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Map of Japan
 Tokyo has been the capital of Japan since 1868 and is the largest city. It is situated on the largest of the country’s islands, Honshu. At its heart is the Imperial Palace and its grounds, the home of the emperor and his family. The 1093 feet Tokyo Tower was built in 1958 and resembles the Eiffel Tower. It stands close to the most important government buildings. Whilst in Tokyo, it is worth visiting the Kabuki-za Theatre to see a traditional Japanese performance. Mount Fuji rises to a height of more than 12,000 feet from just outside the city. It’s cone-like shape and snow-capped peak is a well-known and well-loved image.
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Between Tokyo and Kyoto is the lovely old village of Tsumago, an image of a time of feudalism. Enryaku-ji Temple is set in the cedar forests north of Kyoto. This impressive collection of buildings was founded almost 2000 years ago.
In the north of the island is the seaport of Kanazawa. The city is famous for its porcelain and laquerware and the landscaped Kenroku Park is worth visiting. Another Northern city is Toyama, the administrative centre for the surrounding rice-growing region. The city is sited on Toyama Bay.
 Hiroshima, in the south west of Honshu, was virtually destroyed by the first atomic bomb in 1945. The city is now designated an international shrine of peace and there are interfaith services in the Peace Memorial Park. Not far from Kobe, also in the south west, is Himeji-jo Castle, one of the most beautiful buildings of the Momoyama period. It is also known as White Heron Castle. Kobe is the major commercial port of Japan. It is close to the Rokko Mountains where there are many popular tourist hotels.
Yokohama, a city port on the south of Honshu Island, is one of the most modern cities in Japan. Nevertheless there are numerous shrines, temples and churches and some quite beautiful parks. Also on the southern coast is Nagoya, the site of Nagoya Castle and of some of the most important Shinto shrines. The southern port of Osaka is the home of Japanese drama, particularly puppet theatre. The city dates from about 300AD. About 35 miles south of Osaka is Koya-san, one of Japan’s holiest mountains. The collection of temples among the clouds is truly impressive.
 In the eastern part of the island in Sendai is the Osaki Hachiman Shrine. Nearby Matsu Island has been the scenic inspiration for generations of artists. Shizuoka is on Suruga Bay, also on the east of the island. The Hodai-in Buddhist Temple can be found there.
The Susukino area of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido is one of the liveliest venues in Japan, with numerous bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Also on this island is the famous Daisetsu-zan National Park, which has a fantastic landscape of mountains, gorges and hot springs and which offers numerous hiking trails.
Shikoku, the smallest of the four main Japanese Islands, is mountainous and heavily forested. One of the main industries is fishing. Fukuoka is on Kyushu Island and is an old castle town. This is the closest Japanese port to mainland Asia. The remains of a 13th century defensive wall are quite impressive. Kagoshima was the seat of the Satsuma princes and is still famous for the local Satsuma ware.
 Okinawa Island is the largest of the Ryukyu Island Archipelago, the most southerly part of Japan. It is an important centre of tourism, due to its beaches, tropical scenery, old castles and traditional villages. The city has numerous American-style fast food outlets as it is close to Kadena U.S. Air Force Base.
Japan is a country offering many contrasts. It has long been well ahead in commercial, manufacturing and other fields, yet it retains some of the old-worldliness of paddy fields and cherry blossom. It is not the cheapest place to visit, but prices have fallen recently. The transport system is excellent. As the islands stretch over a very large distance, there can be quite large variations in weather patterns. Average temperatures range from around 5ºC in parts of Hokkaido to around 16ºC on Okinawa Island. Winters can be severe in the more northerly parts of Japan, whereas parts of the south east can be hot and humid during the summer.
Map of Japan
map courtesey of CIA World Factbook - Japan
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