fields; parks
are festooned with rigidly raked white gravel Zen gardens or coated
with layers of lilac and cherry blossom.
Japan's islands are mountainous in the interior - 75 percent of
the country's landmass is made up of mountains - and most of the
people are tightly packed within the limitations of the coastal
plains, particularly on the main island of Honshu. Tokyo, the
capital and largest city, situated on Honshu's east coast, has a
population of 12 million. Despite this seething mass of humanity
Japan is well ordered. Everything runs on time, and crime levels
are almost non-existent. It is still possible to find beautiful
vistas and wide empty spaces in the countryside, and when you are
forced to mingle with the urban throngs you will find the Japanese
to be charming, courteous and friendly to foreign faces.
