Japan, a nation in East Asia, is an archipelago of 6,852 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is a constitutional monarchy, with Tokyo as its capital. More than 99% of the population speaks Japanese. Japan is a country that has one of the world’s longest measurable histories with around 1100 national treasures and 13000 items of cultural significance. During Japan’s history since its establishment around 3000 years ago, there have been many different cultures within Japan that were born, flourished and perished over time. In particular, there have been certain aspects of Japanese culture such as “Samurai”, “Ninja” and “Tea Ceremony” that are well known throughout the world and are still well embraced.
Japan has the world's third-largest economy, after the United States and the People's Republic of China. They have achieved remarkable growth in the second half of the 20th Century after the devastation of the Second World War. Geographically Japan is located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. A nearly continuous series of ocean trenches, volcanic arcs and shifting tectonic plates, the Pacific Ring of Fire accounts for more than 75 percent of the world’s active volcanoes and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes. Japan’s four main islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, make up 97 percent of the country’s total land area. Honshu is home to Tokyo and many of Japan’s other largest cities, including Yokahama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima and Sendai.
Japanese society is strikingly homogenous. Ethnic Japanese account for 98.5 percent of the country’s sizeable population. While different areas of Japan, particularly the central Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, are known for having distinctive, colorful local dialects, the whole country essentially speaks the same language. Traditional Japanese society and culture stress the values of harmony, consensus decision-making and social conformity. “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is a common Japanese saying and guideline of social behavior.
The best time to visit Japan is generally considered to be between March and May, or October and November. However, it depends on your interests and what you're planning to do during your trip. For travelers determined to visit Japan during cherry blossom season, the dates of bloom depend on the weather conditions each year. From late March, trees in the warmer south begin to bloom, but in northern cities like Sapporo, don’t expect to see any pink until at least May. If you are staying between the Kansai and Kanto regions, the best time to see blossoms is either the last week of March or the first week of April.
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