Geologically, Japan is very active due to the plates that it sits on and there are over one hundred and fifty volcanoes on the islands with half of them active. It consists of over three thousands islands many of which are very mountainous. Most of the Japanese countryside is covered in forest, but due to its economic success, a large amount of natural plant species are nearing extinction.

When travelling to Japan, plan and research the best time of year to go. The climate differs considerably in different parts of the islands. It gets extreme snowstorms in the north of the country during the winter months. In the south of the country the weather is more tropical and humid. Tsunamis and typhoons are a very popular occurrence during the year.

Japan’s history dates back for thousands of years. The countryside has stunning old temples and castles along with great museums that show the traditional art of warfare that the Japanese are famous for. Temples are also a place of worship for the Japanese.

Western style foods are very popular with most of the more popular chain restaurants established there. Traditional dishes tend to be served in small portions with many dishes being served raw. Rice is served with most meals and the most common drink is green tea.

Through the years, Japan has played an important part in the arts, more notably in printmaking and in garden design. Classical and rock are popular forms of music, but the traditional styles remain widely played. It is well worth visiting some of the art centres, where they will show you how the traditional arts were made.

Shopping in the capital, Tokyo, and the main cities will be a pleasant experience. Every thing you need - you will find. For many years, the Japanese have been to the forefront of electronic creation. Great electronic gadgets can be bought at a reasonable price. The currency used is the Japanese Yen.

If time allows, you should try to take in some of the national games. Traditional sports, such as archery, judo and karate are extremely common and in some regions samurai sword fighting is popular. Sumo wrestling is the most popular of the traditional sports, drawing huge crowds and large television audiences. Baseball, football and rugby are the most popular modern sports.

The Japanese people are extremely pleasant and will go out of their way to make your holiday special. English is not widely spoken, so you should buy some sort of translation book to make your travel experience more enjoyable.

Japan is an ideal location for a long vacation - and to be honest, very little will be seen on a weekend break. If you are planning a holiday there, give yourself at least three weeks to see and enjoy this charming country.