A short guide about Expedition Cruises to Japan
The ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ is increasingly popular with travellers as Japan is a modern country with a rich heritage. It is an expensive place to live; but possible for the budget traveller to have a good time as well. Four main islands make up Japan, from north to south they are - Hokkaido, Honshu; the main island, Shikoku, and Kyushu, more than 4,000 smaller islands surround these.
Japan will leave a lasting impression; from city based attractions in Tokyo to the natural wonders of Mount Fuji and the hot springs of Beppu, this country has something for everyone. Japan has combined the most traditional of societies with the most modern of techniques and become the heart of technological development; tourists greatly enjoy the diversity of shopping in this country.
Hokkaido; the North Island, is fast becoming world renown as a powder snow destination for skiers and boarders. An average of 15metres can fall in one season in such places as Niseko and Rusutsu. Sapporo is the beer capital of Japan and home to the world famous Ice Sculpture Festival held in February. In summer there are two main festivals; Yosakoi, a noisy dancing event where teams of dancers compete for prizes and the Beer Festival which sees Odori Park; site of the Ice/Snow Festival, turn into 7 to 8 blocks of beer gardens!
The country’s capital Tokyo is on the Main Island - Honshu and its districts Roppongi, Akihabara and Shinjuku offer pagodas and shrines, as well as neon signs and skyscrapers. The larger cities Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto are also located here. Shikoku is the smallest of the islands and lesser known to travellers; it is not as well equipped to handle travellers as Honshu, Kyushu or Hokkaido. The westernmost island is Kyushu; its main sights are the city of Nagasaki, the site where the bigger of the two nuclear bombs was dropped in WWII, and Fukuoka, a laid-back version of Tokyo and famous for its street food (yatai).
There are numerous Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, as the Japanese practise both religions and at the summit of Mount Tateyama, is a Shinto shrine where you can have a brief ceremony complete with sake. Japan is a fascinating country where the past meets the present, and the present blurs into the future and Tourabout’s range of holiday packages will have you turning Japanese faster than a Bullet Train cruising at 235 kph.