Japan is one of those places that both conforms to and confounds expectations. The cliches – Zen gardens, sumo wrestlers, bullet trains, cherry blossom, geisha – are easy to find, but so are experiences that challenge the stereotypes: spotting bears on Hokkaido, basking on tropical beaches in Okinawa Prefecture, skiing on perfect powder in the Japan Alps. Overlaying everything is Japan’s complex, nuanced culture: this is a country where manners have been elevated to an art form, and where dressing up as a manga superhero is as commonplace as leaving offerings at a Shinto shrine. Japan manages to be both one of the world’s most modern nations, and one of its most traditional – an intoxicating mix for travelers looking for deep immersion into the unfamiliar. You’ll never want to say sayōnara.
