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Regions in Japan : Hokkaido, Tohoku region, Kanto region, Chubu region, Kinki region (commonly called Kansai), Chugoku region, Shikoku, Kyushu, and the Ryukyu Islands.

Japan is situated on a chain of islands east of the Asian continent on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean.

The largest of these islands are: Hokkaido, Honshu [ the largest island  -  'mainland' ], Kyushu and Shikoku.

A number of smaller islands immediately surround these four, as well as one outlying group of small islands well to the south including Okinawa [ in the Ryukyu archipelago, over 600 km to the southwest of Kyushu ].

Capital City of Japan: Tokyo


car hire, hotels, tour operators - japan tours, travel guides, travel to japan

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Car Rentals Japan

  Holiday Autos   -   
Holiday Autos offers the best fully inclusive car hire prices. Get cheap car hire quickly and securely online with holidayautos.co.uk, the experts in online car rental.

Hotels in Japan

  Booking  -  Hotels in Japan   -   Hotels regions Fukui, Ishikawa, Miyazaki, Okinawa
Popular destinations : Tokyo, Kyoto, Tokyo Narita Airport , Ōsaka, Fukuoka, Naha, Nagoya, Kita-narita, Chitose, Hiroshima, Osaka, Hakone.

  Narita Airport Washington Hotel ***, 658 Oyama, 286-0131 Narita, Chiba Prefecture
Located just near the Airport, Narita Airport Washington Hotel welcomes guests to its cozy lobby and European style guestrooms. It is an ideal place to stay when traveling in or out of the country from Narita Airport, or when visiting Narita-san. A free shuttle bus service is available to and from Narita Airport and Narita Station.

  Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel ***, 3-1 Ariake, Koto-Ku, 135-0063 Tokyo
Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel is located right in front of the huge convention center - Tokyo Big Sight. In the immediate area is Odaiba. Odaiba is Tokyo's best amusement area with many shopping centers like Palette Town and Aqua City, a big amusement park, a boardwalk and beach, Fuji Television's headquarters and the famous Rainbow Bridge. For sports lovers, within a five minutes walk
is Ariake Tennis Park. Access to Disneyland and Haneda Airport is only 30 minutes by train or bus [ ca. 9 km ]. Tokyo Bay Ariake Washinton Hotel, overlooks the new Tokyo Waterfront Area.

 
Centrally located hotels ranging from small family run budget accommodation to world-class five star hotels.

  
Hotels in Gunma, Hokkaido Island, Isesaki, Ishigaki, Kabira, Kamikawa, Nagoya, Narita, Osaka, Sapporo, Shizuoka, Tokio.

   -   look for hotels in Japan



  Far East Gateways   -   tailor made holidays, vacations and travel packages
  Remembrance Travel
  Voyages Jules Verne   -   Great Journeys for the discerning traveller
  Worlds Apart Travel
'Not just the bright lights of Tokyo and the bullet train but also gentle hikes amongst the hills, mountains and cherry blossoms. Ancient Kyoto is steeped in imperial history with it's Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. From high tech to low tech Japan is a land of extremes!.'

Travel Guides / Related books

 
See Discover Japan travel guide, Japan guidebook pack, Japan travel guide, Japan travel guide & Japanese phrase book pack.

Japan (Lonely Planet)   -   Wendy Yanagihara
Nobody knows Japan like Lonely Planet. With more maps and language content than any other guidebook, this 11th edition unveils the very best of shopping in Tokyo, skiing in the Japan Alps, soaking in idyllic onsen (hot springs), trekking to Kansai's feudal castles, slurping soba at Kyushu food stalls, and so much more.
Paperback: 872 pages; Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 11th Revised edition edition (1 Oct 2009); ISBN-10: 1741790425; ISBN-13: 978-1741790429.

Japan by Rail   -   Ramsey Zarifeh
Paperback: 496 pages; Publisher: Trailblazer Publications; 2nd Revised edition edition (15 Jun 2007); ISBN-10: 1873756976; ISBN-13: 978-1873756973.

Japan Insight Guide
Alyse Dar (Author, Editor)
This new edition Insight Guide to Japan features illuminating text written by expert, local writers alongside inspiring full-colour photography, including over 250 brand new photographs that will bring Japan's people and places to life, at the turn of a page. The top attractions are highlighted to help you plan your trip priorities and a brand new 'Best of' section features recommendations on many exclusive experiences. An in-depth 'Places' section covers the entire country, region by region, with all the principal sites cross-referenced by number to accompanying full-colour maps throughout the guide.
Paperback: 400 pages; Publisher: APA Publications Pte Ltd (16 Feb 2010); ISBN-10: 9812820841; ISBN-13: 978-9812820846.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Japan   -   John Benson
The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide to Japan will lead you straight to the best attractions Japan has to offer, with over 1000 detailed maps of Japan, stunning colour photographs and illustrations. You'll find detailed background information on the best things to do in Japan region by region; from exploring the bustling streets of Tokyo to climbing Mount Fuji. Packed with cutaways and floor plans of all Japan's major sights, as well as 3D aerial views of stunning shrines and street -by-street maps of Japan's most exciting neighbourhoods. Fully updated and expanded, features include everything from a visual guide to Japan's traditional arts and crafts, to Japan's amazing history and cuisine. The DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Japan includes a comprehensive list of hotel reviews, recommended restaurants and first-class tips for shopping and entertainment, whatever your budget. Don't miss a thing with the DK Eyewitness Guide to Japan.
Hardcover: 416 pages; Publisher: Dorling Kindersley (1 April 2009); ISBN-10: 1405339136; ISBN-13: 978-1405339131. 

Transport / How do I travel to Japan

  Tokyo Airport   -   Narita International Airport
  Kansai Airport   -   Kansai International Airport
  Sapporo Airport   -   New Chitose Airport [ IATA: CTS, ICAO: RJCC ]
Just south of Sapporo.

  Ebookers  -    

  Airline Tickets /  Bargain Flights
Flight tickets Japan, Price comparison possible.

  Japan Railways reservation Service (JR)  -  Japan's leading railway company
Service intended for customers who wish to travel within Japan commencing from Narita International Airport. Shinkansen [ Super Express ] and Narita Express. Also for Japan Railpass and JR East Pass

  Seikan Tunnel  -  53.85 km railway tunnel in Japan, with a 23.3 km portion under the seabed
It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait as part of the Japan Railways Kaikyo Line.

  Map of Japan [ Uni Texas  -  Perry-Castañeda Bibliothek  -  Map Collection ]


Links  

  Japan National Tourist Organization Website [ English, French and German ]
  Japan Tourist Bureau in the UK
Visitor information, to see and do, transportation, accommodation and more

  Government   -   Links to Ministries and other organozations

  Tokyo   -   Capital City Japan

  Hokkaido  -  second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan
The Tsugaru Strait separates it from Honshu, although it is connected to Honshu by the underwater Seikan Tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaido is the prefectural capital, Sapporo. During the winter, skiing and other winter sports bring tourists to Hokkaido.
Cities in Hokkaido : Sapporo [ Capital City ], Hakodate [ in the south ], Asahikawa [ in the central region], Kushiro, Obihiro, Abashiri, Nemuro.
  Honshu   -   largest island of Japan and called the Mainland of Japan
Prefectures : Chūgoku region, Kansai, Chūbu, Kantō and Tōhoku. Three-fourths of Japan's important cities are here on Honshu, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, Akita, Sendai, Fukushima, Niigata, and Hiroshima.
  Kyuushu   -   third largest island of Japan, most southerly / westerly of the four main islands
The name came from the former nine provinces of Saikaido on the island, that are Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyūga, Osumi, and Satsuma. The largest city on the island is Fukuoka. Other cities : Kitakyushu [ major center for heavy industries ], Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Nagasaki.
  Shikoku   -   smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan
The name Shikoku refers to the four former provinces : Awa, Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo. Prefectures Shikoku : Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima.

  Chugoku Region   -   western Honshu, including Hiroshima
  Chubu Region   -   central Honshu, including Mt. Fuji
Sometimes divided into: Hokuriku region (northwestern Chubu), Koshin'etsu region (northeastern Chubu) and  Tokai Region (southern Chubu, including Nagoya)
  Hokkaido   -   the island of Hokkaido and nearby islands
  Kanto Region   -   eastern Honshu, including Tokyo and Yokohama
  Kinki Region / Kansai   -   west-central Honshu, including Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto  Kansai)
  Kyushu Island
  Shikoku Island
  Tohoku Region   -  northern Honshu, including Sendai

  Fukuoka   -   largest city on the island Kyuushu
Fukuoka is blessed with beautiful nature like mountains and sea. Visitors come to enjoy neighborhood areas that have much to offer including hot springs, volcanic mountains, and theme parks, to enjoy traditional festivals, and to enjoy gourmet food. Twelve months a year, Fukuoka always has something to offer. See Fukuoka-Hakata Tourist Information Site.
  Kyoto City
  Nagasaki [ Kyuushu island ]
Nagasaki started as a small fishing village and became a center of Portuguese and others European peoples' influence in the 16th through 19th centuries. See Nagasaki Prefectural Tourism. See also Huis ten Bosch.
  Naha   -   on Okinawa in the Ryukyu archipelago
Over 600 km to the southwest of Kyushu.
  Osaka City
  Sapporo   -   largest city on the island of Hokkaido
Sapporo is best known for the annual Yuki Matsuri, internationally referred to as the Sapporo Snow Festival, which draws more than 2 million tourists from around the world. See City of Sapporo and Sapporo Snow festival

  Big Buddha of Kamakura
  Mount Fuji, has a height of 3,776 m  [ snow covered ]
  Nikko [ Mausolea of the Shogun ]   -   located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture
Popular tourist destination housing the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and that of his grandson Iemitsu, as well as the Futarasan Shrine. See Nikko Tourist Association, Tokugawa Ieyasu [ founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate ] and Shrines and temples of Nikko.
  Takayama [ Japanese Alps ]   -   Hida-Takayama 
Hida-Takayama has preserved the feeling of a castle town, apparent by its history-filled streets. With the latticed bay windows and linked eaves of merchants' houses in Sanmachi Suji, the enduring historical temples and shrines of Higashiyama, and the reproduction of Hida's traditional mountain farming villages of sloped-roof houses at Hida Folk Village, the town itself could be called a sightseeing spot.
The crafts of Hida can be found everywhere in the form of karakuri marionettes, sculpture, and textiles as seen in the Takayama Festival held in spring and fall.

  Japan Times   -   news from Japan
  Radio Japan Online 

Prefectures in Japan: Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Cities in Japan: Akita, Asahikawa, Asakusa, Atami City, Chiba, Chiyoda-ku, Chuo-ku, Fukui, Fukuoka, Gifu City, Ginza, Hamamatsu, Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Kanazawa, Kita-ku, Kitakyushu, Kobe, Kochi, Koto-ku, Kumagaya City, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Minato-ku, Morioka, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nagoya, Naha, Narita, Narita-shi, Niigata, Numazu, Oita, Okinawa, Osaka, Ota-ku, Sapporo, Sendai, Shimoda, Shinagawa-ku, Shinjuku-ku, Shizuoka, Suzuka, Taito-ku, Tokushima, Tokyo [ national capital ],  Wakayama, Yamagata, Yokohama

Cuisine  -  Japanese Recipes

  Japanese Food

What's What in Japanese Restaurants: A Guide to Ordering, Eating and Enjoying  -  By Robb Satterwhite
This guide offers practical tips on what to order and how to enjoy it. Alongside sample menus, this volume also explores the history of Japanese restaurant etiquette, the emphasis on visual presentation, and regional variations.

History of Japan

Independence: 660 BC [ traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu ]

Japan was regularly connected by land bridges to the Asian mainland (by Sakhalin to the North, and probably Kyushu to the South), facilitating migrations of humans, animals and plants to the Japanese archipelago from the area that is now China and Korea.

  Japan's History   -   Wikipedia
Pre-History/The Origin of History [ Jomon Period, Yayoi Period ], Ancient/Classical Japan [ Kofun Period - Also known as the Yamato Period, Nara Period, Heian Period ], Feudal Japan [ Kamakura Period, Kuromachi Period, Azuchi-Momoyama Period, Edo Period ], Contact with the West [ Wars with China and Russia, Anglo -Japanese Alliance ], World War I to End of World War II, Occupied Japan, Post-Occupation Japan; and more.

  National Museum of Japanese History
The National Museum of Japanese History [ Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan ], generally called Rekihaku, opened in March of 1983. It is the only museum of Japanese history in Japan which supports systematic research and exhibitions of Japanese history and culture. Located in Sakura City [ 40 kilometers from cosmopolitan Tokyo and 15 kilometers from the New Tokyo International Airport at Narita ].
  Japan Information Network
  Samurai Archives

Music, Art Culture, Events

  Outline Chronology of Japanese Cultural History [ John Pierre Mertz Homepage ]
  Japanese Culture
  Manga   -   Japanese word for comics
  Samurai Archives
Famous Samurai, Samurai Culture, Military Rulers of Japan, Emperors and Empresses, Famous Women, Maps, Battles

  Takayama festival [ held in spring and fall ]
  Gion Festival of Kyoto
  Chichibu Night Festival of Saitama Prefecture

  Nihon no Hanga   -   Japanese Print Collection
The prints preserved in this private museum in Amsterdam have been collected over a period of 15 years. The collection includes over 1000 Japanese prints of which 90% dates from the 20th century. Nihon no hanga has as its goal to provide a comprehensive overview of the developments in 20th century Japanese print production, with an emphasis on the pre-war period. 
Twice a year an exhibition will be held exploring a variety of themes. Access to the exhibitions will be by invitation only, which we send to our newsletter subscribers.


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