"Japan" a Japan Travel Page by sczabeti

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Unfortunately my love affair with Japan has come to a close, but memories of the places I've seen and the friendships I've made have stayed with me.

Japan can be best described as a riddle of contradictions. From mazes of crowded and narrow alleys that blaze with neon light by night, to its serene, peaceful and beautifully adorned shrines and temples - it offers a glimpse into both the future and a fascinating past. The area then known as Edo was a sizable fishing town with its own garrisoned castle, but there was little to indicate that Edo would one day become the capital of Japan, one of the world's major cities.

Japanese nature really comes alive in spring with, possibly the most celebrated moment of the Japanese year, the arrival of the cherry blossoms (Sakura-doki). Fortunately I was caught up in the eruption of cherry blossom mania which occurs in the first two weeks of April.

Although I couldn't speak more than a handful of Japanese words I found the people to be very polite and extremely helpful. Japanese are generally shy and relatively unused to mixing with foreigners, but when asking for directions a smile goes a long way. Honesty appears to play a big part in Japanese culture. Perhaps for this reason there are many "Lost & Found" offices at Japan Rail Stations. One wonderful thing is that lost property is, more often than not, returned by the finder.

There are sizable populations of Chinese, Filipinos, and Persians living in Tokyo, but foreigners really stand out in other areas of Japan, especially the suburban and country towns. Having said that, Japan is a safe country for travellers and despite the various glares and giggles I never felt intimidated.

This is a vast country and exploring it completely could take a lifetime but one thing remains certain, Japan has captured my heart and I will surely return to see more of this beautiful country.

(Click on the <A HREF="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.211130/article/76/2/?s=Q"> Gallery</A> in the right hand column for more stunning pictures of Japan)