CAPITAL TOKYO - POPULATION 129 MILLION - AREA 374,744 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE JAPANESE
Japan has cornered the market on kooky, from anime to Zen, but many travelers put off visiting because they perceive it as being too pricey. True, you'll pay plenty for a plush room in Tokyo or ringside seats at a sumo bout, but the undervaluing of the yen means there are bargains to be had off the beaten track by hopping a budget flight to Osaka, staying in Kyoto's traditional machiya houses or hiking the alps of Hokkaido. Recent changes to Japan's immigration system that include the fingerprinting and photographing of all foreigners have had an impact on visitor numbers.
Japan had a rough 2011, with the March earthquake and a hard year for tourism, so travelling there is not only a good thing to do, but can make financial sense. Compared with London, Paris or New York, its attractions and accommodation are often much cheaper. In Tokyo simple, Japanese-style minshuku guesthouses run from j3000 (US$37). Also, many attractions are free (eg temples, botanic gardens) or cheap (the Tokyo National Museum is a fifth the cost to Tower of London); some, like the Nagano ski runs or Disney tickets, are cheaper than Alps lift tickets or Mickey Mouse's entry in Anaheim. |
