Japan

Japan is an island state located in the Pacific Ocean, in its western part. The country has four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The word "Japan" can be translated as "Land of the Rising Sun".

For many decades, Japan has been one of the most economically developed countries not only in Asiabut all over the world. It is also one of the biggest technology powers and a mogul in the automotive industry.

The capital of Japan is Tokyo, with a population of about 14 million people. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The population of the whole country is more than 126 million people. The country is in 10th place in terms of population in the world.

The Japanese make up 98.5 % of the population. About 0.5 % are Koreans, 0.4 % are Chinese, and 0.6 % are the remaining immigrant population. The dominant religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintoism, as well as the traditional religion of Japan, based on Japanese mythology, which is characterized by polytheism.

Japan is a parliamentary state in which there is an emperor who plays the role of a symbol of the unity of the state. The bicameral parliament is elected by popular vote. The National Assembly (Kokkai) consists of the upper house of councilors (sangi-in, 242 members) and the lower house of representatives (shugi-in, 475 members).

The Japanese flag is one of the most characteristic and recognizable symbols of this country. It depicts a red circle on a white background, symbolizing the sun.

The surface of Japan is mostly covered with mountains. The most famous active volcano is located on Mount Fuji, at an altitude of 3776 m. The country is located at the junction of tectonic plates, therefore it is under constant threat of an earthquake. In addition, one should be wary of volcanoes and tsunamis. More than 60% of the country's territory is covered with forests.

Japan is an extremely interesting and worth visiting country, primarily because of its wonderful culture, traditions, cuisine, modern technology and sheer uniqueness.

advice from Travel Guide: The best way to travel around the Land of Cherry Blossoms is on the ultra-fast and punctual Shinkansen trains. Driving in Japan is not recommended. A developed railway network and a high level of train comfort, as well as their speed in the absence of traffic jams, are sufficient arguments for choosing railway transport.