Triunegnosis

Japan Travel: Facts and Tips

Japan – known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”, is an East Asian island country facing the Pacific Ocean. It is surrounded in the west by the countries; Russia, South Korea, and China. Japan is composed of 6,852 islands with Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku as the four largest. Japan’s population is the tenth-largest in the world with 128 million people.

Seasons

Japan boast of it’s distinctly four seasons throughout the year. Each season is coupled with unique natural and environment changes and a set of activities perfectly suitable to each season.

Winter (December - February). Japan has a snowy and cold winter, and with temperatures dropping below zero occasionally. Many winter sports and recreations are played especially on the Central and Northern Japan.

Summer (June - August). Many well-known festivities are held and resorts are packed with locals and tourist during summer. Temperature could be as high as 30 degrees.

Spring (March - May). The blooming of the sakura or cherry blossom marks the start of this season. This is a perfect time to go sight-seeing with splendid mountain views, and pinkish fields and garden all over the countryside.

Autumn (September - November). This season is marked with the glorious changing of leaves into amber, red, and autumn colors. This is characterized with a cool temperature with a gentle and fresh breeze. Many sports tournament, exhibitions, and music concerts are held during autumn.

Places of Interest

Japan is not only known for its technology and industrial advancement, but also as home to many natural scenic places and world heritage sites. With a rich history and tradition, Japan is one of the best preservers of national and historical sites, and the environment.

Mount Fuji – is the country’s highest peak. It is famous in the world with its perfect cone. A visit to Japan is not complete without visiting the Fuji-yama.

Shiretoko – is considered the last remaining wilderness in Japan that boasts of its pristine natural environment with hardly any equal in the world. This Peninsula is home to many species of birds, animals, and plants. Shiretoko is famous for nature treks, animal watching, camping, relaxation, and meditation.

Shirakami-sanchi – is known as a forest museum. It is a vast primeval forest that houses many protected species of animals and plants endemic to Japan. It features beautifully carved valleys and falls. During a fall, the changing of colors to red and yellow emphasizes the breath-taking beauty of the place.

The Shrines and Temples – Japan is known to have built some of the most beautiful shrines and temples in the world. These temples embody so much history and tradition from many key periods of Japan’s history. These temples and shrines are known crowd-drawers for tourist and locals alike. Many shrines can be found in the Tochigi, Nara, Kyoto, Uji, and Otsu prefectures.

Hiroshima Ruins – the ruins of the Hiroshima city after the atomic bomb during World War II. The ruins are preserved as a constant reminder of the devastating results of World War.

Helpful Tips

Be sure to carry some money in Yen – Japanese currency. Although most establishments in major cities accept major credit cards, it is not always the case in the countryside.

When bringing appliances in your travel to Japan, it is important to be aware that Japan’s electricity is in 100V with 50/60 cycles. Your appliances may not work or has less power. Also, electric plugs in Japan are only two-pronged, so be sure to buy a converter plugs for your three-pronged appliances.

Keep your baggage nominal. Japanese people are known to travel with minimal luggage. Consequently, not so wide space is provided in trains and major transports.

Wear an easy, ready to wear shoes or snickers in Japan. Japanese customs dictated to remove your shoes indoors, thus it is convenient to wear appropriate shoes.

Japanese are especially polite people. It is advisable to learn some Japanese words for greetings and conversation. Sample is “Ohayou gozaiamasu!” for good morning.

Be sure to have 3G mobile phones for Japan's use, it is safe to assume that non-3G phones will not work in Japan.

Take advantage of your visit to www.triunegnosis.org by bookmarking or sharing us below.