Location: Chain of islands off the coast of East Asia, between the North Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan,
Capital: Tokyo
Tourist Attractions: The island nation of Japan is a major tourist hub and attracts tourists from all over the world. The cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Sapporo are popular with tourists. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park reminds the world of the dangers of nuclear war. The Tokyo National Museum consisting of over 87,000 items has the world's largest collection of Japanese art; the volcanic Mount Fiji, Daisetsuzan National Park with its amazing landscapes and great hiking and skiing territory are some of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. Visits to the city of Kyoto with its temples, gardens and Shinto shrines and the holy place of Kinkasan are a must. Japanese culture including formal gardens, tea ceremonies, the Geisha, seafood cuisine Japanese bullet trains and anime cartoons, has gained international recognition.
Access: Narita and Kansai International airports connect Japan to virtually all the major countries of the world. Ferries from China, Taiwan, Korea and Russia come to Japan.
Climate: Japan experiences each of the four seasons distinctively. Spring and fall are pleasant but the summers can get quite hot in Japan. Similarly winters are very cold and some parts receive snow due to the influence of Siberian winds.