Japan

Types of trips: Historical, Cultural and Spirtual, Outdoor and Active, Adventure, Nature, Sight-seeing, Relaxation, Festivals, Skiing

Best known for: Huge advances in technology, Engineering, Godzilla, Hello Kitty, Anime, Manga, Sushi, Origami, Martial Arts, Samurais, Sumo wrestling

Why Go?: The Land of the Rising Sun, Japan is an amazing country with a culture and landscape that will amaze. There's an incredible range of things to do, you'll find yourself immersed in country which is both ultra-modern and timelessly beautiful in equal measure.

Fact File

Population: 127,400,000

Capital: Tokyo

Language(s): Aynu itak, Ryukyuan languages, Eastern Japanese, Western Japanese

Ties to the UK?: William Hague said Japan was "one of [the UK's] closest partners in Asia"

Landscape: Mountains, Volcanoes, Hot Springs, 161 Islands, Beaches, Lakes, Rivers

Climate/Seasons: Summer can be very hot (June-September), Winter is cold and the rest of the year is generally quite mild. There are often short-lasting typhoons in September when the rains peak, the winter being much drier than the summer.

When to Go: Ideally in the summer although spring and autumn are pleasant enough, there are loads of festivals held all year round so you won't be missing out by going at times other than summer.

Reasons to Visit: The technology savvy country can be like walking into the future but also you can step back in time into the unscarred landscapes and mountain ranges; it's an amazing country with lots to offer for students from the UK

How to Get There: Flying is the way to go with a good network of airports, once you're there you can use the high-speed railway or buses and island ferries to get to your specific destination. 

Places to Go: Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, Sumo, Onsen, Tokyo, Okinawa, Hokkaido

Famous People: Hirhito, Mazie Hirono, Yoko Ono, Issey Miyake, Rinko Kikuchi

Natural Wonders/Wildlife: Mount Fuji, Mount Aso, Matsushima, Tohinbo, Lake Mashu, 

History: Ancient Japan, WWII

Architecture: Typified by elevated, wooden buildings with pitched roofs at each level which lift in the corners, sliding paper doors inside

Culture: Etiquette is a huge part of the culture, making sure to bow at the appropriate time, gift-giving, taking your shoes of and and addressing someone by their surname followed by san are all important things to be aware of before traveling. (Practicing these things makes for a fantastic classroom-based activity)

Sport: Sumo wrestling, Martial arts, Baseball, Association football.

Events: Cherry Blossom Viewing, Gion Matsuri, Festival of the Dead

Watch Out For: Make sure to follow the local customs as best you can as Japanese people set a lot of store by them. bear in mind the Japanese economy has been in a slump for over 20 years. The technology can be overwhelming at times. It's a good idea to do a little research before going, also many signs and automated machines are only in Japanese.

Medical Issues: No vaccinations required but any individual concerns should be addressed with a trip to your G.P.

Watch this video about visiting Japan!