Japan

An island in East Asia, Japan is located at a point where the East China Sea, Philippine Sea and Sea of Japan meet. The latter separates Japan from its nearest neighbours, South and North Korea and Russia to the west. Far to the east of Japan across the North Atlantic Ocean the next major land mass is the USA.

Whilst modern Japan's history can be traced back as far as 500BC, much of the culture and tradition that exists today originated with settlers from Asia who arrived via Korea, China and Russia in the third century, forming clans throughout the island. The leader of the influential Yamato clan became Japan's first emperor in the fourth century. In subsequent centuries the heads of various clans claimed the role of emperor, each changing Japan's capital city in the process. By the eighth century, culture and civilization had developed to the extent that Japan enjoyed an exceptionally high standard of living.

In the following century a new emperor nominated Kyoto as Japan's capital city; a position it would hold for the next thousand years. Between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, Japan's aesthetically-focused Heian culture was established, embracing and emphasising beauty in all aspects of Japanese life. Japan's feudal era began in the twelfth century when a ruling class of warlords, the shogun, seized power, provoking fierce and ongoing conflict between rival clans. This era culminated in the enforcement of an 'isolationist' policy in the seventeenth century, effectively ending Japan's interaction with the outside world.

An American treaty in 1854 overturned this policy and re-established the role of emperor as Japanese ruler. Following the Second World War, during which Japan mounted an aggressive campaign against China until American intervention forced Japan's unconditional surrender, the country's current democratic constitutional monarchy was established.

Japan's climate is generally mild and temperate with four seasons - spring, summer, autumn and winter - which more or less equate with Europe's. Spring is warm and largely dry whilst summer can be hot and humid following a four-week period of rain which usually begins in June. Autumn is breezy and cool, whilst winter is mild and dry with temperatures rarely falling below zero, although Japan's central and northern regions may experience snow.

Most people tend to equate Japanese cuisine with raw fish dishes such as sashimi or sushi but in reality Japan's culinary culture is far more extensive. Noodles play an important role in many dishes with soba, made from buckwheat flour, and udon the most popular varieties. Tempura cooking involves the coating of meat, seafood, vegetables or fish in an extremely light batter and deep-frying them. Japanese specialities include Sukiyaki, a dish of thinly-sliced beef with tofu, vegetables and vermicelli noodles traditionally prepared and cooked at the table; Yakitori; small pieces of meat or fish on a bamboo skewer barbecued over coals, and Tonkatsu, a cutlet of pork rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Touring Japan by rail can be a peculiar experience for the European rail traveller. The Japanese claim that their rail service is the most dependable in the world with an average delay lasting only 30 seconds. In Europe this would count as a punctual arrival!