JAPAN

 JAPAN

‘

Map of Japan

Identification of Japan

1.      Name of Japan

                The Japanese names, Nihon and Nippon, are alternative readings of written characters that mean "origin of the sun" ("Land of the Rising Sun").

European names for the country probably originated with Marco Polo, who most likely adopted a name for Japan used in a Chinese dialect.

The name "Yamato" is used by archaeologists and historians to distinguish Japanese artistic genres from their Chinese counterparts. When used as a contemporary term, Yamato has strong associations with the imperial system, and thus with conservative nationalist ideologies.

Contemporary Japan is considered a highly homogeneous society, but regional variation in social and cultural patterns has always been significant. Pride of place and identification with local cultural patterns remain strong. Japanese people often attribute personality traits to people from particular regions, and regional identity often is expressed through local culinary specialties and dialects.

2.      Location and Geography

 The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands and over six-thousand minor ones, covering approximately 234,890 square miles (378,000 square kilometers), and has enormous climatic variation. The four major islands are Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. The southern island group of Okinawa (the Ryūkyū Islands) is geographically, historically, and culturally distinct.

Japan faces the Pacific Ocean along the entire eastern and southern coastline. To the north and west are the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, and the East China Sea. The Korean peninsula is the closest point on the Asian mainland. Japanese life has always been oriented toward the ocean. The currents that converge offshore create fertile and varied fishing grounds.

The climate is shaped by Asian-Pacific monsoon cycles, which bring heavy rains from the Pacific during the summer and fall, followed by icy winds from North Asia during the winter that dump snow in the mountains.

There are approximately 1,500 volcanoes, and because the islands lie on major fault lines, earthquakes are common occurrences. Only about 15 percent of the land is level enough for agriculture, and so the population density in coastal plains and valleys is extremely high. Because of the steep mountains, there are almost no navigable inland waterways.

3.       SymbolsLinguisti

National identity and unity are formally symbolized by a number of conventional icons and motifs, including the cherry blossom, the red and white national flag portraying the rising sun, and the chrysanthemum. These symbols have contested meanings because they are associated with the imperial family and World War II. The chrysanthemum, for example, serves as the crest of the imperial family, and cherry blossoms were invoked in wartime propaganda to represent the glory of kamikaze suicide pilots. Progressive political groups resist flying the national flag and singing the national anthem (Kimigayo) because of their wartime associations.

Stereotypical images that are deployed in foreign representations of Japan, such as Mount Fuji, geisha, and samurai, are not regarded by Japanese people as symbols of contemporary identity. Contemporary Japanese culture emphasizes symbolic expressions of local or regional identity. For example, local identity and pride are commonly expressed through "famous local products." Almost every village, town, and city is famous for something, often a locally distinctive folk craft, a local culinary specialty, or a traditional song or performing art.

4.      History

Legend attributes the creation of Japan to the sun goddess, from whom the emperors were descended. The first of them was Jimmu, supposed to have ascended the throne in 660 B.C. , a tradition that constituted official doctrine until 1945.

Recorded Japanese history begins in approximately A.D. 400, when the Yamato clan, eventually based in Kyoto, managed to gain control of other family groups in central and western Japan. Contact with Korea introduced Buddhism to Japan at about this time. Through the 700s Japan was much influenced by China, and the Yamato clan set up an imperial court similar to that of China. In the ensuing centuries, the authority of the imperial court was undermined as powerful gentry families vied for control.

At the same time, warrior clans were rising to prominence as a distinct class known as samurai. In 1192, the Minamoto clan set up a military government under their leader, Yoritomo. He was designated shogun (military dictator). For the following 700 years, shoguns from a succession of clans ruled in Japan, while the imperial court existed in relative obscurity.

First contact with the West came in about 1542, when a Portuguese ship off course arrived in Japanese waters. Portuguese traders, Jesuit missionaries, and Spanish, Dutch, and English traders followed. Suspicious of Christianity and of Portuguese support of a local Japanese revolt, the shoguns of the Tokugawa period (1603–1867) prohibited all trade with foreign countries; only a Dutch trading post at Nagasaki was permitted. Western attempts to renew trading relations failed until 1853, when Commodore Matthew Perry sailed an American fleet into Tokyo Bay. Trade with the West was forced upon Japan under terms less than favorable to the Japanese. Strife caused by these actions brought down the feudal world of the shoguns. In 1868, the emperor Meiji came to the throne, and the shogun system was abolished.

People in Japan

The people of Japan are mostly the residents of the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku, apart from these Japanese people has also settled in various parts of the world. 'Nipponjin' and 'Nihonjin' are the two Japanese terms which means people of Japan or Japanese people . 

Contemporary scientific researches have shown that the people of Japan have genetic resemblance to the Tibetans. Some theories have evolved in recent years which associate the origin of the Japanese people with the 'Jomon' clan and the native Yayoi people. The term 'Japanese people' had a wider approach during the colonial times as it was used to refer to the residents of Taiwanese population and the Korean populace. Population wise Japan ranks tenth worldwide and the recent census of 2002 declare that there are about 127 million Japanese people in the world living in Japan and in other parts of the planet. The Japanese population is facing a steady decline in the recent years as the birth rate has dropped considerably.

People of Japan all over the world have a homogenous and identical culture, tradition and language. The national language of Japan is Japanese which is of the Altaic language group. The Japanese language is comparatively easy to enunciate and pronounce. The main religions which are practiced by most of the people of Japan are Buddhism and Shinto. Religions do not play a big role in the everyday life of Japanese people and sometimes both the religions are practiced at a time by few of them.

The population of Japan is high in comparison to the area of the country thus the density is also relatively high. Most of the people are urban residents and concentration is limited to the cities. The low lands by the coasts give shelter to a mass of people in Japan. The parts of the world other than their native land where Japanese people has most emigrated are Latin American countries and United States.

Japanese people encompass the ethnic community who can trace their roots to the island nation of Japan on the Pacific Ocean. Japanese people refer to the Japanese residing on the Japanese archipelago and to those who have emigrated from their country of origin. All those Japanese people who do not reside in their ancestral land are referred to by the name of Nikkeijin or more popularly as the Nikkei people. In the whole class of Japanese people we might also include all those Yamato Japanese people who are ethnically Japanese rather than by nationality. The total number of Japanese people worldwide is almost 130 million.

 The Japanese are a homogeneous group who consider themselves as a unified community wherein there is no room for social disparity. The Japanese are not very comfortable with the western system of society. They like to follow their own culture in all spheres of life. Japanese people lay a lot of stress on customs and follow them strictly. The Japanese are a very industrious community and the idea of dependency is looked down upon.The Japanese people are also very particular about their traditional language and so most of the Japanese do not take interest in learning foreign languages. In their religious practices the Japanese people follow the centuries old religions of Shinto and Buddhism although today some other new and diverse religions have also become popular in the island nation.

Although Japanese people living in Japan are culturally very conscious but their counterparts in foreign nations have adapted themselves to the cultures of the nations where they reside. The Nikkei who are mostly found in the Hawaii and the US are more comfortable using English than their original mother tongue although some of them later on learn Japanese.                                                                    .

Japanese people, with their deep faith and strong cultural roots, form a very disciplined and industrious community. 

The Japanese Educational System

The schooling years in the Japanese education system are segmented along the lines of 6-3-3-4: 6 years of primary or elementary school; 3 years of middle or junior high school; 3 years of high school; and 4 years of university. However, the government has just announced (October 2005, Daily Yomiuri) that it is intending to make changes in the Education Law to allow schools to merge the 6-3 division between elementary and middle schools. The key purpose for this change is to allow elementary and middle schools to pool or share their resources, with special regard to making available specialist teachers of middle schools to elementary schools.

Many private schools, however, offer a six year programme incorporating both junior high school and high school. Specialised schools may offer a five year programme comprising high school and two years of junior college. There are two options for tertiary education: junior college (two years) and university (four years).

 A school year has three terms: summer, winter and spring, which are each followed by a vacation period. The school year begins in April and ends in March of the following year.

An elementary school (from 6 years) and junior high school (3 years) education, i.e. nine years of schooling are considered compulsory (see pages on legality of homeschooling).

 This system, implemented by the School Education Law enacted in March 1947 after WWII, owes its origin to the American model 6-3-3 plus 4 years of university. Many other features of the Japanese educational system, are however, based on European models.

 Compulsory education covers elementary school and junior high school. A break from the past, modern public schools in Japan today are mostly co-ed(more than 99% of elementary schools). The Japanese school year begins in April and students attend school for three terms except for brief spring and winter breaks and a one month long summer holiday.

The National School Curriculum

High schools may be classed into one of the following types:

·         Elite academic high schools collect the creme de la creme of the student population and send the majority of its graduates to top national universities.

·         Non-elite academic high schools ostensibly prepare students for less prestigious universities or junior colleges, but in reality send a large number of their students to private specialist schools (senshuugakko), which teach subjects such as book-keeping, languages and computer programming. These schools constitute mainstream high schooling.

·         Vocational High Schools that offer courses in commerce, technical subjects, agriculture, homescience, nursing and fishery. Approximately 60% of their graduates enter full-time employment.

·         Correspondence High Schools offers a flexible form of schooling for 1.6% of high school students usually those who missed out on high schooling for various reasons.

·         Evening High School which used to offer classes to poor but ambitious students who worked while trying to remedy their educational deficiencies. But in recent times, such schools tend to be attended by little-motivated members of the lowest two percentiles in terms of academic achievement.

Places in Japan (3 Mount, Casstle, Monument  and Watter Falls in Japan)

Mount in Japan

1.      Mount Fuji. 

Japan’s highest mountain (3776 meters, 12,377’) is unquestionably the country’s most iconic natural landmark. Photographed in all seasons from all angles, its near perfect cone is climbed by one quarter million people yearly, usually during the months of July and August. Its high visibility and traffic is partially owed to its proximity to the Kanto, or the plain surrounding Tokyo. However the best time to view the mountain is in the winter months when visibility is best. Considered one of the three holy mountains in Japan, along with Tateyama and Hakusan, there is understandably a collection of shrines on the crater rim. Since many people climb the mountain hiking trails and facilities are well established and there is a considerable amount of development on the mountain. The meteorological station marks the high point of the mountain and the country. Popular hiking routes to the summit are Gotemba, Fujinomiya, and Kawaguchiko. All of the trails have ten stations each, which are situated strategically to offer refreshments,lodging, and facilities for the hikers and tourists alike. Most hikers start from the 5^th station/s, which are located between 6,000’ – 7,000’ and have access by paved roads.

2.      Mount Haku

Mount Haku, also known as Hakusan National Park, is a dormant volcano standing 8783 feet tall. A popular hiking destination and one of the three great mountains of Japan, Hakusan’s best seasons are late summer and fall when the mountain is at its most picturesque. Mount Haku is the tallest mountain in the Hokuriku region. Even after the surrounding peaks’ snow has melted, the peak still looks very white.Mount Haku has been designated as a national park in 1962. And so, the mountain has had minimal human intrusion. The mountain is home to a diverse flora. Most of these may be seen while hiking up the said mountain. It is also home to various animals, which includes the Golden Eagle.

 The most used trails are the Hirase, Kanko and Sabo trails. The above mentioned trails are easy enough to hike up and down in one day. Other rougher trails can take about two or three days to conquer because of the rough terrain and treacherous paths.

3.      Mount Tate

Mount Tate is the last of Japan’s three great mountains. Measuring 9892 feet above the ground, Mount Tate is located in the Toyama area and is one of Japan’s tallest mountains. The months to climb this mountain is from April until November. Japan’s deepest gorge, Kurobe Gorge, is just east of Mount Tate. The best view of the mountain is in the fall, when the mountain is filled with the colors of the fall.

Mount Tate is easily accessible. There is a public transport that takes tourists and hikers up to the Murodo Plateau, a mere 1854 feet from the peak. Shopping areas and onsen baths are also present in Murodo Plateau. At the peak of the mountain is the Oyama Shrine. Tourists and climbers can take part in sake and receive a blessing from the priest of the shrine. This is also the place where food, drinks and souvenirs can be purchased. On clear days, climbers can see Shomyo Falls while climbing up the mountain from Tateyama to Murodo Plateau.

Japanese Castles

1.      Himeji Castle

You may have seen this castle as a ninja training school in James Bond's You Only Live Twice. It also appeared in The Last Samurai, several Kurosawa movies, and in the TV miniseries, Shogun. Also known as the “White Heron Castle”, Himeji Castle was originally built in the 14th century, and then rebuilt in 1580.

2.      Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle was built in the 16th century and is sometimes called Crow's Castle because of it's black color.

3.      Shimabara Castle

Shimabara Castle is a 5-story white castle located in Nagasaki Prefecture. The taxes imposed on the local farmers to build the castle were so severe that they revolted in an event called the Shimabara Rebellion. Shimabara Castle was completed in 1624.

Waterfalls in Japan

1.      Fukuroda Falls

Fukuroda Falls or, Fukurodanotaki are wonder-falls located in the town of Daigo in Ibaraki Prefecture, Fukuroda district. It has a height of 120 meters and a width of 73 meters. It is regarded as the 3^rd most beautiful Japanese waterfall.  The waterfalls freeze during winter.

2.      Kegon Falls

Kegon Falls is ranked number one in Japan as the most beautiful waterfall. ,Kegon no Taki are located at Lake Chuzenji in Nikko National Park in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. It is 97 meters in height making it one of the 3 highest waterfalls in the country. The Kegon Falls are not just beautiful; they are infamous for suicides, especially among Japanese youth.

3.      Hannoki Falls

Hannoki Falls is located in Toyama Prefecture and is the tallest waterfall in Japan with an astounding height of 497 meters. It is not so popular because it only has water from April to July when the snow covering the Midagahara plateau melts. From July to March, its neighbor, Shomyo Falls, is the tallest waterfalls in Japan. Hannoki and Shomyo falls are twin waterfalls.

Monument in Japan

1.      Kamakura

The outdoor Daibustu is, alongside Miyajima’s “floating torii”, the best known monument in Japan. Kamakura is close to Tokyo, even closer to Yokohama, so day trips from the Kanto are easy. Known as the Great Buddha it was once housed in a building that was destroyed by a typhoon in the 15^th century. For the curious, the statue is 13.35 meters (44 feet) high and weighs 93 tons. The first mention of the bronze statue dates to 1252. Now hoards of tourists come to get their photos taken in front of the Daibutsu and the many edible (and rotten) offerings left at its foot. The city has a long history and perhaps that’s why the Daibutsu stands. Although the Daibutsu gives Kamakura its deserved recognition the city’s historical record is long and rich. It is no accident that a period in Japanese history is named the Kamakura period (1185-1333), which marked the beginning of the shogunate established in the city. The city is also famous for Nichiren Buddhism, found by the Japanese monk Nichiren and sometimes associated with radicalism. It is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2.      Hachiko Statue

In 1924, Hachikō was brought to Tokyo by his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. During his owner’s life Hachikō saw him out from the front door and greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return on the usual train one evening. The professor had suffered a stroke at the university that day. He died and never returned to the train station where his friend was waiting. Hachikō was given away after his master’s death, but he routinely escaped, showing up again and again at his old home. Eventually, Hachikō apparently realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So he went to look for his master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachikō waited for Professor Ueno to return. And each day he did not see his friend among the commuters at the station. The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. They brought Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait. This continued for nine years, with Hachikō appearing only in the evening time, precisely when the train was due at the station.

Transport in Japan

1.Rail transportation

Streetcar in Kumamoto

In Japan, railways are a major means of passenger transportation, especially for mass and high-speed transport between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolitan areas. Seven Japan Railways Group companies, once state-owned until 1987, cover most parts of Japan. There also are railway services operated by private rail companies, regional governments, and companies funded by both regional governments and private companies. Japanese trains are also famous for always being on time. Five stations (Shinjuku Station, Ikebukuro Station, Shibuya Station, Umeda Station, and Yokohama Station) serve more than 2 million passengers each on an average day, making Japan the most railway using nation per capita (see Rail usage statistics by country). The first railway was built between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872 and many more developed. Japan now has one of the worlds most developed transportation networks. Road construction is difficult because of the high areas of population and the limited amount of usable land. Shinkansen are the high speed trains in Japan and they are known as bullet trains. About 250 Shinkansen trains operate daily. The fastest shinkansen trains are the N700 series Nozomi, which operate at a maximum speed of 300 km/h. Shinkansen trains are known to be very punctual. A train is recorded as late if it does not arrive at the specified time.

2. Road transportation

Mount Fuji seen from the Chuo Expressway

According to Japan Statistical Yearbook 2011, Japan has approximately 1,203,600 km of roads made up of 1,012,000 km of city, town and village roads, 129,000 km of prefectural roads, 55,000 km of general national highways and 7,600 km of national.

Road passenger and freight transport expanded considerably during the 1980s as private ownership of motor vehicles greatly increased along with the quality and extent of the nation's roads. Bus companies including the JR Bus companies operates long-distance bus service on the nation's expanding expressway network. In addition to relatively low fares and deluxe seating, the buses are well utilized because they continue service during the night, when air and train service is limited.

The cargo sector grew rapidly in the 1980s, recording 274.2 billion tonne-kilometres in 1990. The freight handled by motor vehicles, mainly trucks, in 1990, was over 6 billion tonnes, accounting for 90 percent of domestic freight tonnage and about 50 percent of tonne-kilometres.

3. Air transport

Kansai Airport, Osaka

Japan currently (2012) has 98 airports. The main international gateways are Narita International Airport (Tokyo area), Kansai International Airport (Osaka/Kobe/Kyoto area), and Chūbu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya area). The main domestic hub is Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), Asia's busiest airport and the world's 4th busiest airport; other major traffic hubs include Osaka International Airport, New Chitose Airport outside Sapporo, and Fukuoka Airport. 14 heliports are estimated to exist (1999).

The two main airlines are Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. Other passenger carriers include Skymark Airlines, Skynet Asia Airways, Air Do, Star Flyer and Fuji Dream Airlines. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, formerly Northwest Airlines, are major international operators from Narita Airport.

Tokyo International Airport is currently undergoing construction of a new runaway, due to open in October 2010. With this opening it will open a new international terminal along with an increase to 407,000 departures and landings.

4. Marine transport

Ferry Miyajima on the Inland Sea near Miyajima, Hiroshima

There are 1770 km of Waterways in Japan; seagoing craft ply all coastal inland seas.

The twenty-two major seaports designated as special important ports by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport include Chiba, Fushiki/Toyama, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kitakyūshū, Kobe, Kudamatsu, Muroran, Nagoya, Niigata, Osaka, Sakai/Senpoku, Sendai/Shiogama, Shimizu, Shimonoseki, Tokyo, Tomakomai, Wakayama, Yokkaichi, and Yokohama.

Japan has 662 ships of with a volume of 1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over, totaling 13,039,488 gross register tons (GRT) or 18,024,969 metric tons deadweight (DWT). There are 146 bulk ships, 49 cargo ships, 13 chemical tankers, 16 combination bulk, 4 with combination of ore and oil, 25 container, 45 liquefied gas, 9 passenger, 2 passenger and cargo combination ships, 214 petroleum tankers, 22 refrigerated cargo, 48 roll-on/roll-off ships, 9 short-sea passenger, and 60 vehicle carriers (1999 est.).

Japanese Food

1.      Shushi

Sushi is the most famous Japanese dish outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes among the Japanese themselves. In Japan, sushi is usually enjoyed on special occasions, such as a celebration.  During the Edo period, "sushi" refered to pickled fish preserved in vinegar. Nowadays sushi can be defined as a dish containing rice which has been prepared with sushi vinegar. There are many different types of sushi. Some popular ones are:

	Nigiri ,Small rice balls with fish, shellfish, etc. on top. There are countless varieties of nigirizushi, some of the most common ones being tuna, shrimp, eel, squid, octopus and fried egg.
	Gunkan, Small cups made of sushi rice and dried seaweed filled with seafood, etc. There are countless varieties of gunkanzushi, some of the most common ones being sea urchin and various kinds of fish eggs.
	Norimaki, Sushi rice and seafood, etc. rolled in dried seaweed sheets. There are countless varieties of sushi rolls differing in ingredients and thickness. Sushi rolls prepared "inside out" are very popular outside of Japan, but rarely found in Japan.

2.      Ramen Ramen is a noodle soup that was originally imported to Japan from China in the Meiji Period. In more recent decades, it has become a very popular dish in Japan, adapted to the Japanese taste. Ramen restaurants (ramen ya) number in the thousands, and instant ramen (invented in 1958) is popular both in and outside of Japan. Ramen noodles are about as thin as spaghetti and are served in a soup that varies based on region, city and even specific vendor. Ramen's popularity stems in part from the fact that it is so inexpensive and widely available, making it an ideal option for budget travelers. In addition to freshly prepared ramen at ramen ya, supermarkets and convenience stores offer a large selection of instant ramen bowls. Though ramen can be considered a one dish meal, gyoza are a common side dish offered at ramen ya. These Chinese style, pan fried dumplings are eaten with a soya and vinegar sauce. Shichimi (red chili mix) is usually available on the table to be added according to taste. Ramen can be classified according to its soup base. The most popular ones are: Shoyu Ramen: Brown, transparent, soya sauce based soup Miso Ramen: Brown, non-transparent, miso based soup. Shio Ramen: Transparent, salt based soup. Tonkotsu Ramen: White, milky, pork based soup Festival in Japan 1.      Glon Matsuri Gion Matsuri, the festival of Yasaka Shrine, is the most famous festival in Japan. It takes place over the entire month of July. There are many different events, but two are particularly renowned: the Yamaboko Junko, a procession of floats on July 17th; and Yoiyama, the festive evenings preceding the procession. Floats and History The word Yamaboko refers to the two types of floats used in the procession: Yama, of which there are 23, and hoko, of which there are 9. One of the main reasons the Gion Matsuri is so impressive is the enormity of the hoko, which can be up to 25 meters tall, weigh up to 12 tons, and are pulled on wheels as big as people. Both yama and hoko are elaborately decorated and represent unique themes. Another reason for the festival's impressiveness is its long and almost uninterrupted history. It dates back to 869 as a religious ceremony to appease the gods during the outbreak of an epidemic. Even today, the festival continues the practice of selecting a local boy to be a divine messenger. The child cannot set foot on the ground from the 13th until after he has been paraded through town on the 17th. Main Events Ironically, the highlight events of Gion Matsuri do not actually take place in the Gion district, but rather on the opposite side of Kamo River. From the 14th to the 16th, the yama and hoko are displayed within about a half kilometer of the intersection of Karasuma and Shijo streets (see map below). While they are on display, some of the floats can be entered by tourists. The area becomes most exciting in the evenings, when from 18:00 until 23:00, the streets are closed to traffic and the area swells with food stands, drink vendors, and other festival hallmarks. These festive evenings leading up to the procession are known as Yoiyama (July 16), Yoiyoiyama (July 15) and Yoiyoiyoiyama (July 14). The procession of floats (Yamaboko Junko) takes place between 9:00 and 13:00 on the 17th and follows a 3 km route along Shijo, Kawaramachi and Oike streets. Some paid seating is provided in front of the city hall (3100 yen; advance booking required), but because the procession takes place over quite a long route and duration, good viewpoints can also be found elsewhere without too much trouble. 2.       Nagasaki Kunchi Festival The Nagasaki Kunchi is the festival of Suwa Shrine, held annually in Nagasaki on October 7-9. The Nagasaki Kunchi has been celebrated for more than 370 years and incorporates different aspects of Chinese and Dutch cultures, which have played a role in the city's history. The festival's name is believed to come from ku-nichi ("9th day"), the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The festival highlight are dance and show performances by groups representing Nagasaki's various city districts. Each district (odori-cho), participates only once every seven years, so this festival remains fresh to even the regular viewer. Performances are held at four main venues with paid seating and standing areas in the morning and evening of October 7th and in the mornings of October 8th and 9th. The four main stages are Suwa Shrine, Otabisho, Yasaka Shrine, and Kokaido. Weather and Season in Japan As Japan is a long collection of islands stretching out over thousands of kilometres, the climate varies considerably from the northern island of Hokkaido (summer mild and short; winters long with heavy snowfall) to the southern subtropical island of Okinawa. Even on Japan's mainland, there are appreciable differences in climate between the western Japan Sea coast, which gets cold fronts from Siberia, and the eastern Pacific coast, which receives warmer sea currents (the Japan Current, or kuroshio). Because of its location on the Pacific, Japan has higher humidity in summer, and lower humidity in winter, than Europe. The four seasons of the year are quite distinct in Japan: 1.       Spring (March to May) The best time to visit Japan, with mild weather and trees blossoming (most famous being the cherry). Warm days, but a sweater is advisable for chilly evenings. Tthe cherry-blossom time which sweeps up the country from south to north is often followed closely by a showery front. Golden Week, the concentration of national holidays at the end of April and the first week of May is the busiest travel season, and best avoided. (In 2008, however, the Golden Week period is rather fragmented. 2.       Summer (June to August) Hot (up to 40°C in many places), with oppressive humidity. The only places which escape this are the mountains, and the northern island of Hokkaido. June is usually the rainy season (tsuyu) for most of the country, but Hokkaido misses out on this as well, so so it's a good time to visit. What to wear: light, comfortable clothing which dries easily. 3.       Autumn (September to November) September is the time of year with the greatest risk of typhoons. After that, the weather is unpredictable but generally mild. October is a good time for travelling: the humidity is less than in summer but it is still pleasantly warm. The trees show beautiful autumn colours, beginning in northern areas and higher altitudes, and spreading to all areas in November.. 4.       Winter (December to February) The northern island of Hokkaido, the Japan Alps and much of the Japan Sea coast get a lot of snow. The rest of the mainland gets some snow, and average temparatures around 1-5°C. But the weather is usually clear, crisp and pleasant, not damp. Tokyo gets very little or no snow. What to wear: warm clothing, winter coat/ski jacket or similar. If travelling in the north, make sure your shoes are suitable for snow. Japanese Language 1.      Japan Languange Japanese Language: Japanese (日本語 nihongo) is spoken in Japan, and essentially nowhere else. The Japanese language is distinct from Chinese and Korean, although the written form uses Chinese (kanji) characters, and is not known to be related to any other language. 2.      Grammar Japanese generally employs a subject-object-verb order, using particles to mark the grammatical functions of the words: 私がハンバーガーを食べる watashi-ga hamburger-o taberu, "I-subject hamburger-object eat". It is common to omit subjects and even objects if these are clear from previous context.  Verbs and adjectives conjugate by tense and politeness level, but not by person or number. There is no verb "to be" as such, but the polite copula desu can be used in most cases: John desu ("I am John"), Ringo desu ("This is an apple"), Akai desu ("It is red"), etc. Note that the exact meaning will depend on the implied subject. The good news is that Japanese has none of the following: gender, declensions or plurals. Nouns never conjugate and almost all verbs are regular. 3.      Reading and writing Reading and writing Japanese are advanced skills which take years of work to gain much real proficiency. Japanese themselves use three different writing systems of various complexity, two of which (hiragana' and katakana) are syllabic and relatively easy to learn with 50 characters each, but the clincher is the set of over 2000 Chinese characters known as kanji. The set of hiragana characters is illustrated in the Japanese Pronunciation Guide. 4.      Kanji Kanji (Japanese: 漢字 ) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (平仮名), katakana (片仮名), and the Arabic numerals. The Japanese term kanji (漢字) literally means "Han characters". Kanji History, Chinese characters came to Japan from China with kanji articles on which they are written. Their early instances include a gold seal discovered in 1748, which was identified as the one given by the emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty in 57 CE. It is not clear when Japanese people started to command Classical Chinese by themselves. At first documents were probably written by Chinese immigrants. For example, the diplomatic correspondence from King Bu of Wa to Emperor Shun of the Song Dynasty in 478 has been praised for its skillful use of allusion. Later, groups of people called fuhito were organized under the monarch to read and write Classical Chinese. From the 6th century onwards, Chinese documents written in Japan tended to show interference from Japanese. This suggests the wide acceptance of Chinese characters in Japan. In modern Japanese, kanji are used to write parts of the language such as nouns, adjective stems and verb stems, while hiragana are used to write inflected verb and adjective endings (okurigana), particles, native Japanese words, and words where the kanji is too difficult to read or remember. Katakana is used for representing onomatopoeia and non-Japanese loanwords. Traditionals Japan Costume Kimono The kimono (着物?) is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" (ki "wear" and mono "thing"), has come to denote these full-length robes. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is kimonos, but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also sometimes used. Kimono are T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimono are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial.),[4] and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimono are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially zōri or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi).[5] Today, kimono are most often worn by women, and on special occasions. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called furisode,[5] with almost floor-length sleeves, on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear the kimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public. Parts Dōura (胴裏?): upper lining on a woman's kimono.Eri (衿?): collar.Fuki: hem guard. Furi: sleeve below the armhole.Maemigoro (前身頃?): front main panel, excluding sleeves. The covering portion of the other side of the back, maemigoro is divided into "right maemigoro" and "left maemigoro". Miyatsukuchi: opening under the sleeve. Okumi (衽?): front inside panel situated on the front edge of the left and right, excluding the sleeve of a kimono. Until the collar, down to the bottom of the dress goes, up and down part of the strip of cloth. Have sewn the front body. It is also called "袵". Sode (袖?): sleeve.[5] Sodeguchi (袖口?): sleeve opening.Sodetsuke (袖付?): kimono armhole. Susomawashi (裾回し?): lower lining. Tamoto (袂?): sleeve pouch. Tomoeri (共衿?): over-collar (collar protector). Uraeri (裏襟?): inner collar. Ushiromigoro (後身頃?): back main panel, excluding sleeves, covering the back portion.. Cost A woman's kimono may easily exceed US$10,000; a complete kimono outfit, with kimono, undergarments, obi, ties, socks, sandals, and accessories, can exceed US$20,000. A single obi may cost several thousand dollars. However, most kimonos owned by kimono hobbyists or by practitioners of traditional arts are far less expensive. Enterprising people make their own kimono and undergarments by following a standard pattern, or by recycling older kimonos. Cheaper and machine-made fabrics can substituA womate for the traditional hand-dyed silk. There is also a thriving business in Japan for second-hand kimonos, which can cost as little as ¥500 (about $5). Women's obis, however, mostly remain an expensive item. Although simple patterned or plain colored ones can cost as little as ¥1,500 (about $15).