Japan General Information

Japan for many years has had the reputation of being prohibitively expensive. While in some cases this can be true, anyone on a budget can also enjoy most of what this beautiful country has to offer. This is not to say Japan is not expensive, it can be, but with a little homework you can visit the Land of the Rising Sun on your own terms and allowance.

Japan is located between the North Pacific and the East Sea / Sea of Japan, and is nearly the same size as Germany and Switzerland combined. Japan is made up of of four major islands, surrounded by more than 4,000 smaller islands. The four major islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Japan's population is over 126 million, with most Japanese residing in densely populated urban areas. The Tokyo Metropolitan Area including the city, some of its suburbs and the surrounding area is believed to house a staggering 12 million.

Language can still be a problem but over the years more and more Japanese speak better and better English, but we still recommend you to carry a handy phrase book and learn a few essential words, especially if you plan to travel to some of the more remote areas of Japan.