Japan, or sometimes referred to as “Land of the rising sun” is an island nation located in north-eastern Asia between the northern Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. The country has a land mass of approximately 377,870 sq km (145 896 sq miles) which is just a tad smaller than the state of California.The country is made up of four major island groups with more than 4,000 smaller islands surrounding the big four islands of Hokkaido to the north, Honshu, the main island, Shikoku which is the smallest of the four and Kyushu, as the southernmost island.

Japan has a very homogenous culture and thus it is not surprising that there is only one official written and spoken language. However, to the delight of tourists and business travelers, many Japanese are able to understand English and speak the language to a certain extent albeit with heavy accent as can be seen in some Hollywood movies.The reason why many so Japanese can speak English is that the English language is the only foreign language all Japanese must learn as part of compulsory school education program.

Japan has a population of over 125 million people and most Japanese live in densely populated urban areas such as Tokyo which is the capital of Japan. Tokyo has a population of about 12 million people.Tokyo is a marvelous city of stark contrast which makes it as a very interesting and exciting city to tour. Tourists on holiday vacation are often enchanted with the glitzy lights of nightlife downtown Shibuya and Roppongi, homes to wonderful international and local restaurants, theme bars and karaoke clubs to dazzle you in contrast to the the tranquil serenity of Buddhist temples and sleepy side streets, where quaint local antique stores and old cafes beckon.

Many tourists regard Japan as a food paradise haven. Japanese food is not only well known for its health benefits, it is also famous throughout the world for its painstaking presentation. It is certainly a culinary delight to indulge in Japanese food. You can find traditional smoky yakitori stalls where customers sit around makeshift tables, drinking ice-cold beer as the sun sets on a hot summer day, to high class restaurants, where kimono clad waitresses serve the freshest sushi and sashimi. The quality and the variety of food in Japan are so vast that you can hardly find such wide diversity and quality of food anywhere else in the world. Having lunch would have been from the homemade bento box, however many Japanese restaurants these days are encouraging the trend to eat out at midday by offering great lunch set meals.