For a country that lived in self-imposed isolation until 150
years ago, Japan has not hesitated in making up for lost
time since the world came calling. Anyone who's eaten sushi or used
a Sony Walkman feels they know something about this slinky
archipelago of some 6800 volcanic islands tucked away off the far
eastern coast of Asia, and yet, from the moment of arrival in this
oddly familiar, quintessentially Oriental land it's almost as if
you've touched down on another planet.
Japan is a place of ancient gods and customs, but is also the
cutting edge of cool modernity. High-speed trains whisk you from
one end of the country to another with frightening punctuality. You
can catch sight of a farmer tending his paddy field, then turn the
corner and find yourself next to a neon-festooned electronic games
parlour in the suburb of a sprawling metropolis. One day you could
be picking through the fashions in the biggest department store on
earth, the next relaxing in an outdoor hot-spring pool, watching
cherry blossom or snowflakes fall, depending on the season.
Few other countries have, in the space of a few generations,
experienced so much or made such an impact. Industrialized at
lightning speed, Japan shed its feudal trappings to become the most
powerful and outwardly aggressive country in Asia in a matter of
decades. After defeat in World War II, it transformed itself from
atom bomb victim to wonder economy, the envy of the globe.
Currently facing up to recession and rising unemployment after
years of conspicuous consumption, Japan still remains fabulously
wealthy and intent on reinvention for the twenty-first century,
when, together with South Korea, it will become the first Asian
nation to host soccer's World Cup in 2002.
Japan is never going to be a cheap place to travel, but there's
no reason why it should be wildly expensive either. Some of the
most atmospheric and traditionally Japanese places to stay and eat
are often those that are the best value. Furthermore, the recession
and tentative moves towards deregulation of the airlines, among
other industries, have led to significant price-cutting in some
areas.
In the cities you'll first be struck by the mass of people. In
this mountainous country, one and a half times the size of Britain,
the vast majority of the 127 million population live on the crowded
coastal plains of the main island of Honshu . The three
other main islands, running north to south, are Hokkaido,
Shikoku and Kyushu , and all are linked to Honshu by
bridges and tunnels that are part of one of Japan's modern wonders
- its efficient transport network of trains and highways.
If you're after the latest buzz, the hippest fashions and
technologies, and a worldwide selection of food, head for the
exciting, overwhelming metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka. The cities
are also the best places in which to sample Japan's traditional
performance arts, such as Kabuki and N9 plays, to catch the titanic
clash of sumo wrestlers, and track down the wealth of Japanese
visual arts in the major museums.
Outside the cities, from the wide open spaces and deep volcanic
lakes of Hokkaido, blanketed by snow every winter, to the balmy
subtropical islands of Okinawa, there's a vast range of other
holiday options, including hiking, skiing, scuba diving and
surfing. You'll seldom have to travel far to catch sight of a lofty
castle, ancient temple or shrine, or locals celebrating at a
colourful street festival. The Japanese are inveterate travellers
within their own country and there's hardly a town or village, no
matter how small or plain, that doesn't boast some unique
attraction.
It's not all perfect, though. Experts on focusing on detail (the
exquisite wrapping of gifts and the tantalizing presentation of
food are just two examples), the Japanese often miss the broader
picture. Rampant development and sometimes appalling pollution are
difficult to square with a country also renowned for cleanliness
and appreciation of nature. Part of the problem is that natural
cataclysms, such as earthquakes and typhoons, regularly hit Japan,
so few people expect things to last for long anyway. There's also a
blindness to the pernicious impact of mass tourism, with ranks of
gift shops, ugly hotels and crowds often ruining potentially
idyllic spots.
And yet, time and again, Japan redeems itself with unexpectedly
beautiful landscapes, charmingly courteous people, and its tangible
sense of history and cherished traditions. Most intriguing of all
is the opaqueness at the heart of this mysterious "hidden" culture
that stems from a blurring of traditional boundaries between East
and West - Japan is neither wholly one nor the other