Kyoto
The astonishing number of temples, shrines, and palaces that adorn the city make Kyoto's architecture its most famous feature abroad. Japan's capital for more than 1,000 years, Kyoto was the center not only for politics, but religion, philosophy, art, culture, and cuisine. Every one of Japan's refined cultural arts blossomed from seeds that were planted here, including the tea ceremony, Kabuki theater, Zen, and Tantric Buddhism. Kyoto served as Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's... 

Tokyo
Tokyo is a marvelous mix of modern living and old-fashioned manners, slick high-tech gadgets and cutesy cartoon mascots. It's terribly crowded, yet can be strangely quiet. It's home to the understated, and the wacky, and you often find them right next to each other on the sidewalk. That's the beauty of this not-so-pretty city — that, and the fabulous food and unparalleled mass transit system. There are shrines and stone lanterns and other traces of old Japan scattered among the skyscrapers, swanky shopping malls and hole-in-the-wall noodle shops. 

Kimono
The Kimono is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. Today, the kimono is most often worn by women, and usually only on special occasions, however some older men and women still wear the kimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public. The Kimono is wrapped... 

Geishas
Traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music, dance and games are called Geisha, Geiko or Geigi.  The very first geishas were men, entertaining customers waiting to see the most popular and gifted courtesans. The first woman to call herself a geisha was a Fukagawa prostitute, in about 1750. She was a skilled singer and shamisen-player named Kikuya who was an immediate success, making female geisha extremely popular in 1750s Fukagawa. 

Bonsai
Bonsai is a Japanese art form which involves miniature trees grown in containers. The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity. Unlike other plant cultivation which primarily focuses on a production of food or medicine or creating a garden or a landscape, bonsai focuses on long term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees growing in a container. A Bonsai is created beginning with a specimen of source material. A bansai can be any perennial woody-stemmed... 

Ikebana
The Japanese art of flower arrangement is known as Ikebana. Derived from the Japanese Ikeru (“keep alive, arrange living”) and hana (“flower”), Ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Ikebana often emphasizes the stems and leaves and draws emphasis toward shape, line, form. The artists intention behind each arrangement is shown through a piece’s color combinations. Ikebana is thought to have arrived in Japan with the migration of Buddhism in the 6th century. 

Ryokan (Japanese Inn)
Ryokan is more than just a place to sleep. It is a place to experience the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality. There are many different types of Ryokan, and they can vary greatly in size, cost and style. Ryokan may appear intimidating to the first timer and those unfamiliar, however, staying at one is a relaxing experience that everyone should try. Ryokan is a type of Japanese inn, which began in the Edo period. Modern Ryokan are more typically located in scenic areas, by the mountains or by the sea. 

Japanese Cuisine
Japanese cuisine reflects the rich culture of the country itself, with recipes and culinary traditions preserved through the centuries while international influences and cutting-edge techniques are constantly flooding the market with new ideas. Regional and seasonal dishes can be found as you travel from one part of this island nation to the next, and there's always something to delight. Whether you find yourself in a hole-in-the-wall ten-don shop or a gourmet restaurant featuring the finest Wagyu beef, a mobile taiyaki cart or a themed cafe where the servers are dressed like storybook characters, you'll never get bored while on the hunt for good eats in Japan. 

Tea Ceremony
Tea has been consumed in Japan by all levels of society since the 16th century.  A tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea is a ritualized form of making tea practiced in the East Asian cultural sphere. The Japanese tea ceremony is better known, and was influenced by the Chinese tea ceremony during ancient and medieval times. The brewing and consumption of tea has made tea into more than just a drink but an art, to foster harmony in humanity, promote harmony with nature, discipline the mind, quiet the heart... 

Shopping in Japan
Japan is a shopping paradise with a wealth of stores selling everything from traditional souvenirs and local food to the latest electronics and hottest fashion brands. Both domestic and foreign brands are represented, as are stores for all budgets, from the 100 yen shops to high-end fashion boutiques. Large cities sport several shopping districts, each with their own unique character. Things that people like to bring back from Japan are: candy & snacks, genuine Japanese folding fans, two-toe socks, yukata sets, ceramics, stationery goods, Japanese amulets (omamori), and chopsticks.