With a population of 126.5m, the archipelago of Japan lies off the east coast of Korea in the Pacific ocean. Of more than 1000 islands, there are four main ones: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. The cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya and Hiroshima are all on Honshu, as is Mt Fuji, Japan's highest mountain and symbol.

Attractions include frenetic, neon-lit Tokyo, the fine temples and gardens of Kyoto, Mt Fuji, Daisetsuzan National Park on Hokkaido (for skiing, hiking and hot springs) and the chilling atomic-bomb relics of Nagasaki. Japan also has its fair share of oddball sights, such as the Seagaia Ocean Dome, a completely controlled indoor sand and surf beach, and Tokyo's bizarre capsule and 'love' hotels.

Golf is the national obsession, but you'll have to be cashed up to join in - green fees are around £70 a day. Japan has a poor environmental record for a first-world country. Issues include continued whale and dolphin hunting, drift-net fishing, outrageous overpackaging of consumer goods, rainforest logging and heavy smog in big cities.

News and current affairs

Japan's online publications from the world news guide.

Language

Japanese; English spoken in tourist areas and by many students but a phrasebook is needed.

Climate

Japan's climate is complex and varied. Summer (June to September) is hot and humid across the country, and the season ends with heavy rains, winds and the occasional typhoon. Winter is long and harsh, with heavy snow, in the northern islands, cold in the central regions, with a little snow, and cool but sunny in the south. Autumn and spring are moderate across the archipelago.

Health

No vaccinations necessary; healthcare good.

Food

Though Japan is renowned the world over for sushi and sashimi, there is more to the cuisine than that. Try one of the many cook-at-your-table restaurants where diners 'cook' raw ingredients such as beef strips, vegetables and tofu by dipping them in a steaming broth and soaking them in sauces. Rice is the staple food; most people eat it three times a day, served with various sauces, stews or mild curries. Noodles and soup are popular snacks and all manner of American-style fast-food is available. Food is rarely spicy; soy sauce, seaweed and shitake mushrooms are the usual flavourings.

Vegetarians be warned: while the centuries-long Buddhist ban on meat led to the development of complex dishes that are still eaten today, many Japanese restaurants are apt to add taboo ingredients, especially fish-based, to apparently "vegetarian" dishes.

Beer is the most popular beverage, and sake (rice wine) should be sampled.

Events

February: Odori Park: Sapporo Snow Festival: giant ice sculptures.
February-April: Hanami (Blossing Viewing).
April: Takayama Spring Festival.
July: Nagoya: Basho; biggest event on the sumo-wrestling calendar.
July 17: Kyoto: Gion Matsuri; big festival that ends with a colourful parade.
July-August: O Bon (Festival of the Dead); lanterns are floated on lakes, rivers and the sea to commemorate the departed.

What to buy

Electronic gadgets, CDs, minidiscs and DVDs. For something less high-tech, try handmade paper, ceramics, lacquerware or a kimono.

Embassies and visas

UK: Japanese Embassy 101-104 Piccadilly, London W1V 9FN (020 7465 6500).
Japan: British Embassy in Tokyo. Consulates in several other cities.
Visa requirements: UK and some European citizens do not need a visa for tourist visits of up to six months. US citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days.

Currency

£1 buys approx. 200 Japanese yen (JPY).
For live rates, see our currency converter.

Timezone

GMT +9.

Getting there

Most flights from the UK land at Tokyo's Narita airport (40 miles from the city centre); other international airports include Nagoya, Fukuoka and Kansai, near Osaka. Japan Airlines (0845 7747700) is the national carrier. Ferries travel from Japan to Taiwan, China and South Korea, as well as once a week to Nakhoda, Russia.

Related literature

Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden: The fictional true confessions of Chiyo, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

South of the Border, West of the Sun, Haruki Murakami: A romance set in contemporary Japan.

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea, Yukio Mishima: The story of a sailor, Ryuji, set in a seaport town in post-world war two Yokohama, Japan.