简短的介绍日本(英文)

Japan is a land of extremes, of ancient history and high-tech gadgets. Sushi, sake, sumo, samurai, geishas, gardens, bonsai, karate, kabuki and Zen are just some of the world-renowned icons of Japanese culture.

Ancient ritual and dynamic pop culture live and breathe side by side. You can spend weeks soaking up traditional culture from Japan’s many temples, kabuki theatre, tea ceremonies and extraordinary museums. If contemporary culture and high-technology is more your thing, you’ll find futuristic wonderlands in Japan’s captivating cities of shimmering skyscrapers, pumping discos, and spirited sake and sushi houses.

Home to over 127 million people, Japan’s emerald isles float along the eastern rim of the Asian continent, spreading for over 3,000 kilometres and accumulating nearly 30,000 kilometres of coastline. Ranging all the way from sub-arctic Hokkaido to sub-tropic Okinawa, the Japanese archipelago hosts a wide variety of flora and fauna. With a land mass slightly smaller than California or equivalent to Germany, Japan’s urban areas are the most densely populated in the world.

Japan consists of four major islands and around 3,900 smaller ones. The main islands are Hokkaido in the north, the large central island of Honshu (home of Tokyo), and the smaller southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu. These dramatic islands are made up of steep mountains, deep verdant valleys, lakes and winding rivers flowing into large deltas and bustling harbours. Most of the country’s mountains are volcanic causing Japan to be one of the most seismically active regions of the world. However, serious earthquakes and tsunamis only occur several times in a century. For the most part, Japan registers only small tremors. From all this geological activity, the country is blessed with an abundance of healing hot springs and spectacular scenery.

Japanese is the official language of course, and many Japanese are able to understand some English to a certain extent since it is part of compulsory education. Trying out a few common Japanese phrases will make your trip even more special. A little bit goes a long way. However, you don't need to understand Japanese to enjoy Japan.

Japan was traditionally settled in 660 B.C., by various clans of indigenous people. Written history began in the 5th century A.D. and Buddhism was introduced from China in the 6th century. Rivalry between Buddhism and Shinto (Japan’s traditional religion) was defused by presenting Shinto deities as manifestations of Buddha. Today the two religions co-exist and are practiced peacefully, with many festivals and celebrations.

During a long feudal period between the 12th and 19th centuries, military power was held by the shoguns and samurais. Japan closed its borders, forbidding its citizens to leave and foreigners to enter. This national seclusion came to an end when shogun dominance was overthrown by the imperial power of Emperor Mutsuhito in 1868. Feudalism was abolished, and the country opened up to Western trade and industrial technology. Today Japan is highly industrialized and noted for its advanced technology.

The capital of Japan is Tokyo, a massive dazzling city where the old and the new collide into an endless array of exotic sights and sounds. With more than 12 million people, Tokyo radiates exuberant energy, offering fascinating and unique discoveries at every turn.

Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan presenting a treasure of enchanting temples, immaculate gardens and the ancient Nijo Castle. If you overdose on temples, try feasting on some of the finest food in Japan or hiking through majestic mountain trails. Kyoto makes an excellent base in which to explore the surrounding cities of Osaka, Nara and the other regions of the Kansai Plains.

Osaka is one of Japan's largest cities and lies in the great Kansai Plains. Highly commercialized with fabulous shopping districts, Osaka is famous for its kabuki theatre, bunraku (a unique form of puppet theatre), Osaka Castle, hearty cuisine and down-to-earth people, revealing a sophisticated and lively atmosphere, especially at night.

Hokkaido is the second largest of the Japanese islands, but the least populated. As Japan’s northernmost island, snowfall is abundant, making it the main winter resort and sport area in Japan. The island’s capital of Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics. Hokkaido's scenic beauty is preserved within several national parks, encompassing vast forests, rugged mountains and Japan’s second longest river, the Ishikari.

Okinawa is a group of tiny islands within the Ryukyu Island chain in south western Japan, surrounded by some of the clearest sea water in the world. With a welcoming subtropical climate, the Ryuku archipelago extends for over 1000 kilometres, home to an abundance of wildlife, dense forests, mountains, caves, coral reefs and the most beautiful beaches in Japan. Having historically been a separate nation, Okinawa’s language and culture differ considerably from mainland Japan, making it a fascinating place to visit.

Nagoya is a culturally rich 16th century fortress city on the main island of Honshu. Nagoya has many universities, the magnificent Nagoya Castle and two famous shrines, one of which houses the sacred imperial Kusanagi sword, along with thousands of national treasures. The Tokugawa Art Museum, Higashiyama Park, and an art museum partnered with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts are other attractions.

Yokohama is a large city 30 kilometres south of Tokyo on the shores of Tokyo Bay. As the birth place of Japan’s first railroad, Yokohama today is connected to Tokyo by several railway lines as well as numerous expressways. Almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake and fire in 1923, it was quickly rebuilt and modernized and is now a leading port and industrial centre. It is home to historical and tranquil Sankeien Garden, the Ramen Noodle and Curry Museum, and one of Japan’s tallest buildings, the Landmark Tower, standing at nearly 300 metres.

Fukuoka is a prosperous seaside city on the southern island of Kyushu, bordered by mountains and the Sea of Genkai. Less seismically active than other areas of Japan, Fukuoka is famous for its Hakata dolls, rich agriculture, universities, and three prominent shrines. Fukuoka Castle, Ohori Koen Park and one of the world’s tallest Ferris wheels, Sky Dream Fukuoka, are other notable landmarks of Fukuoka.

Visiting Japan can be enjoyable in every season of the year. Spring and autumn bring temperate weather and colourful foliage and flowers. Wintertime is ideal for enjoying winter sports and hot springs, while summer brings a plethora of fascinating festivals.

The climate varies from sub-arctic in the north to sub-tropic in the south. Rainfall varies across the nation but is quite regular year round and usually a bit heavier during summer and autumn.

Japan (Japanese: 日本, Nihon or Nippon) is an island country located in the Pacific Ocean, east of China and Korea, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. It is composed of over 3,000 islands, the largest of which are Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Most of Japan's islands are mountainous, and many are volcanic; the highest peak is Mount Fuji.

Historically, Japan adopted many Chinese and Korean customs and institutions beginning in the 5th and 6th centuries. During the 8th century, the emergence of an indigenous culture sparked a "golden age" in Japan called the Heian period, characterized by aesthetic refinement and aristocratic sophistication. The arts and literature flourished, culminating in Lady Murasaki's writing of The Tale of Genji, the world's first known novel.

From the 12th century to the mid-1800s, Japan was a feudal country led by clans of warriors known as the samurai. The Tokugawa shogunate, established in 1603, began to pursue the Sakoku ("closed country") policy of isolation that lasted for two and a half centuries. The arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's "Black Ships" and the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854, signaled the opening of the country to the West. After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan adopted many European and American customs and institutions. Its culture today is a mixture of these influences along with traditional Japanese culture.

Japan is the world's second-largest economy and one of the world's leading industrialized countries. It is a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament, called the Diet, which is one of the oldest legislatures in Asia. Despite its rugged terrain, Japan is one of the most populous—and one of the most densely populated—countries in the world. Greater Tokyo, with over 30 million residents, is the largest metropolitan area in the world.

Japan's name in the kanji writing system is often translated as "Land of the Rising Sun", and comes from the country's location on the east coast of Asia

Brief introduces Japan