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Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikivoyage or other free sources online. Standing at the far-eastern end of the Silk Road and drawing influences from the entire continent, the Japanese have spent millennia taking in and refining the cultural bounties of Asia to produce something distinctly Japanese. From the splendour of a Kyoto geisha dance to the spare beauty of a Zen rock garden, Japan has the power to enthrall even the most jaded traveller. And traditional culture is only half the story: emerging from Tokyo s Shibuya Station and soaking up the energy, lights and sound of the city is like stepping out of a time capsule into a future world. The wonders of Japan s natural world are a well-kept secret. The hiking in the Japan Alps and Hokkaid is world class, and with an extensive hut system you can do multiday hikes with nothing more than a knapsack on your back. Down south, the coral reefs of Okinawa will have you wondering if you ve somehow been transported to Thailand. And you never have to travel far in Japan to get out into nature: in cities like Kyoto, a few minutes of travel will get you into forested mountains. This book offers information on Japan and its most notable places.

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