Japan

An Introduction to Japan

Japan has been in the news worldwide because of the devastating effects of the 11 March tsunami and earthquake, which killed thousands and destroyed towns and villages in north-east Japan and caused a serious leak of radioactive material from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The evacuation zone around the disabled power plant remains in force, and several counties continue to advise all travellers to avoid the whole of north-east Japan except for essential business.

The rest of the country is largely back to normal now – and it’s well worth considering Japan as a destination for your gap year.

Japan is big – its islands cover roughly the same land mass as Germany – and populous, with 128 million people, the world’s 10th-largest population. And it’s an extraordinary mass of contradictions.

The first east Asian country to become an industrial power, its economy has stalled in recent years. Its cities are modern and often ugly, but they are dotted with traditional wooden buildings and beautiful temples and gardens – often in the most unlikely places. Japanese culture can be a real shock to outsiders: the apparently reserved and in many respects traditionalist Japanese have an extraordinary enthusiasm for garish kitsch and violent pornography.

Japan is often surprising and rarely boring. It has not preserved its history as well as many other Asian states, and many of its cities are ugly and devoid of significant historical landmarks. Nevertheless, with proper planning, a trip to Japan can be incredibly enjoyable. There are also serious opporutnities to work teaching English.