This page provides brief background information on Japan. For more practical information about out trips to Japan please see our practical information page. We also have a have a page about preparing for your trip.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

While the image of modern Japan in the West is of large cities and heavy industry, 75% of the country is mountainous forest, and the country offers terrain ranging from sub-tropical islands to alpine peaks.

The Japanese landscape - the rivers,trees, mountains, natural hot springs - are at the heart of Japanese culture and religion. Japan's Shinto religion worships sacred spirits (called kami) that have taken on the form of things such as rain, trees, mountains, rivers. This belief formed an intrisic link for the Japanese between their everyday lives and the natural world. While Shinto lost its status as Japan's official religion after World War II, Japan's mountain peaks are still often crowned with a shinto shrine, and in the deep valleys of the Kii Peninsula or the mountains of Yamagata mountain priests known as yamabushi still perform feats of endurance such as praying under cold waterfalls or making a pilgrimage over the lofty peaks.

 

HISTORY

 

Japan's earliest period is known as the Jomon, from roughly 10,000 - 300 B.C., during which time the first evidence of civilisation appeared. Clay vessels from around 3,000 - 2,000 B.C. are surprisingly intricate. The Yayoi period from 300 B.C. to around 250 A.D. saw the influx of new practices such as wet cultivation of rice, shamanism, and the development of bronze and iron implements. The Kofu period from 250 A.D. to 710 A.D. saw the partial unification of the country through conquest by strong military states.

 

The classical era of Japanese history began in the 6th century with the arrival of Buddhism in Japan from China via Korea, and then the adoption of the Chinese writing system (kanji). In 710 Nara became the capital, and in 794 Kyoto took on this role with the start of the Heian era, the golden period of Japanese history in which poetry and literature became highly noted.

 

From 1185 the Kamakura period began after the defeat of the Minamoto family by the Taira clan. In 1274 and 1281 the Mongols were repulsed by the Shoguns with the help of typhoons - interpreted as divine winds or kamikaze. The Muromachi period lasted from 1333 to 1576, in which the country gradually slipped into the era of the 'warring states' or sengoku period.

 

In the 16th century the first Western missionaries reached Japan from Portugal bringing with them Christianity. Increasingly active trade and cultural exchange with the west was brought to an abrupt halt in 1600 with the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the pursuit of an isolationsist policy that lasted for 250 years known as the Edo period after the capital as Tokyo was then called. In 1854 Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy forced Japan to open its doors to international trade, and Japan soon entered the Meiji period. During this time the Emperor moved back from Kyoto to Tokyo, and Japan adopted many Western institutions, built a railway quickly modernised.

 

Japan soon set itself on an expansionist course. It became the first Asian nation in modern time to defeat a European power when it won the Russo-Japanese war in 1905. It subsequently invaded and colonised Korea, and then Manchuria in 1931. In 1937 it invaded China proper, which it held until 1945. Following World War II, Japan was occupied by US forces, and became a constitutional monarchy. It achieved spectacular economic growth through a determined policy of industrial development.

 

Resources (external links)
History of Japan (Wikipedia)
History of Japan (Japan Guide)

 

CULTURE

 

Japan's rich and varied culture has its roots in the Confucian and Buddhist influences that came to the country from the Asian mailand, as well as its indigenous Shinto religion. Distinctive poetry and literature were developed during the Heian period (794-1185), but the most famous is perhaps the haiku, a 17-syllable verse consisting of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. A good example was written by the 17th traveller Matsuo Basho:

 

Traveller's heart
Never settled long in one place
Like a portable fire

 

Japanese culture has some fundamental differences with Western culture, one of them being that fact that important decisions are reached by consensus. Japanese culture idealises people who sacrifice themselves for the good of the group, while people who are individualistic are frowned upon. The concept of shame is much stronger than guilt in Japan - much in evidence in Japan's many polictical corruption scandals.

Modern Japanese culture has become famous for its anime (animated cartoons) and manga (serial comics), which are read by millions in the country.

 

Resources (external links)
Culture of Japan (Wikipedia)
Japanese kimono
Japanese culture

 

JAPANESE PEOPLE

 

 

The Japanese people often refer to themselves as an island-nation, and the uniqueness this has contributed to the Japanese people and their culture. Japan today is 99% ethnic Japanese, and the country officially does not allow immigration. This homogeneity has been an important factor in the way many of the intricate social customs such as gift-giving have persevered.

 

Japan's life expectancy is currently 85.2 years for women and 78.3 years for men, and the birth rate is 1.3 chidren per woman has lead to a declining population. By 2100 if current trends continue, Japan's population will decline from the current 128 million to 64 million.

 

 

GEOGRAPHY

 

 

There are four main islands in the Japanese archipelago. From north to south these are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. In addition there are the Ryukyu islands that spread south from Kyushu towards Taiwan, and about 3,000 other smaller islands.

 

Japan sits on the Ring of Fire, a ring of volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean. It experiences frequent low-intensity earth tremors and there are numerous volcanoes, some active. About 75% of the country is mountainous forest.

 

Japanese weather can be divided into 5 distinct seasons. From December to March it is cold and clear, from May to June and September to November Japan enjoys warm temperatures although there is the chance of rain associated with typhoons in the autumn. The rainy season generally starts in mid-June and ends mid-July, although this can be earlier or later depending on the area of Japan. July and August are generally hot and humid in southern and central parts of Japan.

 

WILDLIFE

 

Japan is host to about 600 species of birds, amongst them to Red-Crowned Crane, Hooded Crane, and Stellar's Sea Eagle. The Japanese Macaque is the only primate in Japan, and can be found in Honshu and on Yakushima Island. There are several species of bear in Japan, including the black, brown and red. Deer are common in some of Japan's national parks, and there are weasels, mink, and even a flying squirrel.

 

Japan has twice the biodiversity of New Zealand or the UK, mainly since it has such as wide variety of climactic zones, stretching from sub-tropical in Okinawa to sub-arctic in the north of Hokkaido.

 

Resources (external links)
Japanese Nature (Japan Guide.com)
National Geographic feature of Japan's winter wildlife

 

FOOD

 

 

Japanese cuisine has become famous around the world, most notably for sushi, tempura, ramen noodles. However, Japan's culture of food is as long and complicated as its history, and the Japanese have not only invented their own culinary specialities, but also imported many from other countries and then perfected and made them uniquely Japanese.

A few of the main Japanese styles are listed here:

• Sushi & Sashimi - raw fish expertly sliced and presented. The word sushi actually refers to the sticky vinegared rice with which it is prepared
• Yakitori - skewered and grilled chicken, originally sparrows were eaten instead of chicken
• Tempura - brought by the Portuguese, battered seafood and vegetables, deep fried
• Ramen - brought from China (la-men noodles) thin noodles cooked in a miso, soya sauce or salt-based broth.
• Domburi - a bowl of rice with a topping of meat, vegetables, or other ingredients
• Soba & Udon - two types of noodles eaten both in soup or dipped in sauces
• Kaiseki ryori - an eleborate traditional cuisine made up of small dishes of vegetables, meat and pickles. Originally kaiseki ryori was eaten before the tea-ceremony, but today it is eaten on special occasions.

There are numerous other styles of cooking in Japan, some associated with particular times of the year. Traditionally the Japanese diet was made up of rice and vegetables as well as fish. In the last century meat has risen in popularity. Pickles are common and important in Japanese cuisine. Pickled plums (ume-boshi) are an acquired taste and sometimes used to flavour rice balls in boxed lunches. Rice is the staple diet, and traditionally eaten three times a day, although this is less common with younger people.

 

See our Japanese Food page for photos and more details.