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 For
a country that lived in self-imposed isolation until 150 years ago,
Japan has not hesitated in making up for lost time since the world came
calling. Anyone who's eaten sushi or used a Sony Walkman feels they know
something about this slinky archipelago of some 6800 volcanic islands
tucked away off the far eastern coast of Asia, and yet, from the moment
of arrival in this oddly familiar, quintessentially Oriental land it's
almost as if you've touched down on another planet.
Japan is a place of ancient gods and customs, but is also the cutting
edge of cool modernity. High-speed trains whisk you from one end of the
country to another with frightening punctuality. You can catch sight of
a farmer tending his paddy field, then turn the corner and find yourself
next to a neon-festooned electronic games parlour in the suburb of a
sprawling metropolis. One day you could be picking through the fashions
in the biggest department store on earth, the next relaxing in an
outdoor hot-spring pool, watching cherry blossom or snowflakes fall,
depending on the season.
Few other countries have, in the space of a few generations, experienced
so much or made such an impact. Industrialized at lightning speed, Japan
shed its feudal trappings to become the most powerful and outwardly
aggressive country in Asia in a matter of decades. After defeat in World
War II, it transformed itself from atom bomb victim to wonder economy,
the envy of the globe. Currently facing up to recession and rising
unemployment after years of conspicuous consumption, Japan still remains
fabulously wealthy and intent on reinvention for the twenty-first
century, when, together with South Korea, it will become the first Asian
nation to host soccer's World Cup in 2002.
Japan is never going to be a cheap place to travel, but there's no
reason why it should be wildly expensive either. Some of the most
atmospheric and traditionally Japanese places to stay and eat are often
those that are the best value. Furthermore, the recession and tentative
moves towards deregulation of the airlines, among other industries, have
led to significant price-cutting in some areas.
In the cities you'll first be struck by the mass of people. In this
mountainous country, one and a half times the size of Britain, the vast
majority of the 127 million population live on the crowded coastal
plains of the main island of Honshu . The three other main islands,
running north to south, are Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu , and all are
linked to Honshu by bridges and tunnels that are part of one of Japan's
modern wonders - its efficient transport network of trains and highways.
If you're after the latest buzz, the hippest fashions and technologies,
and a worldwide selection of food, head for the exciting, overwhelming
metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka. The cities are also the best places in
which to sample Japan's traditional performance arts, such as Kabuki and
N9 plays, to catch the titanic clash of sumo wrestlers, and track down
the wealth of Japanese visual arts in the major museums.
Outside the cities, from the wide open spaces and deep volcanic lakes of
Hokkaido, blanketed by snow every winter, to the balmy subtropical
islands of Okinawa, there's a vast range of other holiday options,
including hiking, skiing, scuba diving and surfing. You'll seldom have
to travel far to catch sight of a lofty castle, ancient temple or shrine,
or locals celebrating at a colourful street festival. The Japanese are
inveterate travellers within their own country and there's hardly a town
or village, no matter how small or plain, that doesn't boast some unique
attraction.
It's not all perfect, though. Experts on focusing on detail (the
exquisite wrapping of gifts and the tantalizing presentation of food are
just two examples), the Japanese often miss the broader picture. Rampant
development and sometimes appalling pollution are difficult to square
with a country also renowned for cleanliness and appreciation of nature.
Part of the problem is that natural cataclysms, such as earthquakes and
typhoons, regularly hit Japan, so few people expect things to last for
long anyway. There's also a blindness to the pernicious impact of mass
tourism, with ranks of gift shops, ugly hotels and crowds often ruining
potentially idyllic spots.
And yet, time and again, Japan redeems itself with unexpectedly
beautiful landscapes, charmingly courteous people, and its tangible
sense of history and cherished traditions. Most intriguing of all is the
opaqueness at the heart of this mysterious "hidden" culture that stems
from a blurring of traditional boundaries between East and West - Japan
is neither wholly one nor the other
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