DESTINATION DISCOVERY - JAPAN
For Cruisers Who Have Done It All
By John and Sandra Nowlan
Next Stop: Japan
It’s a land of natural wonders and cultural treasures. A country of startling contrasts from futuristic cities to ancient temples; from mountains and quiet country vistas to lightening-fast bullet trains; from expensive, high-end shops to the world’s highest concentration of vending machines; from ubiquitous dark-suited businessmen to kimono-clad geishas and outrageously large sumo wrestlers. But most of all, it’s a land of gracious hospitality and unique politeness that startles and delights all tourists.
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated a small corner of Japan caused many potential visitors to rethink their plans. However, the country is back on its feet, safe and very welcoming.
Get Your Bearings
Japan is a nation of thousands of islands off the northeast coast of mainland Asia. The four major ones — Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu — form a 1,200-mile curve from north to south. The temperatures can range between the low 20s in winter on Hokkaido in the north to the subtropical high 80s on Okinawa, one of the many Japanese islands that stretch another 1,000 miles to the southwest of Kyushu.
About 75 percent of Japan’s landscape is mountainous, but most of the country’s population of 127 million lives on the coastal plains and near the many excellent harbors. The main cities are enormous but efficiently run. Tokyo has 35 million residents in its metro area while Osaka has 11 million.
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