"GAIJIN MONOGATARI" a Japan Travel Page by Pangea

The tale of the stranger...
...or why all tourists who visit Japan think they can write a book after 15 days.

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I can't remember exactly when I decided travel to this amazing country. The truth is that it was the last option of my trips, but now I could say I am not disappointed of this. In fact I think anyone can feel disappointed if decides to travel to this country.

Make a trip around the world during one year is one of my dreamed trips (that I hope to do someday), but Japan never was included at any hypothetical route, and I have spent many hours watching the atlas, thinking about the countries that I would like to see. Also, as a History student, I've been always fascinated by three diferent periods: the Classic Greece, the Medieval Europe and the Japanese Shogun Period. Curious is that, in spite of this last, Japan never was on my travel wish list.

During the past three years, before my trip to Japan in 2002, I was travelling with the Interrail across many European capitals. After this, I was tired of Europe (and Europeans) and I needed to move out of the continent. Argentina, South Africa or Australia were my first options, but thinking that I only can travel on North Hemisphere Summer, probably they were not going to be a good options. Then I thought in Egypt or Iran, but, well, those were the sad days after 9/11 and suddenly the whole world was an insecure place. After thinking a lot, and close to my departure time, I found Japan the most secure country to my first far home destination.

In the past, when I thought in Japan, I thought Manga, mature perverts seeking young girls wearing school uniforms, baseball players, fashion victims, karaoke adicts, modern cars, enormous skyscrapers... in fact, in a piece of the West at the East. A country that it had lost their own culture. Yes! I was a victim of stereotypes.

How wrong I was! It's true that you can find all this, but also, the Japanese people have been keeped their customs and traditions... showing how it's posible to keep an original culture running with the Western parameters. Of course that not all it's shinning and brilliant in Japan... but well, you know... this is the land of the rising sun, and more than any other country, each day seems to be a new begining.

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SOME FACTS ABOUT THE COUNTRY

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With 377.812 sq kms, Japan is more big than many people thinks. Oftenly we take a look at a map of Asia, and comparing with Rusia, China, India or Australia and the immensity of the Pacific Ocean, Japan seems to be a really small place. But if Japan it will be located in USA will be the 4th state of the Union and if it will be part of Europe will be the 6th country in size. The population is around 127.945.000 inhabitants (2003). The archipelago is formed by more than 6800 islands (thanks to Satoshi, aka Stonefree, for this info) extended about 3.000 kilometers from North to South.

Japan is a Constitutional Monarchy, famous for be the oldest continued Monarchy of the world, ruled by the emperor (who is the Head of the State) and the Prime Minister (the Head of the Government). The capital is Tokyo with around 8.274.000 inhabitants (31.240.000 with the agglomeration -the biggest in the world- Tokyo/Yokohama).

The country is very mountanious being the Mount Fuji (a volcano) the highest point with 3778 meters. There are around 200 volcanoes in Japan, 50 of them are active. There is a large number of rivers, but anyone ot them are important; the largest is the Shinano with only 367 kms. The biggest lake is Biwa Lake with 685 sq. km.

Japan is divided in 47 prefectures. Shinto and Buddhism are the main important religions in Japan. Each one is divided in around 200 different schools. The population is very homogeneous with little minorities of koreans and ainus (primitive inhabitants of the islands).

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JAPAN JOURNEYS

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First (and I hope not last) journey:
Tokyo - Osaka - Himeji Castle - Hiroshima - Miyajima Island - Kyoto - Nara - Nagoya - Takayama - Matsumoto - Gotenba - Kamakura - Tokyo

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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The illustration above belongs to Russell Barnett and was made for "The Illustrated Atlas of the Ancient Worlds".

The second illustration was made by Shuseki Koga, and belongs to an illustrated book of the tale "Genji Monogatari".