Travel Visa to Japan

You will need a valid passport and if your country has an agreement with Japan which includes most Western nations then you do not require a visa as you can obtain landing permission on arrival without a visa. This is usually good for a stay of up to 90 days, although certain European nationalities are permitted to stay for 180 days if they note a longer stay upon entry. In some cases you might also be asked to prove that you intend to return to your home country, which can be done via a return plane ticket. You are also required to complete an immigration card, which is usually handed out on the flight be landing and must be handed in at customs upon entry.

Japan hikes taxes on cigarettes to curb smoking

Japan has this month just imposed a record 40 percent tax hike on cigarettes in a bid to curb the nation's smoking rate which is the highest among major industrialized nations. In Japan approximately 36.6% of men smoke and 12.1% of women smoke. The price rise will increase the price of Japan's most popular brand, Mild Seven, by a third to 410 yen or USD$4.93 a pack.

Easy Japanese Cooking Recipe Hiyayakko Japanese Chilled Tofu

This month`s Easy Japanese Cooking recipe is Hiyayakko Japanese Chilled Tofu

Chilled tofu is called Hiyayakko in Japan and is the most popular tofu dish. All you need to do is place toppings on top of chilled tofu and it`s a great appetizer to serve during the warmer summer months.

Amusement in Japan

Karaoke

Karaoke (カラオケ) was invented in Japan and is the most popular form of entertainment for young Japanese. Most cities in Japan will have some kind of Karaoke Bar or Karaoke Box. The bigger cities will have karaoke boxes that occupy several floors of a building. You and your friends can rent a room to yourself for an hourly rate that often also includes all you can drink, with refills ordered through a phone on the wall. The major chains all have a good selection of English language songs along with the classic Japanese pop songs and enka.

Pachinko

Pachinko is a form of gambling that involves dropping little steel balls into a machine. Pachinko is extremely popular among middle aged Japanese men. Prizes are awarded depending on where the little steel balls land. Pachinko is worth giving a try just for the unusual experience alone, but be aware because most pachinko parlours are full of ear splitting noise and a toxic cloud of nicotine smoke.

Baseball

Baseball is hugely popular in Japan and is easily the most popular sport. Baseball was first introduced to Japan around 1870 by an American professor. Baseball is played in most if not all Junior High Schools and High Schools in Japan with the National High School baseball tournament the most watched sporting event on TV during the summer. Japan has its own professional baseball league known as Nippon Professional Baseball with several Japanese players such as Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui going on to become top players in Major League Baseball in the US.

If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy our two most popular articles
Japan Fashion Culture Hit Around The World
Daiso Japan

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

Steve Biddulph in Frankston

Steve Biddulph, the author of Raising Boys and child psychologist will make an appearance at the Frankston Arts Centre on Monday, 25 October. Steve Biddulph offers simple practical ways to help boys to grow up to be happy, positive, caring and motivated. The event will be held at the Frankston Arts Centre, Playne Street, Frankston from 7:30pm – 9:15pm and costs $10 per adult. Bookings are required as places will sell quickly. To book call 9784 1060 or visit http://www.artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au/.

Pet`s Day Out

Pet`s Day Out is on again this Sunday, 10th October 2010 from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. Treat your pet and family to a fantastic FREE day of tasty treats, entertainment and displays. Free children`s activities include: Amusement Rides, Face Painting, Giant Animal Farm, Reptile Display, and Pony Rides. The event will also feature special guest Dr Chris Brown from “Bondi Vet”, who will host the PETstock Pet Parade. Pet`s Day Out will be held at Ballam Park, Cranbourne Road, Frankston (Melway Ref, 103 B5).

Travel to Japan

Japan

Japan the "Land of the Rising Sun" is a country where the past meets the future. Japan has a traditional culture that stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions and trends. Japan is a country of contrasts with beautiful temples and gardens along with ultra modern and high tech cities. There is a surprise around every corner and you will never get bored in Japan. The Japanese are well known for their politeness and thrilled to have visitors to their country. They will be incredibly helpful to lost and bewildered foreigners and are always willing to lend a hand and help you out.

Holidays

The most important holiday in Japan is New Year (Oshougatsu), where much of the country shuts down from December 30 to January 3. In March/April, Japanese head out en masse for hanami or “flower viewing), a festival of outdoor picnics and drinking that is cleverly disguised as cherry blossom viewing and a great time of year to visit Japan. The longest holiday in Japan is Golden Week (April 27 to May 6), which is a collection of four public holidays within a week and a time where everybody goes on vacation both inside Japan and abroad. Trains, hotels and tourist places are extremely crowded during this period and prices are a lot higher than usual making this a bad time to travel in Japan. Summer time brings a spate of festivals including fireworks and obon.

Climate

The Japanese are very proud of their four distinct seasons with the best time of year for travel being either Spring or Autumn.

Spring is one of the best times of year to be in Japan with the warm temperatures but not hot and not too much rain. March-April brings the famous cherry blossoms and lots of fun and festivals.

Summer starts with the dreary rainy season in June and turns into a steambath with hot & humid conditions in July-August.

Autumn which starts in September is also an excellent time to be in Japan with cooler temperatures and the beautiful fall colours which can be seen in the mountains.

Winter is a great time to go skiing/snowboarding or hot spring hopping. There is usually heavy snow in the mountainess areas and cold winds and temperatures through out most of Japan.

Getting Around Japan

Japan has one of the world`s best transport systems, and getting around is usually a breeze with the train being the most popular method. I usually use www.hyperdia.com to look through transport schedules and prices. Japan`s railways are fast, efficient and cover most of the country.
The best option for visitors who plan to do a lot of travelling in Japan is the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on almost all JR trains, including the shinkansen, for a fixed period of 7, 14 or 21 days (excluding the Nozomi superexpress). This pass can only be purchased outside of Japan.

Eating in Japan

Japanese cuisine is renowned for its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients with the key ingredients of most meals being rice, soup and a main dish. Seafood features heavily in Japanese cuisine. Travelling within Japan will lead you to discover the local specialities of each region. Japanese fast food restaurants offer decent quality at reasonable prices with Yoshinoya, Matsuya and Sukiya great for gyudon (beef bowl) and Coco Ichiban specializing in Japanese style curry rice dishes. American fast food restaurants are also very prevelant including McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wendy`s.

If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy our two most popular articles
Japan Fashion Culture Hit Around The World
Daiso Japan