Japan

Here you can find information about Japan in general. Such as alien registration, opening of a bank account, getting on the Shinkansen, things worth to see, things not worth to see, beaten track, off the beaten track, sports, and more.

About Japan

Japan is made up of a chain of islands located between the Pacific Ocean and the Korean peninsula. It is known as the "Land of the rising sun" - the Japanese name for Japan is Nippon (日本), or locally Nihon, and means "Source of sun" - and has 13 centuries of recorded history.

The islands that constitute Japan include, from the north, Karafuto, Hokkaido, Honshu (or the main island with the capital Tokyo), Shikoku, and Kyushu. About 600 km south west of Kyushu is a group of islands called Okinawa.

About 73 percent of the country is mountains, a chain is running through all the main islands. The highest peak is at 3776 meters and is the famous Mount Fuji (Fujisan), a composite volcano. It has been sacred since ancient time and is now a popular attraction for tourists, both foreign and locals.