Japan
Surrounded by sea, the island nation of Japan has long been a stopping place for ocean voyages, absorbing itinerant cultural influences and making them uniquely Japanese.
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Surrounded by sea, the island nation of Japan has long been a stopping place for ocean voyages, absorbing itinerant cultural influences and making them uniquely Japanese. The port cities were often home to samurai, the clan chieftains, and the great feudal lords, who, while fending off foreign rule, were trading with the outside world. These ports then formed the filter through which external influences passed to the interior.
Japan is an intricate blend of East and West. Thus, that modern high-rise may look Western, but it may contain a rustic-looking restaurant with open charcoal grills, corporate offices, a pachinko parlor, a high-tech bar with views of Mount Fuji, a McDonald's, an acupuncture clinic, a computer showroom, and a rooftop shrine. Your pizza may come with octopus, beer gardens are likely to be fitted with Astroturf, and "parsley" refers to unmarried women older than 25 (because parsley is what's left on a plate). City police patrol on bicycles, garbage collectors attack their job with the vigor of a well-trained army, and white-gloved elevator operators, working in some of the world's swankiest department stores, bow and thank you as you exit. Because of this unique synthesis of East and West into a culture distinctly Japanese, discovering it is like peeling an onion - one layer is uncovered only to lead to more layers underneath. No matter how long you stay in Japan, constant discovery is one of the most fascinating aspects of being here.
Food and Wine
Across Japan’s sprawling islands, Japanese cuisine cannot be defined by a single dish or single flavor. From the abundant seafood of northernmost Hokkaido (crab, scallops, sea urchins, squid, octopus, shrimp, abalone, clams, and much more) to the sophisticated international fare of Tokyo to the fresh soups, noodles, chicken and pork dishes of southernmost Kyushu, Japan is a culinary extravaganza.
Whether you’re dining at one of Tokyo, Yokohama, or Kamakura’s 266 Michelin-starred restaurants or savoring a bento-box lunch from a modest village café, the emphasis her is on fresh ingredients and exquisite presentation. Every slice of the blade, each platter and garnish is chosen to honor the food itself and inspire appetite. The full Japanese experience embraces color, texture, composition, aroma and temperature along with taste…so savor!
Onsen
One of the defining elements of Japan’s geography are hot springs. The numerous superb hot-spring resorts, known as onsen, are in fact ryokan built on the site of a hot spring. Onsen emerge in a wide variety of settings, each treasured for its healthful and restorative qualities. Some bubble up hot and mildly salty from forested streambeds, some rise in plumes of heated minerals, or even, as in sunamushi onsen, hot sand baths. This specialty of Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu is believed to increase circulation and revitalize the body. Many onsen are pockets of warmth surrounded by snow in the winter months, such as beloved Kusatsu, one of the world’s largest outdoor hot springs. With centuries, or even millennia, of use, onsen are cared for and honored like other treasures of Japanese culture.
Ryokan
Japan’s 58,000 specialty inns, known as ryokan, welcome visitors to a quality of peaceful hospitality not found anywhere else on earth. Spacious and immaculate, often oriented around a central garden, ryokan forego the hustle and bustle of city life and introduce the calming atmosphere of quiet gracious relaxation. Spare and tasteful in its décor, each guest room serves as eating and visiting space, later transformed to a sleeping room with the addition of a futon and warm coverlets. As with hotel rooms, ryokan style ranges from elegant to quite modest; we will help you pick an ideal ryokan that fits your taste!
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