Tour operator "Sakura Tours" organizes exciting tours to Japan - a country with a completely unique culture and distinctive lifestyle. We have developed about 20 thematic tours, each of which covers one or another aspect of the Japanese miracle. In addition, we are ready to take on the development of any individual trip. We will be happy to create a travel plan taking into account your personal wishes, and on such a tour you will get everything you expect from the country.
Sakura Tours is a Japanese tour operator. This means that we invite tourists to a country that we love, know and endlessly appreciate. Each of our tours is not just a program of excursions to certain sights of the country. This is something much more: the desire to show your guests the Land of the Rising Sun “from the inside.”
Having considerable experience in the Japanese travel industry, we have managed to ensure that our programs include everything necessary for a comfortable and most educational trip to Japan. We have tours for every taste and budget.
The land of the rising sun is waiting for you, dear guests! You will be satisfied with the time spent on our tours. You will love this vacation.
Choose the tour you like:
Year-round offers
Japan is a country where you can go at any time of the year. No matter what season it is, it won’t stop you from enjoying Japan in its true splendor. We offer you tours that do not depend on the season and operate all year round.
Seasonal programs
Each season in Japan has its own face. In spring this is the legendary sakura. In summer there are national parks surrounded by greenery. In autumn - red maples, no less famous among the Japanese themselves than sakura. In winter - ski resorts and festive Christmas towns. The Land of the Rising Sun can be enjoyed in any season.
Resorts of Japan
There are absolutely unique resorts in Japan, where holidays are ideal. Unfortunately, they don't know each other well yet Russian tourist. First of all, these are the tropical islands of the Ryukyu archipelago, very popular for recreation among the Japanese themselves. Okinawa (one of these islands) is, without exaggeration, ideal family holiday in Japan, and, of course, with children.
Individual trips
Creating individual programs for exploring Japan is our favorite job. Taking into account the interests of your clients in certain aspects of Japan and its culture is a real art. We are sure that you will not be disappointed, and the trip will allow you to fully enjoy your vacation.
What's included in the price?
Japan is not a cheap country, and this is naturally reflected in the cost of any trip. However, our range of tours includes many quite budget offers.
In general, the tour prices include:
- – excursions with a Russian-speaking guide;
- – entry tickets to museums and national parks (unless otherwise specifically stated);
- – and travel (unless otherwise agreed);
- – delivery of a package of documents for (for Moscow; delivery to other cities is carried out according to the DHL price list).
Not included in prices (unless otherwise stated in the program).
New Year's holiday in Japan
The exotic island country of Japan, with its age-old traditions and unique culture, like a huge magnet, attracts many tourists from all over the world. To explore or at least see all the sights and interesting places this state, you will need more than one year.
New Year 2016-2017 in Japan
O-Segatsu - New Year in Japan is a very important and significant holiday for all residents of the Land of the Rising Sun.
These days there are many Christmas markets, where, when you go to, you can buy holiday symbols and souvenirs. Among the New Year's symbols we can highlight:
Hamaim are arrows with white feathers that protect the house from troubles;
. kumade - small bamboo rakes that their owners use to “row” success and happiness to themselves;
. takarabune - boats guarded by the gods of luck.
But, a novice tourist should pay attention that Japan is not intended for “ budget holiday"and the prices here are quite high, and there is basically no such thing as seasons of discounts and sales.
Christmas in Japan
Despite the fact that Christmas is a holiday borrowed by Japan from the West, it is celebrated in Tokyo on a special scale. Although for most Japanese it does not have any religious connotation, but only a good reason to have a fun vacation, go to a restaurant, and give gifts to loved ones.
The streets and houses at this time are unusually colorful in their Christmas decorations - garlands, lights, toys...
Sights of Japan. What to see during the New Year holidays?
Among all the attractions of the Land of the Rising Sun, Mount Fuji, almost 4 km high, occupies a special place. This is the most revered shrine of Japan and one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world - be sure to admire this miracle by purchasing New Year's trips to this country.
The island of Miyajima can also be called a favorite place for tourists who come to Japan on vacation. His business card is a monastery built in the 19th century on stilts in the water.
Many and popular are located in the area of the state capital - Tokyo. The Koke Imperial Palace is a majestic building in the heart of the city, surrounded by two magnificent parks, Kitanomaru and Higami-geen.
Also, when traveling around the capital of the state, it is worth seeing the Tokyo Television Tower, the Temple of the Goddess of the Canons, the Toshogu Temple, the Orthodox Cathedral, Edo-Tokyo Museum and Tokyo National Museum.
If you go on a New Year's trip with children, be sure to visit Tokyo Disneyland, located just a few kilometers from the city. Despite the fact that the cost of such a vacation is above average, the unforgettable warm impressions of New Year and Christmas in Japan will warm you for a long time.
The phrase " El Classico"is called the football confrontation between the two most successful clubs in Spain - Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.The confrontation began in 1902. Since then, the teams have already held 242 meetings, of which Real won in 95, Barcelona won in 96, and 51 matches were played with a draw.
El Classico football matches are invariably the most popular on the planet and attract the attention of fans not only in Europe, but throughout the world. The number of viewers for each game is in the hundreds of millions. For example, the game, which took place in April 2017, was watched by more than 650 million viewers in total.
El Classico December 18, 2019 - when will it be (starting time, where to watch):
In the 2019-2020 season of the Spanish championship (LaLiga), the teams will meet twice.First meeting(Barcelona - Real Madrid, La Liga round 10) will take place on Wednesday December 18, 2019.
The start time of the match in local time is 20:00, which corresponds to 22:00 Moscow time.
Venue: Camp Nou stadium.
The meeting will be shown live TV channel "Match!".
As for when it will be second meeting El Classico (Real - Barça) in the 2019-2020 season of the Spanish Championship, it is scheduled for March 1, 2020 (26th round of La Liga).
Where will the ice hockey match between Russia and Finland take place on December 15, 2019:
At the Russian stage of the 2019 Euro Hockey Tour, which is called the “Channel One Cup,” the Russian national hockey team holds three meetings.The first two games have already taken place in Moscow at the CSKA Arena, and the final match of the stage ( Russia - Finland) will be held on Sunday December 15, 2019 in St. Petersburg at the Gazprom Arena.
That is, the location of the Russia-Finland match on December 15, 2019:
* Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Gazprom Arena.
Gazprom Arena was originally a football stadium, and it was first converted into hockey in December 2018. Then the Russia-Finland game, held as part of the 2018 Channel One Cup, broke the attendance record for hockey matches between Russia and the USSR. The 2018 game was attended by 71 thousand 381 people.
Now the record for attendance at hockey matches in Europe belongs to the Veltins Arena, where 77,803 spectators came to watch the 2010 World Hockey Championship game between Germany and the USA.
During the organization of the hockey match, the Gazprom Arena football field was moved onto the street. But it will remain intact, since the lawn is covered and the heating is turned on. Fans who come to the stadium will also be comfortable, because... The roof of the arena has been moved. The indoor temperature will be approximately 20 degrees Celsius higher than the outdoor temperature.
What time will the match Russia - Finland start on December 15, 2019, where to watch (TV channel):
The beginning of the hockey match between the Russian and Finnish national teams on December 15. 2019 scheduled for 16:00 Moscow time.The game will be shown live two television channels: federal "First" and sports "Match! Arena". The live broadcast from St. Petersburg will begin at 15:55 Moscow time.
The replay (recorded match) is available on the Pervoy website.
What time does the Russia-Sweden hockey match start, where to watch it live:
Start time of the match Russia - Sweden - 20:00 Moscow time.Live broadcast can be seen in mode online on the Channel One website(section "Channel 1 Hockey Cup 2019"). The game will also be available for viewing on the website in recording.
Live broadcast will be available on the channel " Match! A country", included in some cable operator channel packages, starting at 19:55 Moscow time.
On the First television broadcast, the Russia-Sweden meeting will be shown in the recording at 00:00 (midnight), from December 12 to December 13, 2019. The time indicated is Moscow.
The shortest day awaits Russians on Sunday December 22, 2019. Almost the same (with a difference of no more than 14 seconds) will be the duration of the previous and subsequent days (December 21 and 23, 2019) - 6 hours 59 minutes. The time is indicated “from sunrise to sunset” for Moscow.
That is:
December 22, 2019 is the shortest day in 2019.
Note that the duration of the shortest and longest days of 2019 differs by almost 3 times. So, if during the winter solstice the length of the day (from sunrise to sunset) is 7 hours, then the longest day of the year lasts almost 18 hours.
1
day
Arrival in Japan.
Transfer to Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingu-Gaien Tokyo Premier for minibus. A Japanese driver will meet you at the airport with a name sign and take you to the hotel.
Check-in at the hotel is possible from 15:00.
Rest after the flight. Free time.
2
day
Breakfast lunch dinner
Tour of Tokyo. New Year's Eve.
Breakfast in the hotel.
A stroll through the Nishi-Shinjuku skyscraper district and the contrasting charming memory lane of Omoide Yokocho, which retains the atmosphere of the early Showa era. Next we head to the vibrant youth district of Harajuku, one of the areas where the most stylish young people gather and many designer and brand stores. Nearby is a Shinto shrine built in honor of the great Emperor Meiji, under whose leadership the large-scale Meiji Reformation was carried out, which changed the course of the history of the Japanese state. In Meiji Jingu you can purchase a fortune in the form of a poem composed by Emperor Meiji and his wife.
Lunch (included in the tour price).
Our excursion will continue with a visit to the historical district of Asakusa with its famous temple Sensoji. A shopping street leads to the temple, where you can buy souvenirs for yourself and your loved ones. In the evening you will visit the fashionable Roppongi area. Climbing up observation deck Mori Tower skyscraper, you will see Tokyo in the glow of night lights. Mori Tower has many restaurants, exhibition halls and bars that you can visit for an additional fee.
Return to the hotel. Rest.
Transfer with an accompanying person to the pier until 21:40. Boarding the ship.
22:30-1:35 Cruise on Tokyo Bay with a gala dinner from the best Japanese chefs. Admiring the New Year's fireworks.
Return to the hotel by taxi on your own. Payment in yen according to the meter to the driver on the spot, about 20 dollars for the journey of 2 people.
4
day
Breakfast lunch
Visit to the imperial palace and hot spring complex.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Visit to the Imperial Palace, surrounded by a beautiful park with more than 2000 Japanese matsu pine trees. This is one of two days a year when everyone can enter the palace grounds relatively freely. According to a certain schedule, the Emperor of Japan goes out onto a special balcony and greets those gathered, congratulating them on the New Year.
Afternoon visit thermal spring LaQua is located in the area of the Tokyo Dome amusement park and the huge stadium of the same name, where baseball matches and concerts of world-famous stars are held. Here you can plunge into healing hot springs and try different types of massage and therapeutic wraps.
Return to the hotel.
Attractions on this day:
5
day
Breakfast lunch
Tour of Kyoto.
Early breakfast at the hotel. Check out from the hotel. Meeting with a Russian-speaking escort. Transfer to Tokyo Station. Boarding the train. At 8.00 Transfer to Kyoto by Shinkansen (bullet train).
At 10:21 am, meet your guide at Kyoto Station. You will visit famous world masterpieces - the Kinkakuji Temple (“Golden Pavilion”), which was built in 1397 as a holiday villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the Ginkakuji Temple (“Silver Pavilion”), striking with its mysterious beauty and soft outlines, smoothly displayed in the surface of the next to the pond temple, as well as one of the main gardens of the “dry landscape” - the rock garden at Ryoanji Temple.
Next we will walk along the colorful Gion street, where you can still meet real geishas. The uniqueness of Gion lies in its genuine medieval authenticity. Its buildings, despite all the cataclysms experienced by long-suffering Kyoto, have survived since the 16th century!
Our excursion will end with a visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha - a temple complex dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari. Numerous shrines are located in a dense forest at the foot of the mountain of the same name on the outskirts of Kyoto. The territory of the complex runs a tourist route, leading to the top of the sacred mountain - the climb to its final point takes about two to three hours.
Transfer to the hotel. Check in hotel.
Attractions on this day:
6
day
Breakfast lunch dinner
Excursion to Koya.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to Koya.
Okunoin Temple is the mausoleum of the progenitor of the Shingon school of Buddhism, Kobo Daishi (aka monk Kukai). This temple is considered one of the most significant religious sites in Japan, attracting more than a million pilgrims to the temple every year (the climbing season begins on March 1st with the Fire Festival). In front of the monk’s tomb stands the Torodo or “Temple of Lanterns,” where 11 thousand lamps burn around the clock.
Next you will head to Kongo Buji Temple - the main temple of the Shingon sect. This movement of Buddhism is professed by more than ten million followers all over the world, and the number of temples in Japan dedicated to it exceeds four thousand. Since the 9th century, Kongo Buji Temple has served as a place of meditative retreat and in-depth spiritual training for followers of the Shingon school. The goal of adepts is to achieve Buddhahood within one life. Inside the temple you can see religious artifacts: fusuma sliding doors with a unique design, an unusual rock garden depicting two dragons soaring in the sky, and so on. Another significant temple of Mount Koya is Danjo Garan Temple. In the 9th century, it was from this place that the glorious history of the sacred mountain began. The temple complex consists of more than twenty buildings, the most prominent of which is the Kompon Daito Pagoda.
After the excursion, check-in, dinner and time for rest or independent walks.
Attractions on this day:
7
day
Moving to Tokyo.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Check out from the hotel.
Meeting with a Russian-speaking escort.
Transfer by chartered bus to Shin-Osaka Station.
Travel on the Shinkansen to Tokyo. A guide will meet you on the platform.
Transfer by chartered bus to the hotel.
Villa Fontaine Otemachi 3*
Tokyo
ROOM SERVICES:
non-smoking rooms, coffee/tea, air conditioning, bathtub, refrigerator, TV, toiletries, desk, shower, cleaning
INTERNET:
Yes (free)
Light breakfast
Villa Fontaine Otemachi 3*
Villa Fontaine Otemachi is a modern hotel in the heart of Tokyo in the Otemachi district. The hotel has 143 rooms, each equipped with the latest amenities.
1-8-8 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Sekishoin Koya
ROOM SERVICES:
non-smoking rooms, coffee/tea making facilities, air conditioning, bathtub, toiletries, separate shower and bathtub, shower, shared bathroom
INTERNET:
Yes (free)
Japanese traditional breakfast - rice, miso soup, fried fish, salad
Sekishoin Koya
The traditional Sekishoin Ryokan is located at the entrance to the inner sanctum of Okunoin Temple and is very convenient for visiting this temple as well as Kongobuji Shrine. The hotel is located in one of the Buddhist buildings temple complex Sekishoin. The complex is surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden. All hotel rooms are designed in traditional Japanese style.
Hotel guests can take part in temple rituals.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingu-Gaien Tokyo Premier
Tokyo
HOTEL SERVICES:
WiFi, restaurant, elevator, laundry service, luggage storage, cafe, meeting and event room
ROOM SERVICES:
non-smoking rooms, air conditioning, refrigerator, balcony, TV, toiletries, flat-screen TV/plasma screen, cleaning service, shared bathroom
Buffet
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma
Kyoto
ROOM SERVICES:
television (cable), non-smoking rooms, coffee/tea, air conditioning, refrigerator, toiletries, flat-screen TV/plasma screen, in-room movies
Buffet
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma
Sotetsu Fresa Inn Kyoto-Shijokarasuma is located just a 3-minute walk from railway station Karasuma and a 5-minute train ride on the Karasuma Line from JR Kyoto Station. It offers a 24-hour front desk and free luggage storage. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
160 Dojishacho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-city, Kyoto 600-8421 Japan
You can view the cost of air tickets to Japan, book and buy air tickets to Japan directly on our website online. To book your flight to Japan, fill out the form and follow the instructions.
After we agree with you on the tour content and cost, you send us your passport and flight details, and we book hotels, transfers or air tickets for domestic flights. We provide you with all booking confirmations, after which you can make payment/prepayment.
You will also be sent an Agreement for the provision of tourist services by email, which must be signed and sent back to us.
Pay your bill
Payment can be made in the following ways:
Cancellation
Cancellations or changes to the tour must be sent to us by email. Your application will only be accepted during company business hours: Monday-Friday from 10.00 to 18.00.
In case of refusal of the application or any changes in the application for a tour to Japan, the CUSTOMER undertakes, at the request of the TRAVEL COMPANY, to pay the actual expenses incurred by the latter in the amount of:
- 14-9 days before the start of the provision of travel services - 25% of the total cost of travel services,
- 8-4 days before the start of the provision of travel services - 50% of the total cost of travel services,
- 3-2 days before the start of the provision of travel services - 80% of the total cost of travel services,
- 1 day before the start of the provision of travel services (or in case of no-show for the flight) - 100% of the total cost of travel services.
In case of refusal of the application or any changes in the application for accommodation in hotels in Japan, the CUSTOMER undertakes, at the request of the TRAVEL COMPANY, to pay the actual expenses incurred by the latter in the amount of:
- 8-4 days before the start of travel services - 20% of the cost of the first night,
- 3-1 day before the start of travel services - 100% of the cost of the first night,
- No-show for hotel accommodation - 100% of the cost of the night X number of nights.
Tours to Japan are quite expensive, especially compared to other countries. But Japan is such a mysterious, diverse and unusual country that many tourists practically don’t care about the prices of tours. But still, a relatively inexpensive option for traveling to Japan is provided - last-minute tours.
The price of such tours is significantly lower than the standard one, and you can save on your trip. Intertour company offers the best price options for tours around Japan. These are exciting tours with excursions to Tokyo, visits to the ancient cities of Kyoto, Kamakura, Nara, walks around national parks and nature reserves, climbing sacred mountain Fuji.
Summer in Japan is humid and hot, with the rainy season lasting from June to mid-July. But in summer you can plan a tour to the island of Hokkaido, which is bypassed by rain. The most favorable time of year to tour Japan is spring and autumn.
By booking a last-minute tour in the spring, you will be able to admire the cherry blossoms, and in the fall - the purple leaves of Japanese maples. Even in winter, Japan experiences dry weather without severe frosts, only on ski resorts Hokkaido temperatures drop below zero and snow falls. Whenever you decide to go on a tour to Japan, you can be sure that a lot of bright and unforgettable impressions await you!
This country is developing and changing very rapidly. The Japanese are changing. And the most decisive changes are not external, but internal. The main features of the Japanese character - accuracy, modesty, patience - seem to be gradually disappearing. They say that the consequences of this are now difficult to predict.
You can be convinced of this only by going there, thanks to cheap trips to Japan. In fact, you will not be bothered by the question of how much a trip to Japan costs, because it is so beautiful there that the price will not bother you, and the walks will be exciting and interesting. The Japanese - this is noticeable almost from the first acquaintance with them - are not religious for the most part.
They are happy to get married in a Christian church (it doesn’t matter which one - Catholic or Orthodox, as long as it is beautiful). Although on New Year's Day they drop into their Shinto shrine to buy an amulet. Buddhist monks perform the funeral service for the departed inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Throughout Japan's history, there have been no religious wars or religious intolerance. Even the persecution of Christianity at the beginning of the 17th century had a purely political overtones, since the Jesuit fathers were quite rightly here as the agents of those who were attacking Far East Western colonial powers.
The Japanese have always truly fervently believed in earthly, but no less essential values - thrift, accuracy, modesty, the ability to endure, remain silent and believe in the future, respect parents, superiors and others, strictly fulfill their duties in small and large things.
If you are told to stand at an intersection when the light is red, you must stand. If the instructions tell you to tighten the nut five and a half turns, they will do it that way and not otherwise. If you study the Japanese more closely, you can find out how talented they are. After all, they were the first to invent such a system for constructing buildings, with the expectation of maintaining coolness in the summer and protecting buildings from earthquakes.
A transport They work like a well-oiled machine - always comfortable and safe. To learn even more about the culture and life of the local residents, don’t hesitate to fly there, especially since now tours to Japan from tour operators offer last-minute trips to Japan and inexpensive tours to Japan. Every tenth Japanese lives in the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun, Tokyo.
- So, people taking a tour Japan - Bali and a tour Korea - Japan, and not only, can easily find here their compatriots for whom a trip to Japan, its cost, does not interest them, since in the past they found it here home for themselves and remained in this country forever.
- The image of Tokyo embodies the most characteristic features of the portrait of this country. When we talk about the national identity of the Japanese, we do not always realize that many features of their life and behavior are generated by overcrowding. It is precisely this that makes people live with their elbows tucked, as it were, which is the essence of Japanese ethics. More than 120 million people live in an area slightly larger than Finland—just a little less than in Russia.
- In addition, most of Japan is occupied by mountains. The face of the Japanese capital is not the streets or buildings. These are people. The city simply amazes with its gigantic accumulation of them. The soul of Tokyo is the element of the crowd, embodied in the endless flows of people and traffic and in the equally chaotic clusters of houses. But all this is instantly forgotten when springtime and cherry blossoms begin. There are no places in Tokyo that would personify the Japanese capital, like the Kremlin - Moscow, and Big Ben - London.
- Even the geographical center of Tokyo - the Imperial Palace - does not dominate the city and is perceived from the outside as a park surrounded by a moat. By the way, Tokyo was originally called Edo and acquired its current name only a little over 130 years ago. In 1868, Emperor Meiji removed the shoguns, the military leaders who traditionally ruled the country, from power and moved here from ancient capital- Kyoto.
- The Meiji Memorial complex with a park and the largest Shinton temple in the capital is definitely worth a visit, as is a visit to Asakusa, where the most interesting Buddhist temple is located, around which there is a fair that has long been loved by the townspeople.
It is better to visit it in the spring, because at this time the world-famous Japanese cherry blossoms. When cherry blossoms begin, tours to Japan invite travelers on excursions, and the beginning of summer will delight with huge rice fields, but rainy weather, accompanied by typhoons that come from Pacific Ocean. Since summer is beach season, then the residents of this country devote themselves to relaxing on the shores of the island of Okinawa.
Take this opportunity and a trip to Japan, the price of which will not bother you much, will be yours. You can come here at any time of the year; it is beautiful here in winter, spring or summer, and autumn, when the red maple leaves fall. And in winter many tourists are attracted ski tours to Japan and the snow festival, which is held annually in Sapporo.
well and New Year's tours to Japan will decorate your arrival and make your stay in the country festive. Another notable place is the Nihonbashi Bridge, from which the ancient Tokaido highway once began. Traveling along it to Kyoto - on horseback or on a palanquin - used to take almost a month. Nowadays you can get here by express train in just two hours.
Opened in 1882, Ueno Zoological Gardens is Japan's oldest zoo. Here, on an area of 14 hectares, animals from all over the world live in comfortable conditions, as close as possible to their real habitat. Over its long history, Ueno Zoo has become home to more than three thousand animals of 400 species. In addition to the opportunity to spend time outdoors and interact with animals, park guests are offered a variety of educational and entertainment programs.
Tokyo is not rich architectural ensembles. However, this does not mean that there is no beautiful places. It is pleasant to take a walk near the Imperial Palace, which is adjacent to the palace center of the city of Marunouchi and Hibiya Park. It is also interesting to wander among the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, where the old entertainment district is still enriched with high-rise buildings. It is worth remembering that traffic here is on the left, public transport convenient and comfortable. For people who are used to saving on travel, a bus is suitable, since Japanese taxis are considered very expensive.
But since you are planning to take a tour to Japan, you should know that before departure you need to register tourist visa, which allows you to stay in this country for no more than 15 days. A prerequisite is to book a hotel room for the entire period.
And tourist packages to Japan will help you save money and enjoy your stay in this country. There are also combined tours to Japan and simply trips to Japan offered by travel agencies that will help you navigate visas and passport control.
They will advise you on the transportation of animals, as well as your luggage, and of course they will inform you about how much a trip to Japan costs. In addition to its chaos, Tokyo has been and remains a mysterious labyrinth not only for visitors, but also for local residents. There are practically no addresses in our understanding here. For example, the name Ginza is more of a spatial concept than a street. This is, firstly. And secondly, the numbering of houses is carried out not along the streets, but along the perimeter of the neighborhoods in the order in which they were built.
Therefore, before you go to visit some Japanese, it would be nice to have a schematic plan of how to get to him. Japan is a delightful country that amazes with its ancient history and traditions. Your stay here will be unforgettable and educational.
About Japan
Location: total length well developed coastline Japan exceeds 30 thousand km. Almost 80% of the country’s territory is occupied by low mountains and plateaus, and only 10% is meridionally extended high-mountain ridges, separated by narrow tectonic basins.
The highest mountain range is located in the central part of the island of Honshu. Here is highest peak Japan - Mount Fuji (3776 m). The last eruption of Mount Fuji occurred in 1707. The volcanic ash ejected from the crater then covered Tokyo, located 100 km away.
The plains, occupying no more than 10% of the total area of the country, are very densely populated and almost entirely occupied by arable land. The most important industrial regions of Japan are concentrated on the plains.
Population: Modern Japanese are an exceptionally hardworking and disciplined people. In a society dominated by people aged 20 to 34, women outnumber men (103:100). Along with the Japanese, who make up 99% of the population, the country is home to small communities of Koreans, Chinese and Americans.
The most densely populated part is the southern part of Honshu, as well as the northern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, where the population density reaches 1000 people/sq. km (with an average density in the country of 335 people/sq. km). The least populated islands are Hokkaido, northern Honshu and southern Kyushu. The majority of Japan's population is concentrated in cities. Territory: 377,800 sq. km
Climate: The northern regions of Japan lie at approximately 45C. w. (latitude of Crimea and Venice). In Europe at this latitude, summers are very hot and winters are mild. A different matter is the northeastern coast of Hokkaido, where, under the influence of the cold Oyashio Current (Kuril Current washing Hokkaido and the northeastern shores of Honshu), the sea becomes covered with ice in winter.
In the southwest and west the shores of the Japanese Islands are washed by warm current Kuroshio, thanks to which numerous coral reefs grew around the Ryukyu Islands. Due to its considerable length from north to south Japanese islands located in three climatic zones at once: warm temperate in the north, subtropical in the center and tropical in the far south. Superimposed on the latitudinal zone is a humid monsoon climate, which covers all the islands of the archipelago with its influence.
All of Japan, with the exception of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands, experiences a distinct pattern of four seasons. January temperatures vary from -6 -10C in Hokkaido and -4 - 0C in the northern and central parts of Honshu to +64C in Kyushu and 14 - 18C on the Ryukyu Islands located far to the south.
In the summer months, when a warm and humid monsoon blows from the southeast, temperature differences in different regions are less pronounced: from +28C in the south to 18-20C in the north. As you rise into the mountains, the temperature, regardless of the time of year, drops by an average of 0.6 C every 100 m. The climate of Japan is generally humid. Average annual precipitation increases from north to south, ranging from 800-1500 mm in Hokkaido and Honshu to 2000-3000 mm in the Ryukyu Archipelago.
The summer monsoon blowing from the ocean brings heavy rain in the east and south of the country, while the winter monsoon, coming from the depths of Asia, covers the entire north-west with snow.
Capital: Tokyo.
Religion: Shintoism, Buddhism, new religions (a mixture of Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Confucianism), Christianity
Language: Japanese
Currency: yen, it is best to exchange large amounts at the airport of arrival, since in hotels they exchange no more than 300 USD per person per day, and in banks the exchange procedure is complicated by bureaucratic formalities.
You can pay with common credit cards, but you must remember that some restaurants do not accept credit cards. Best course- at the airport and hotels, it is most profitable to exchange USD. It is impossible to change rubles.
Time: in summer the difference with Moscow is 5 hours, and in winter 6.
Transport: The main modes of transport in the country are railways and ships. Ultra-modern high-speed trains are divided into long-distance trains and local lines, which are divided into simple express trains, limited express trains ("semi-express trains") and ordinary trains running with all stops.
All trains are equipped with soft seats, vending machines with coffee and soft drinks, they also must have a toilet, a landline telephone and a display in Japanese and English.
To move around railways A convenient Japan Rail Pass (valid only for visitors with a tourist visa and purchased in advance), which allows unlimited travel on Japan Railways trains, buses and ferries, as well as on some private trains for a certain period of time (one, two or three weeks). The ticket is personal, transferring it to another person is prohibited; during checks you must present your passport along with the ticket.
Intra-city railway lines are highlighted in color. The fare for them is 120-300 JPY, tickets are purchased from special machines at stations (long queues for them are not uncommon) and handed over at the exit of the train at the destination station. When switching from a branch of one company to a branch of another, a new ticket is purchased.
You can also pay extra for the ticket at the destination station. Japan also has a well-developed system bus routes. Most of them operate from 7:00 to 21:00, some buses serving remote areas operate from 5:30 to 23:00. At each stop, its name, route and its number are indicated (most often - only in Japanese).
Payment is made upon boarding the bus. In the city, a trip costs about 200 JPY, outside the city - depending on the distance. There is a one-day pass that costs about JPY 1,200 (JPY 600 for children under 12 years old), which in some cases is also valid for metro travel.
The shops: Department stores are open every day from 10:00 to 21:00 or 22:00. Private shops, as well as hotel shops, operate according to their own schedule. There is a network of small stores that operate around the clock, but offer a limited range of goods, which, however, includes everything you need.
The most expensive stores located in the Shinjuku quarter, on Aoyama-Dori Street, Tokyo's Champs-Elysees. Young people prefer to dress in the Shibuya area; there are many inexpensive, super fashionable stores. Department stores in Japan are called “depato” (from the English department store) - they are truly huge here, much larger than the Parisian Gallerie Lafayette and Printemps. The most important Japanese department stores - Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, Matsuya, Isetan, Keio and some others are located in the Ginza and Shinjuku areas.
Electricity: The mains voltage is 100 V, and the frequency (Hz) varies. To operate from a local network, each electrical appliance must have a function for automatically changing the voltage of 100/220 V. If it does not exist, no adapter will help.
Customs: There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currency. You can import into Japan without declaration 500 g of tobacco, 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, three containers of wine and vodka products (each no more than 760 ml), two ounces (56 ml) of perfume, gifts and souvenirs with a total value of no more than 200,000 JPY.
When importing animals or plants, you must go to the quarantine counter. The import of firearms, pornography, drugs is prohibited (for drugs you face deportation and a lifelong ban on entry into the country), as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. There are restrictions on the import of furs, medications (especially those containing 1-deoxyephedrine) and cosmetics.
Visa: To obtain a visa, the following documents are required: a passport valid for 6 months from the end of the tour and with at least two blank pages, two photos, two completed forms, a certificate from the place of work indicating the position of the tourist, a certificate from travel company that the tour was purchased specifically from this company (provided by the tour operator), the tourist’s power of attorney for the delivery and receipt of documents by employees of the travel company.
If a child under 18 years of age goes on a trip without one of the parents, it is necessary to provide a notarized permission-power of attorney of the second parent for this trip and a copy of the domestic or foreign passport this parent to verify the signatures in the passport and on the power of attorney. Visa processing time is from 10 to 14 days, cost: from 100 USD.
Kitchen: V Japanese cuisine Fresh and completely raw products are widely used, and it is based on rice, fish and seaweed.
Most popular dishes:“sushi” (or “sushi”) - more than 200 types of rice balls with various fillings, “sashimi” - slices of raw fish served with soy sauce and green horseradish “wasabi”, as well as “sukiyari” - fried beef, vegetables and bean curd.
In Japan, you can try “marble meat” - the meat of a bull that is raised like sumista, fed with beer and massaged, and also taste the famous heated vodka “sake”.
Some restaurants do not have menus English language, but in this case it usually contains photographs of dishes.
Hotels: Just as a theater for a spectator begins with a coat rack, so a country for a tourist begins with the hotel where he stays. He will make his first impressions from here. How you were greeted, how you were accommodated - the level of service determines the level of hospitality for us and will certainly play a role in creating the image of the country. There is a set of international laws that determine the category of a hotel, its “star rating”.
In Japan, there is no such classification as in Europe or America - from one to five stars. There is a different gradation: there are standard hotels - the most inexpensive ones, hotels in the national style - ryokans, business hotels, superior and deluxe hotels. All hotels are completely different, each has its own characteristics, its own personality. But all Japanese hotels without exception are united by ideal cleanliness, the complete absence of even a hint of any disorder, as well as attention and respect for the guest.
Beaches: Since Japan is surrounded by ocean, there are many beaches there.
Most are open from July to August, although the opening period varies depending on location. Wakayama is white sand beach, located at the hot springs. You can get there in 5 minutes by taxi or 15 minutes by bus from railway station, as well as 15 minutes from the airport, which operates from May to August. Okinawa Beach is located on west coast emerald green ocean.
The most the best months The visiting period will be April – October.
Tips: It is strictly not customary to tip in Japan: 10-20% for service is already included in the bill. A Western visitor had better save his generosity for other countries and be sure to wait until the last yen for his change if he doesn't want a taxi driver or waiter chasing him down the street with a few bills in his hand.
