Japan's land of jewelery combines tradition and modernity .Ancient pagodas and gates of spirits coexist in Japan with mirror skyscrapers, pompous "five" - with cozy ryokanami, untwisted spas - with national baths ofuros .This almost fantastic mix of the legacy of the East and the achievements of the West is the main thing that Japan attracts its guests .But in addition to the incredible atmosphere, there is something to enjoy: many are attracted by the unique architecture of Japan - the world-famous "Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto, the Imperial Palace, a great many ancient temples .Japan for children is represented by the best entertainment parks: Disneyland, Disney-si, Universal Studios and other .In general, Japan is visited by a diverse but consistently provided contingent: mostly tourists who have already visited many countries, as well as businessmen..Only in one Japan "pumped up" - at least for a budget traveler - the prices here are high, and the concept of "low season" does not exist in principle .As for the number of attractions and museums - with this here everything is all right: Japan will find what to surprise the guests, and at ... the tenth arrival .
28.03, 30.03, 03.04, 05.04 - 10 days "Sakura petals" from 195 000 rub.
28.03, 30.03, 03.04, 05.04 - 7 days "Paints of the Japanese Spring" from 123 000 rub.
30.04, 02.05, 04.05 - 8 days "May dreams about Japan" from 189 000 rubles.
Flowers of wisteria /30.04 - 11.05 / from 3 960 USD + Visa to Japan as a gift!
Gold ring of Japan / from February to June / from 2 400 USD
Sakura in Tokyo /03.04 - 12.04 / from 2 150 USD. Legends of Tokyo /24.03 - 01.04 / from 1 440 USD. Discover bright Japan!
Combined tours to Japan: Tokyo + Kyoto + Osaka. Traveling to. Okinawa Three capitals and Hakone National Park!
MICE-tourism, corporate services.
"The Golden Ring of Japan" from 3.04.15 to 12.04.15.
"Festival Spring" from 7.04.15 to 18.04.15.
"Korea - Japan: History and Modernity" daily.
Air tickets. Hotel reservation. Visa processing.
26.03. 7 days "Sakura is flowering! »- economical tour
04.04. 7 days "Islands. Sakura! »
Sports programs for active travelers
Japanese alps
Keeping fidelity to the golden rule of "Subtlety": to give only useful information, we open this material with a description of the medieval way of eating sake, which Venichka Erofeev himself would not be quite ashamed of. You will appear in the spring forest with a bottle of sake in the picnic basket - be sure to try it.
You will need: at least two people (at least one of them is a drinker), a stream of moderate turbulence (1 piece), a wooden cup, sake in the required quantity. The drinking participant of the ceremony is located on the bank of the stream and clears his mind of thoughts. The second person moves along the creek upstream, pours the sake into the cup and releases it to the water, simultaneously shouting out a theme on which the first one should compose a poem (hockey or tank). And it is necessary to do this for the time that a drink is sailing to it.
The capital is Tokyo.
Large cities - Kyoto, Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Yokohama, Kamakura, Nara. And Japan's main seaside resort is the Okinawa archipelago.
For a complete list of the cities of the country, search on the city page and the resorts of Japan.
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How to get
Aeroflot makes daily flights Moscow - Tokyo - Moscow, flight time - 9 hours 25 minutes. Japan Air Lines (JAL) offers a flight Moscow - Tokyo three times a week (on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays), flight time is about 9 hours. In addition, it is possible to fly on the route Moscow - Osaka with a landing from Dubai, which is daily carried out by the airline Emirates.
Upon arrival at the airport, you need to go to the window for foreigners at the Immigration counter (immigration office), present your passport and a completed entry / exit card.
Narita International Airport is located 66 km from Tokyo. You can get to the capital from here in several ways:
- The first is the JR Narita Express (NEX) train line, next to the center of Tokyo one hour without stops. From it it is convenient to change planes to other JR lines. The interval between express in the morning and in the evening is 30 minutes, in the afternoon - one hour. Approximately once per hour "half-express" is sent - it is on the way for about an hour and a half.
- The second way is a "Skye skating", whose landing platforms are in the basement of each airport terminal. Trains arrive at the Keisei-Ueno station, where you can transfer to JR trains. Travel time to Tokyo is one hour, the interval between expresses is about 40 minutes. In addition, after 10-20 minutes there are "half-excerpts", whose time is about an hour and 10-30 minutes.
- The third option is Limousine buses departing from the ground floor of the airport. Travel time to Tokyo is about 1, 5 hours, there are many flights.
Search for air tickets to Japan - $
Japanese visa
Russian and CIS citizens need a visa to enter the country.
Customs
There are no restrictions on import of foreign currency, however, amounts equivalent to 1 million JPY or more are subject to mandatory declaration.
You can import 500 gr of tobacco, 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, three containers of wine-vodka products (each not more than 0, 75 liters), two ounces (56ml) of perfume, gifts and souvenirs worth not more than 200 000 JPY. $
When importing animals or plants, you need to go to the quarantine counter. It is forbidden to import firearms, pornography, drugs (for drugs threatens deportation and a lifetime ban on entering the country), as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. There are restrictions on the importation of bellows, medical preparations (especially containing 1-deoxy-ephedrine) and cosmetics.
Useful phone numbers are
Embassy of Japan in Moscow: Grochholsky per., 27; tel .: (495) 229-25-50, 229-25-51, 229-25-20 (consular department); website
Embassy of Russia in Tokyo: 1-1 Azabudai 2-chome, Minato-ku; tel .: (3) 358-342-24, 358-359-82; website of the embassy, website of the consular department
Consulate General in Sapporo: 826, Nishi 12-chome Minami 14-jo, Chuoku; tel .: (11) 561-31-71; website
The Consulate General in Osaka: Toyonaka-shi, Nishi Midorigaoka 1-2-2, Osaka-fu; tel .: (66) 848-34-52, 848-34-51
Consulate General in Niigata: Chuo-ku, Bandaijima 5-1, Bandaijima bldg. 12 fl .; tel .: (25) 244-60-15, 244-63-15; website
Japan Help Line (24 hours a day, in English): 0120-461-997
Fire protection, ambulance - 119, police - 110 (free call, when calling from a street phone before dialing, you need to press the red button)
Telephone city codes: Tokyo - 3, Osaka - 6, Nagoya - 52, Kyoto - 75, Nagasaki - 958, Sapporo - 11, Hiroshima - 82, Yokohama - 45.
Transport
The main modes of transport for the country are trains and sea transport.
The main railway company of the country is Japan Rail (JR) .She owns lines of superexpress "shinkansen" and the national rail network .In addition to superexpresses, there are trains "Tokku" ("limited express", the fastest), "kyuko" ("express"), "kaisoku" ("fast") and local trains "futsu" ("ordinary") ±$ br >.All the main railway stations in the metropolitan area of Tokyo are located on the ring line of JR Yamanote .All trains are equipped with soft chairs, coffee machines and soft drinks, they also have a toilet, a city phone and a scoreboard in Japanese and English..For travel by rail, the Japan Rail Pass (valid only for visitors with a tourist visa and is purchased in advance) is convenient .This ticket allows unlimited travel on trains, buses and ferries of Japan Rail Company, as well as on certain trains of private companies for a certain period (one, two or three weeks) .The ticket is nominal, transfer to another person is prohibited, during verification it is necessary to present a passport to confirm the legality of the acquisition of .
Metro is developed only in large cities, the lines are divided into zones. Trains run with a five-minute interval from 5:00 to 23: 30-00: 00. The fare is different on different routes and depends on the zone, ranging from 120 to 1500 JPY. The cars are painted in different colors depending on the line and have special places of gray color ("silver seats") for the elderly and disabled, which should not be taken.
Taxis are easily accessible, but very expensive. The fare starts from 650 JPY in Tokyo (500-580 JPY in other cities), then - 80-90 JPY for a certain distance. For every minute of inactivity, an additional 45-50 JPY is charged. From 23:00 to 6:00 the fare is more expensive by 30%.
Rent a car
Rent a car in Japan can be, having international rights and having issued mandatory local insurance JCI .Renting the most affordable car will cost in the amount of 70 USD per day .It makes sense to rent vehicles only to visit rural areas of Japan - the city is catastrophically overloaded, and parking is sometimes impossible to find in the daytime .In addition, it should be borne in mind that gasoline in the Land of the Rising Sun is not cheap: from 1.5 USD per liter, and the fee for using autobahns is prohibitive: a trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, for example, will result in 75 USD of only road charges .A decent penalty is levied for the return of the car with an empty tank, as well as for a return before the term specified in the contract is .
However, even tourists who have the opportunity to rent a car in Japan do so very rarely: the complexity of the registration procedure, the uniqueness of traffic signs, the difficulties with parking and the traffic jams make car driving in the country practically impossible for a European who does not speak Japanese. ±$ br >
- What you need to rent a car in Japan?
Safety of tourists
The crime rate in law-abiding Japan is extremely low, but one should not forget about elementary precautions for tourists.
Guests of the country should remember that foreign languages are not common in Japan. To meet on the street English-speaking passer-by - one chance out of a hundred. However, the lost "red-faced barbarians" are sure to help - not passers-by, but policemen, whose duties include the delivery of foreign "naidenyshey" to hotels. In addition, all the inscriptions in the metro and road signs are duplicated in Latin, which somewhat facilitates the orientation in the city.
- What are the basic rules of behavior in Japan?
- Journey to Japan: what to foresee
- Is the probability of a tsunami in Japan great?
| The Thorium Gate at the Itucushima Shrine |
| Plantations of green tea against the Fuji background |
| Autumn Japan |
Climate
The climate in Japan, with the exception of Hokkaido, is temperate, with four clearly discernible seasons and two periods of rain - in spring and autumn .In winter (December-February), the temperature on the plains along the coast is usually above zero, the weather is sunny, with dry air .Spring (March-May) begins with the flowering plum, and cherry blossom from late March to early April means the very middle of spring .Summer (June-August) begins with the rainy season "Baiu" ("plum rain"), which lasts 3-4 weeks .In southern Okinawa, the rainy season begins in mid-May, and in the Tohoku area in the north of Honshu Island - in mid-June, and ends in mid-June and July, respectively, .Since July, the real summer heat is .Autumn (September-November) brings fresh wind and comfortable temperature .
See also the weather forecast for the main resorts of Japan for the coming days.
- Is it possible to have a beach vacation in Japan in March?
Hotels in Japan
Any hotel in Japan, from 2 * (Tourist class) to 5 * (Deluxe class) - a sample of a high level of service. The classification of hotels directly depends on the size of the territory, the number of restaurants and shops in it. Rooms in hotels 2-3 * have, as a rule, a small area, but they are always equipped with everything you need, right up to the electric kettle.
In Japan, both European and national ryokan hotels are available, furnished in Japanese style. European hotels mainly work on the basis of breakfast (or no food at all), the cuisine is varied. "Ryokan" usually offer half board, the kitchen in them - only national. Most hotels in the resort cities have their own "onsen" and "o-furo": Japanese baths, special hot mineral baths.
In Tokyo and the eastern part of the country, the voltage in the network is 100 V, 50 Hz. In the western regions - 220 V, 60 Hz. Sockets are different from Western, so you may need an adapter.
Book hotel in Japan at the best price
Banks and exchange points
Banks are open from 9:00 to 15:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 12:00 on the first and last Saturday of the month. Sunday is a day off. At the Tokyo International Airport, exchange offices operate around the clock. During the holidays, all branches of banks are closed.
To exchange large sums is best at the airport of arrival (it is more profitable to change USD), as in hotels they change not more than 300 USD per person per day, and in banks this procedure is complicated by bureaucratic formalities. In the country you can pay with major credit cards, but you need to remember that in a number of restaurants "credit cards" are not accepted.
- Where is it more profitable to buy yen: in Russia or in Japan?
Shopping and shopping
The most expensive shops are located in the Shinjuku quarter, on Aoyama-Dori Street, Tokyo's "Champs Elysees". Young people prefer to dress in the Shibuya area, where there are many inexpensive fashion stores. Department stores in Japan are called "depot" (from the English department store) - they are truly huge, much larger than the Parisian Gallerie Lafayette and Printemps. The most important Japanese department stores - Mitsukoshi, Matsudzakaya, Matsuya, Isetan, Keio and some others are located in the Ginza and Shinjuku districts.
Characteristic Japanese souvenirs - samurai dolls and geisha, painted fans with an image of cherry and landscapes, a panel with hieroglyphics, objects of national costume, ceramics and porcelain. This expanse is here for fans of anime and manga: a bunch of magazines, books, CDs, posters and T-shirts.
What, of course, is worth buying in Tokyo, so it's jewelry and jewelry. Prices for them, however, are not lower than European, but quite reasonable, but the design is amazing. Masterpieces of pearls make sense to buy in the gallery "Tasaki." Pay attention to the various accessories. There are many of them. Nowhere in the world, you will not find such a choice-gloves, hats, scarves, socks, golf clubs, etc. The Japanese are the biggest fans and connoisseurs of accessories in the world.
100% natural Japanese cosmetics based on pearls, seaweed and shellfish extract are popular. And finally, not souvenirs, but a worthwhile product that can be advised to bring from Japan - all kinds of electronics, gadgets and computer games.
New collections of many European designers appear first of all in Tokyo.
You can buy souvenirs at the airport before departure: the prices there will not differ from souvenir shops in the cities.- How much does a kimono cost in Japan?
- How much do sushi cost in Japan?
- What souvenirs to bring from Japan?
Kitchen and restaurants
In Japanese cuisine, fresh or even raw food is widely used, its "three whales": rice, fish and seaweed. The most popular dishes: "sushi" (or, in Russian, "sushi") - more than 200 species, "sashimi" ("sashimi") - slices of raw fish, which, like sushi, are served with soy sauce and green horseradish " wasabi ", as well as" sukiyaki "(fried beef), vegetables and soy cottage cheese" tofu ". In general, the dishes based on soybeans here are a lot: the second bread, to be sure!
Even in Japan, you can try the "marble meat" of a bull and taste warmed rice wine sake with a strength of 16-19 °. National number one soup - "miso" from fermented soybean mass and fish broth with the addition of algae, mushrooms, tofu, meat and fish. It is worth to eat "tempura" - pieces of fish or meat, fried in battered in boiling oil. Gourmets without prejudice recommend the most delicate pork chop in breadcrumbs "thinkatsu", as well as mini-shashlik "yakitori" (from a bird) and "kusiyaki."
- Is Japanese cuisine considered to be the best cuisine on the planet? $
Sushi in Japan
Perhaps the most famous culinary "masterpiece" of Japan are sushi and sashimi. These seemingly very simple dishes, in fact, are rather difficult to prepare properly: masters of sushi learn how to make rice correctly for years, before mastering the art of choosing the best fish and removing all the bones from it.
The terminology of the land is extensive, but the most common species in Japan are:
- nigiri - oblong lump of rice and a piece of fish covering rice,
- poppies - fish and rice, twirled in nori and cut into tiny pieces,
- temaki - fish and rice, conically wrapped in nori;
- guncan - an oval shape of land, framed by a strip of nori,
- shiraci - rice mixed with seafood.
Almost everything that floats or dwells in the sea can turn into sushi, so in most Japanese restaurants somewhere on the wall hangs a convenient multilingual list describing a particular fish .The most common ingredients guaranteed in any restaurant are maguro (tuna), shake (salmon), ika (squid), taco (octopus) and tamago (Japanese omelet) .And more exotic options are uni (sea urchin caviar), thoro (fish oil of tuna) and chiraco (fish milk) .In Japan, fish oil is supplied in two forms: "o-toro" (very fatty and expensive), and "chu-tooro" (less fatty and cheaper) .
Even in Japan, sushi is considered a delicacy, and the bill for "sushi from the chef" in the most expensive restaurants can reach tens of thousands of yen..Otherwise, you can order the so-called "moriwase" - assorted sushi and sashimi, prices are much lower than .Even cheaper than sushi can be bought in ubiquitous kaytens, where the plates from the land "ride" on the belt conveyor and cost about 100 yen .Whereas in Hokkaido, kaiten sushi is generally of good quality, in large cities (especially in Tokyo and Kyoto) their quality varies considerably from restaurant to restaurant .
| New Year's plate - traditional Japanese dish |
| Tokyo delicacies |
| Traditional Japanese dishes |
History of Japan
The island location of Japan, a fairly close "touch" with continental Asia, as well as periods of openness and isolation had a profound impact on the history of the country .Officially documented Japanese history goes back to 5 in ., while archaeological evidence of the existence of the first settlements number 50 thousand years, and the "progenitor" of the imperial line is the mythical Jimmu (7 in .to n .e .) .Nevertheless, "archaeologically" to trace the imperial line is possible only from the period of Kofun (3-7th century .n .e .) .During the Asuka period, Japan becomes a centralized state that absorbed many aspects of Chinese culture and was influenced by Buddhism and Confucianism .
In the period of Nara appears the first strong Japanese state, concentrated in Heijo-kyo (modern Nara), and the period becomes the last when political power was preserved in the hands of the emperor .In the Heian period with the transfer of the capital to Kyoto (remained the capital until the 19th century), power passes into the hands of the court nobility .In the following period, the period of Kamakura, political power is captured by samurai .Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, the most influential of them, is called a shogun and ruled from his residence in Kamakura .The Muromachi Period becomes a "witness" of the rule of the Ashikaga Shogunate, (residence in Ashikaga) .At 15 in .the country is covered by the anarchy of the Warring States period .In 1600 grams .Tokugawa Ieyasu united the country, founds the Tokugawa shogunate and ruled from his residence in Edo (modern Tokyo) .In the Edo period, a strict caste system with a shogun and its samurais at the top is introduced; Togunava maintains stability in the country, however, in the framework of almost total isolation from the outside world .
In 1854 Black ships arrived at the port of Yokohama under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry, forcing Japan to open trade routes with the West and sign unequal treaties that eventually led to the collapse of the shogunate (1867, Meiji Restoration). The Imperial capital is transferred to Edo.
During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. Japan takes control of Taiwan, Korea and part of Manchuria, and Japan's victory over Russia during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. finally fixes the status of the "strongest" for her. In 1931, Japan began a full-scale invasion of China through Manchuria, and by 1941 the Japanese empire stretched on most of Asia and the Pacific.
In 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, destroying much of the US Pacific Fleet, thereby forcing America to enter a war that soon turned against Japan. In 1945, a series of nuclear strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki force Japan to surrender - for the first time in its history, Japan is occupied. The emperor retains his throne, but he becomes a constitutional monarch.
Traditions and customs of Japan
Throughout its history, Japan has repeatedly passed the periods of openness and isolation, and therefore the Japanese culture is something unique: while in Japanese culture there is obvious Chinese influence, it still retained many purely national traditions and customs. The flowering of Japanese plum and cherry (March-April) resulted in the formation of one of the national traditions of Japan - "khans" or "admiring the flowers", accompanied by picnics and festivities in parks.
In Japan, there are two main religions: Shinto, based on the animistic beliefs of the ancient Japanese, and Buddhism, brought by monks from China. The most important holiday of Japan is the New Year. The Japanese usually meet him with their relatives (which means a large congestion of traffic in the streets of cities), but many often travel to other countries.
- When in Japan sakura blossoms
Japan and karaoke
The national fun of the Japanese № 1 - karaoke - like all genius, was born by pure chance .In the distant 1971, the drummer of the now forgotten rock band named Daisuke Inoue noticed that the audience noticeably missed during the intermission .Then the inventive Japanese invented to play the "minus one" of popular songs (by the way, "karaoke" literally means "empty orchestra"), and that viewers do not get confused in words, give them texts .Thus, while the musicians were resting, the public cheered themselves up with chorus singing .However, again, like all ingenious, the invention of Daisuke-san was not appreciated at once - nationwide love of karaoke began to win only 15 years later .But today, the account for karaoke bars in the Japanese capital alone goes to thousands - not without reason Tokyo acquired the unofficial title of the world capital of public singing .So quite understandable on vacation the desire "I'll sing it right now! »In Japan will be guaranteed to be implemented .
Thermal resorts of Japan
In Dzadzanka, Sapporo suburban recreation area, at a height of 300 m above sea level, hot springs are struck from the earth.
In Bepp on the basis of more than 3,500 local thermal springs, many balneological resorts are open. Here you can see the "boiling lakes" Tinoike-Dzigoku and Umi-Dzigoku, the Tatsumaki-Dzigoku geyser and the local zoo.
Rest in Japan is
Incredible opportunities for active recreation are opened by the legendary Fujiyama and Aso volcano with the world's largest caldera. Famous resorts of Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps are waiting for fans of ski tourism; hundreds of thousands of cherry blossoms and many national parks - nature lovers, coral reefs of Okinawa - divers, hot springs - lovers of relaxation, and temples of the holy mountain of Koya-san - pilgrims.
Those who are interested in the traditional culture of Japan, for weeks can not get out of Kyoto and Nara with their temples, shrines, theaters and museums, stuffed with "treasures" of the national heritage. Those who are fascinated by modern culture and modern technology, Japan will look into the future of the human race.
Special attention should be paid to Japanese cuisine: be it delicious sushi in Tokyo, a super-fried tempura in Kyoto or a huge bowl of ramen in Osaka. But for many travelers the highlight of the country is still the hospitable hospitality of the Japanese themselves.
Entertainment, Excursions and Attractions of Japan
The symbol of the country is the "Sacred Gate" ("torii"), the wooden gate of the Itucushima sanctuary on the sacred Miyajima Island, standing right in the water in a small bay, and the famous Mount Fuji (Fuji-san, 3,776 m) - one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world. Another symbol of the country is the Seto-Ohashi Bridge (1988), thrown across the Inner Sea of Japan (Seto) from Honshu to Shikoku.
In Japan, the world's best pearls are produced, so numerous "pearl farms" are also interesting tourist sites, which are visited by up to half a million foreign tourists a year.
The island of Okinawa, which enters the Ryukyu archipelago, is Japan's main seaside resort. Its main natural resources are corals of all colors, rare black pearls extracted only here.
In Sapporo, the administrative center of Hokkaido, the Winter Sports Center is opened, one of the largest in Asia, there is a botanical garden with a unique selection of plants from different latitudes, numerous museums and the entertainment area of Susukino.
Sights of Kamakura - the temples of Sugimoto-dera (734), Kentyo-ji (1253) with the oldest bell in the country (1255), Engaku-ji with the "hall of holy relics" Sjariden (1282), the temple Tsurugaoka Hachiman (1063), as well as the "lotus ponds" of Genji and Heike with the "happy" Drum Bridge thrown through them. Also - a 13-meter bronze statue of Daibutsu or "Buddha Amida" (1252) and "a wonderful source" in the cave of Zenaray-Benten.
In Osaka, the Osaka Castle, the oceanarium, Shumiyoshi Shinto shrine, the Sitnnodzi Buddhist temple and the Japanese Hollywood - Universal Studio Osaka are interesting.
More information about what's interesting in the country can be found on the Japan attractions page.
Photos of Japan (308)