Life in Japan

Japan consists of four major islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and is surrounded by more than 4,000 smaller islands. It has a population of 127 million people and most Japanese reside in densely populated urban areas such as Japan's capital city Tokyo.

Family is the foundation of Japanese society, bound by a strong sense of position, obligation and responsibility. Japanese culture today is extremely diverse. It is a fascinating mixture of old and new, Eastern and Western. In Japan, ancient traditions and advanced technologies coexist to create a facinating environment and way of life. One evening could be spent at a karaoke bar or watching a game of base ball and the next might be spent at traditional theatre such as kabuki or watching a sumo wrestling. A perfect symbol of Japan’s East/West synthesis: fast-food restaurants sell pizzas topped with octopus and sesame seeds.

Japanese teenagers love music, shopping for the latest in futuristic electronics and visiting amusement parks. Not to mention the national activity of karaoke! Japanese friendliness and politeness is also world famous and during your year you will surely experience their hospitality and kind-heartedness. So take the chance to taste authentic sushi, visit the innovative city of Tokyo or find out why the Japanese are so fanatic about baseball.