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Japan is an island country in East Asia. Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world, as well as one of the most densely populated and urbanized. About three-fourths of the country's terrain is mountainous, concentrating its population of 125.5 million on narrow coastal plains. Japan is divided into 47 administrative prefectures and eight traditional regions. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. Japan's service sector accounts for about 70% of its total economic output as of 2019. Banking, retail, transportation, and telecommunications are all major industries, with companies such as Toyota, Mitsubishi UFJ, -NTT, ÆON, Softbank, Hitachi, and Itochu listed as among the largest in the world. Japan attracted 31.9 million international tourists in 2019. For inbound tourism, Japan was ranked 11th in the world in 2019. The 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Japan 4th out of 141 countries, which was the highest in Asia. Wikipedia

Japan attracted 31.19 million international tourists in 2018. Japan has 21 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto and Nara. Popular foreigner attractions include Tokyo and Hiroshima, Mount Fuji, ski resorts such as Niseko in Hokkaido, Okinawa, riding the shinkansen and taking advantage of Japan's hotel and hotspring network. The 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Japan 4th out of 141 countries overall, which was the highest in Asia. Japan gained relatively high scores in almost all of the featured aspects, such as health and hygiene, safety and security, cultural resources and business travel. Wikipedia

Domestic tourism remains a vital part of the Japanese economy and Japanese culture. Children in many middle schools see the highlight of their years as a visit to Tokyo Disneyland or perhaps Tokyo Tower, and many high school students often visit Okinawa or Hokkaido. The extensive rail network together with domestic flights sometimes in planes with modifications to favor the relatively short distances involved in intra-Japan travel allows efficient and speedy transport. International tourism plays a smaller role in the Japanese economy compared to other developed countries; in 2013, international tourist receipts was 0.3% of Japan's GDP, while the corresponding figure was 1.3% for the United States and 2.3% for France. In inbound tourism, Japan was ranked 28th in the world in 2007 when the country had the 2nd largest GDP. In 2009, the Yomiuri Shimbun published a modern list of famous sights under the name Heisei Hyakkei (the Hundred Views of the Heisei period). Tourists from South Korea have made up the largest number of inbound tourists several times in the past. In 2010, their 2.4 million arrivals made up 27% of the tourists visiting Japan. Travelers from China have been the highest spenders in Japan by country, spending an estimated 196.4 billion yen (US$2.4 billion) in 2011, or almost a quarter of total expenditure by foreign visitors, according to data from the Japan Tourism Agency. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization in 2017, 3 out of 4 foreign tourists came from other parts of East Asia, namely South Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Japanese video games, manga and anime play a role in driving tourism to Japan. In surveys held by Statista between 2019-2020, 24.2% of tourists from the United States, 7.7% of tourists from China and 6.1% of tourists from South Korea said they were motivated to visit Japan because of Japanese popular culture. Wikipedia

Major tourist destinations in Japan: Hokkaido Niseko Ski Resort Shiretoko Peninsula (WHS) Teshikaga – Lake Mashū, Lake Kussharo Tōya Caldera and Mount Usu Geopark Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group Hakodate Otaru Tōhoku region Shirakami-Sanchi (WHS) Mount Osore Lake Towada Hirosaki – Hirosaki Castle, Nakacho Samurai District Hiraizumi – Chūson-ji, Mōtsū-ji, Kanjizaiō-in, Takkoku-no-Iwaya Semboku – Kakunodate Samurai District, Lake Tazawa, Nyūtō Onsen Yamagata – Yama-dera Temple, Zaō Onsen Matsushima Kantō region Nikkō – Shrines and Temples of Nikkō (WHS), Kegon Falls, Lake Chūzenji, Cedar Avenue of Nikko Tomioka Silk Mill (WHS) Kinugawa Onsen – Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura, Tobu World Square Utsunomiya – Oya stone museum, Utsunomiya Futarayama Shrine Ashikaga, Tochigi – Ashikaga Gakkō, Ashikaga Flower Park Tokyo – Imperial Palace, Asakusa, Akihabara, Ginza, Harajuku/Omotesandō, Nakano Broadway, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tsukiji Fish Market, Ueno Park Tokyo Disney Resort Kamakura – Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, Kōtoku-in, Kenchō-ji, Engaku-ji, Meigetsu-in, Hase-dera Kusatsu Onsen Hakone Onsen Chūbu region Mount Fuji Japanese Alps – Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route(Mount Tate), Hida Mountains, Kiso Mountains, Akaishi Mountains Kurobe Gorge Railway Shiga Kōgen Matsumoto – Matsumoto Castle, Mount Hotaka, Kamikōchi Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama (WHS) Takayama – Sanmachi Traditional Street, Ōshinmachi Traditional Street, Higashiyama Temple Area Kanazawa – Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa Castle, Higashi Geisha District, Nagamachi Samurai District Sakai – Tōjinbō, Maruoka Castle Nagoya – Nagoya Castle, Atsuta Shrine, Sakae, Nagoya Station (Meieki), Ōsu Kannon temple Kansai region Kyoto – Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Ryōan-ji, Sanjūsangen-dō, etc., they are parts of Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (WHS) Uji – Byōdō-in and Ujigami Shrine (WHS), Relation of The Tale of Genji Ōtsu – Lake Biwa, Hiyoshi Taisha, Sakamoto Temple District, Mount Hiei, Enryaku-ji (WHS) Ōmihachiman – Traditional Riverside District Nara – Tōdai-ji, Tōshōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Yakushi-ji, Heijō Palace, Kasuga-taisha and Nara Park, etc. They are parts of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (WHS). Ikaruga – Hōryū-ji and Hōki-ji are Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area (WHS). Yoshino (Mount Yoshino) – Kimpusen-ji, Yoshimizu Shrine, Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, etc. They are parts of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (WHS). Shingū – Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano River (WHS) Nachikatsuura – Nachi Falls, Kumano Kodō, etc., they are parts of Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (WHS) Mount Kōya – Kongōbu-ji (WHS) Osaka – Osaka Castle, Umeda, Namba, Dōtonbori, Shinsekai, Shitennō-ji, Universal Studios Japan, Rinku Town, Kamagasaki[15] Himeji – Engyō-ji, Koko-en Garden, and Himeji Castle (WHS) Kobe – Port of Kobe, Rokkō Mountains, Kitano-chō, Arima Onsen, Kobe Luminarie San'in Kaigan Geopark – Toyooka, Izushi, Kinosaki Onsen, Yumura Onsen Chūgoku region Hiroshima Prefecture – Atomic Bomb Dome (WHS), Itsukushima Shrine (WHS), Onomichi, Tomonoura Okayama Prefecture – Kurashiki, Kōrakuen Garden, Okayama Castle Tottori Prefecture – Tottori Sand Dunes, Mount Daisen, Mount Hyōno, San'in Kaigan Geopark Shimane Prefecture – Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (WHS), Izumo-taisha, Matsue Castle, Oki Islands, Tsuwano Yamaguchi Prefecture – Hagi Shikoku Shikoku Pilgrimage (Zentsū-ji, Motoyama-ji, etc.) Ehime Prefecture – Dōgo Onsen, Matsuyama Castle Kagawa Prefecture – Kotohira-gū Shrine, Ritsurin Garden, Shōdo Island, Naoshima Island Tokushima Prefecture – Naruto whirlpools, Awa Dance Festival in Tokushima Kōchi Prefecture – Kōchi Castle, Cape Muroto (Muroto Geopark), Cape Ashizuri Kyushu and Okinawa Fukuoka Prefecture – Mojiko Retro Town, Kokura Castle, Dazaifu Tenman-gū, Remains of Dazaifu (government) Ōita Prefecture – Many types of hot springs in Beppu, Ōita or Yufuin, Ōita, Usa jingū, stone bridges, small stonehenge on the top of Komekamiyama (mountain), Hello Kitty Harmonyland Nagasaki Prefecture – Ōura Church, Higashi-Yamate, Minami-Yamate including the Glover Garden, Huis Ten Bosch (theme park), Hidden Christian Sites (WHS) Kagoshima Prefecture – Yakushima (WHS), Sakurajima, Amami Ōshima Miyazaki Prefecture – Kirishima-Yaku National Park, Takachiho, Old Exculibur on the top of Takachiho-kyo mountain, Nichinan, Miyazaki,　Chambered barrows of Saitobaru kofungun, Heiwadai Park Kumamoto Prefecture – Kumamoto Castle,　Mount Aso Saga Prefecture – Pre-400 BC Yayoi archaeological site in Yoshinogari site Okinawa Prefecture – Shuri Castle, Nakagusuku Castle, Nakijin Castle etc. They are parts of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. (WHS), Ishigaki Island, Miyako Island, Iriomote Island, Traditional Ryukyuan Houses in Taketomi Island. Wikipedia

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) provides information about Japan to promote travel to and in the country. It was established in 1964 and its headquarters are in Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. The JNTO operates Tourist Information Centers (TICs) as well as a website. It disseminates information about transportation, lodging, food and beverage, and sight-seeing as well as published tourism statistics and market reports. It also provides support for international conventions and incentive events. Japan National Tourism Organization is an Independent Administrative Institution of the government of Japan. Its publications and website assist in preparing travel itineraries within Japan, providing a wide range of travel information in English and other languages on transportation, accommodations, shopping and events. The materials are updated frequently. While traveling in Japan, visitors may take advantage of the nationwide "i" Information System, which numbered 113 outlets in 2004. Each "i" center is an information source for the area it represents. The "i" centers are ordinarily located at railway stations or in city centers, and are easily recognized by their logo, a red question mark with the word "information" printed underneath. Japan National Tourism Organization sponsors a Goodwill Guide Program, through which some 47,000 bilingual volunteers assist visitors from abroad. They earn the right to wear the program's identifying badge, a white pigeon superimposed upon a globe. Throughout Japan, there are 77 Systematized Goodwill Guide groups (SGG) consisting mostly of students, housewives and retirees who engage in a variety of activities using their foreign language skills. Some groups offer a free preset walking tour, for which the visitor only needs to go to a pre-established place at a certain date and time, while others are available to meet tourists on request. There is no charge for the service of the Goodwill Guides, as they are volunteers, only their travel expenses and their admissions to tourist facilities, and for shared meals. Services of professional guides and interpreters may be retained through the Japan Guide Association or the Japan Federation of Licensed Guides. JNTO administers Licensed Guide Interpreter Examination. A total of some 1,550 licensed guide-interpreters are registered with these organizations, each carrying a registration card issued by the governor of the relevant prefecture Wikipedia

Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), is an organization which was set up on October 1, 2008 as an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Japan Tourism Agency seated itself with intentions to stimulate local economies and to further international mutual understanding, following legislation of Basic Act on Promotion of Tourism Nation (in December 2006, to wholly revise Tourism Basic Act), committee resolutions in both Houses of the Diet in the legislation process, and decision at a Cabinet meeting of Basic Plan (in June 2007) which was drawn as provided by the Basic Act. One legal basis of the Agency is Act for Establishment of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Wikipedia

Japan (known as Nihon, Nihon-koku or Nippon in Japanese) is a nation of islands in East Asia. The "Land of the Rising Sun" is a country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also been quick to adopt and create the latest modern fashions and trends. Japan has often been seen in the West as a land combining tradition and modernity, and many traditional structures and practices are preserved, but modern structures and practices definitely dominate your experience in Japan. Japan was the first Asian country to independently modernize, and the country continues to embrace new technologies and aesthetics, but unlike in many countries, Japan does not feel a particular need to attack or remove older technologies, structures, or practices. New things are mostly just layered beside old things. That's not to say that Japan embraces the large scale preservation of historical structures or that people generally practice traditional ceremonies, but people generally believe that if a small number of people want to continue on a tradition or preserve a building that they own, they should be allowed to do that. In this way, development mostly happens in a piecemeal fashion, one building at a time, rather than in large redevelopment projects. Many urban blocks evolve to line up dozens of narrow buildings spanning fifty or more years of design history. Clothing styles evolve along a dozen paths at the same time rather than singular mass fashion trends. An individual that embraces a particular subculture and its fashions may alternately conform to vary different norms when working or at home, but there is little sense of conflict between these roles. Wikitravel

Regions of Japan: Japan is conventionally divided into nine regions, listed here from north to south: Hokkaido Northernmost island and icy frontier. Famous for its wide open spaces and snowy winters. Tohoku (Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima) Largely rural north-east part of the main island Honshu, best known for seafood, skiing and hot springs. Kanto (Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa) Coastal plain of Honshu, includes the cities of Tokyo and Yokohama. Chubu (Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu) Mountainous middle region of Honshu, dominated by the Japan Alps and Japan's fourth-largest city Nagoya. Kansai (Shiga, Mie, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Wakayama, Hyogo) Western region of Honshu, ancient capital of culture and commerce, including the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Nara. Chugoku (Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi) South-westernmost Honshu, a rural region best known for the cities of Hiroshima and Okayama. Shikoku (Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima, Kochi) Smallest of the four main islands, a destination for Buddhist pilgrims, and Japan's best white-water rafting. Largest cities Takamatsu and Matsuyama. Kyushu (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima) Southernmost of the four main islands, birthplace of Japanese civilization; largest cities Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Okinawa Semi-tropical southern island chain reaching out toward Taiwan; formerly the independent Ryukyu Kingdom until it was annexed by Japan in 1879, its traditional customs and architecture are significantly different from the rest of Japan. Wikitravel

Cities of Japan: Japan has thousands of cities; these are some of the most interesting to the traveller. Tokyo — the capital and main financial center - modern, cosmopolitan, and very densely populated. Himeji — city in western Kansai with Japan's finest original surviving castle and beautiful Kokoen Garden Hiroshima — large port city most famous for the A-bombing, yet offers so much more for those who explore it Yokohama — just south of Tokyo, with its own international port and flavor Kamakura — ancient city and power center of Japan in the 13-14th centuries, with many impressive temples and shrines Kanazawa — A clean historic city on the west coast with numerous temples and shrines. Known for its traditional crafts, nature, food, surviving castle and Kenrokuen Garden (one of the 3 major gardens of Japan). Kyoto — ancient capital of Japan, considered the cultural heart of the country, with many ancient Buddhist temples and gardens Kobe — charming international port next to Osaka, famous for its beef and hot springs Nagasaki — ancient port city in Kyushu with a unique Dutch and Chinese influence Nara — first capital of a united Japan, with many Buddhist temples, shrines, gardens, and historical buildings Osaka — large and dynamic city located in the Kansai region Sapporo — largest city in Hokkaido, famous for its snow festival Sendai — largest city in the Tohoku region, known as the city of forests due to its tree lined avenues and wooded hills. Wikitravel

Other destinations See Japan's Top 3 for some sights and places held in the high esteem by the Japanese themselves, and Off the beaten track in Japan for a selection of fascinating but less well known destinations throughout the country. Daisetsuzan — also in Hokkaido, Japan's largest national park Dewa Sanzan — three holy mountains frequented by pilgrims and ascetics on the western Tohoku coast Yaeyama Islands — the farthest-flung bit of Okinawa, with spectacular diving, beaches and jungle cruising Yakushima — UNESCO World Heritage site with enormous ancient cedars and misty primeval forests Japan Alps — series of high snow-topped mountains in the center of Honshu Miyajima — island just off Hiroshima, site of the iconic floating torii Mount Fuji — iconic snow-topped volcano, and highest peak in Japan (3776m) Mount Koya — mountaintop headquarters of the Buddhist Shingon sect and massive ancient Okunoin cemetery Nikko — popular scenic mountain area north of Tokyo, with the Tokugawa mausoleums Noto Peninsula — Has some of Japan's best hot springs, beaches and food. It is infused with many cultural traditions from long ago which are still passed on making the prefecture have the most Living Human Treasures Sado Island — island off Niigata, former home to exiles and prisoners, now a brilliant summer getaway Shiretoko National Park — unspoiled wilderness at Hokkaido's northeasternmost tip. Wikitravel

Castles in Japan When most Westerners think of castles, they naturally think of their own in places like England and France. However, Japan too was a nation of castle-builders. In its feudal days, you could find multiple castles in nearly every prefecture. Original Castles Because of bombings in WWII, fires, edicts to tear down castles, etc. only twelve of Japan's castles are considered to be originals, which have donjons that date back to the days when they were still used. Four of them are located on the island of Shikoku, two just north in the Chugoku region, two in Kansai, three in the Chubu region, and one in the northern Tohoku region. There are no original castles in Kyushu, Kanto, Hokkaido, or Okinawa. The original castles are: Uwajima Castle Matsuyama Castle Kochi Castle Marugame Castle Matsue Castle Bitchu Matsuyama Castle Himeji Castle Hikone Castle Inuyama Castle Maruoka Castle Matsumoto Castle Hirosaki Castle (Nijo Castle is an original however, it was actually an Imperial residence rather than a castle, so it is not included on the list of originals) Reconstructions and Ruins Japan has many reconstructed castles, many of which receive more visitors than the originals. A reconstructed castle means that the donjon was rebuilt in modern times, but many of these still have other original structures within the castle grounds. For example, three of Nagoya Castle's turrets are authentic. Reconstructions still offer a glimpse into the past and many, like Osaka Castle are also museums housing important artifacts. Kumamoto Castle is considered to be among the best reconstructions, because most of the structures have been reconstructed instead of just the donjon. The only reconstructed castle in Hokkaido is Matsumae Castle. Okinawa's Shuri Castle is unique among Japan's castles, because it is not a "Japanese" castle; it is from the Ryukyuan Kingdom and was built with the Chinese architectural style, along with some original Okinawan elements. Ruins typically feature only the castle walls or parts of the original layout are visible. Although they lack the structures of reconstructed castles, ruins often feel more authentic without the concrete reconstructions that sometimes feel too commercial and touristy. Many ruins maintain historical significance, such as Tsuyama Castle, which was so large and impressive, it was considered to be the best in the nation. Today, the castle walls are all that remain but the area is filled with thousands of cherry blossoms. This is common among many ruins, as well as reconstructions. Takeda Castle is famed for the gorgeous view of the surrounding area from the ruins. Gardens of Japan Japan is famous for its gardens, known for its unique aesthestics both in landscape gardens and Zen rock/sand gardens. The nation has designated an official "Top Three Gardens", based on their beauty, size, authenticity (gardens that have not been drastically altered), and historical significance. Those gardens are Kairakuen in Mito, Kenrokuen in Kanazawa, and Korakuen in Okayama. Other worthwhile historical traditional gardens are Sankei-en in Yokohama, Shukkei-en in Hiroshima, Sengan-en in Kagoshima, and the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. The largest garden is actually Ritsurin Park in Takamatsu. And in spite of its reputation as a concrete jungle, Tokyo actually has a number of gardens to see. A few of the best are Koishikawa Korakuen, Rikugien, Kiyosumi, Kyu-Shiba Rikyu, Denboin, Shinjuku Gyoen, and Hama Rikyu. Rock and sand gardens can typically be found in temples, specifically those of Zen Buddhism. The most famous of these is Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, but such temples can be found throughout Japan. Moss gardens are also popular in Japan and Saihoji (Koke-dera), also in Kyoto, has one of the nation's best. Reservations are required to visit so they can prevent overcrowding. Spiritual Sites Regardless of your travel interests, it's difficult to visit Japan without at least seeing a few shrines and temples. Buddhist and Shinto sites are the most common, although there are some noteworthy spiritual sites of other religions, as well. Buddhist Buddhism has had a profound impact on Japan ever since it was introduced in the 6th century. Like shrines, temples can be found in every city, and many different sects exist. Some of the holiest sites are made up of large complexes on mountaintops and include Mount Koya (Japan's most prestigious place to be buried and head temple of Shingon Buddhism), Mount Hiei (set here when Kyoto became the capital to remove Buddhism from politics, the head of the Tendai sect of Buddhism), and Mount Osore (considered to be the "Gateway to Hell", it features many monuments and graves in a volcanic wasteland). Many of the nations head temples are located in Kyoto, like the Honganji Temples and Chion-in Temple. Kyoto also has five of the top Zen temples named in the "Five Mountain System" (Tenryuji, Shokokuji, Kenninji, Tofukuji, and Manjuji), along with Nanzenji Temple, which sits above all the temples outside of the mountain system. Although there are "five" temples, Kyoto and Kamakura both have their own five. The Kamakura temple's are Kenchoji, Engakuji, Jufukuji, Jochiji, and Jomyoji Temples. Eiheiji Temple is also a prominent Zen temple, although it was never part of the mountain system. Nara's Todaiji Temple and Kamakura's Kotokuin Temple are famous for their large Buddhist statues. Todaiji's is the largest in the nation, while the Kamakura Daibutsu is the second largest, meditating outside in the open air. Horyuji Temple in Horyuji, just south of Nara, is the world's oldest wooden structure. The beautiful Phoenix Hall in Uji is seen by most visitors to Japan on the back of the ten yen coin, if not in real-life. Shinto Shintoism is the "native" religion of Japan, so those looking to experience things that are "wholly Japanese" should particularly enjoy them as they truly embody the Japanese aesthetic. The holiest Shinto Shrine is the Grand Ise Shrine, while the second holiest is Izumo Shrine, where the gods gather annually for a meeting. Other famous holy shrines include Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Toshogu Shrine in Nikko, the Kumano Sanzan, and the Dewa Sanzan. Kyoto also has many important historic shrines, such as Shimogamo Shrine, Kamigamo Shrine, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Christian Japan's introduction to Christianity came in 1549 by way of the Portuguese and Saint Francis Xavier. He established the first Christian church in Yamaguchi at Daidoji Temple, whose ruins are now part of Xavier Memorial Park and the Xavier Memorial Church was built in his honor. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi came into power, Christianity was banned and Christians were persecuted. Nagasaki is the most famous persecution site where 26 Japanese Christians were crucified. They are saints today and you can visit the memorial for these martyrs in the city. The Shimabara Rebellion is the most famous Christian uprising in Japan, and it was this rebellion that led to the ousting of the Portuguese and Catholic practices from Japan (although Christianity had already been banned by this time), along with approximately 37,000 beheadings of Christians and peasants. In Shimabara, you can visit the ruins of Hara Castle, where the Christians gathered and were attacked, see old Portuguese tombstones, and the samurai houses, some of which were occupied by Christian samurai. Oyano's Amakusa Shiro Memorial Hall contains videos of the Shimabara Rebellion and great displays related to Christian persecution. Less famous sites may be off the beaten path, like the Martyrdom Museum and Memorial Park for martyrs in Fujisawa. When the nation reopened, some Christians assumed that meant that they were able to practice Christianity freely and openly, so they came out after 200 years of practicing secretly. Unfortunately, it was still not legal and these Christians were brought together in various parts of the country and tortured. You can see one of these sites at Maria Cathedral in Tsuwano, built in the Otome Pass in the area where Christians were put into tiny cages and tortured. Along with the Martyrdom Site, Nagasaki is also home to Oura Church, the oldest church left in the nation, built in 1864. Because of Nagasaki's status for many years as one of the nation's ports for the Portguese and Dutch, the city is rich in Japanese Christian history, so many museums here have artifacts and information about the Christian community. Other Japan has a few well-known Confucian Temples. As Japan's gateway to the world for many centuries, Nagasaki's Koshibyo Confucian Temple is the only Confucian temple in the world to be built by Chinese outside of China. Yushima Seido in Tokyo was a Confucian school and one of the nation's first-ever institutes of higher education. The first integrated school in the nation, the Shizutani School in Bizen also taught based on Confucian teachings and principles. The schoolhouse itself was even modeled after Chinese architectural styles. The first public school in Okinawa was a Confucian school given to the Ryukyuan Kingdom along with the Shiseibyo Confucian Temple. The Okinawan religion also has its own spiritual sites. Seta Utaki, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most famous. Many Okinawan spiritual ceremonies were held here. Asumui in Kongo Sekirinzan Park is a large rock formation believed to be the oldest land in the area. As a religious site, shaman used to come here to speak with the gods. World War II Sites The three must-visit places for World War II buffs are Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the capital of Okinawa, Naha. Okinawa is where some of the most brutal battles occurred between Japan and the United States, and the area is crawling with remnants from its dark past. The Peace Park, Prefectural Peace Museum, Himeyuri Peace Museum, and the Peace Memorial Hall are some of the best places to learn more, see artifacts, and hear accounts of the battles that took place here. While Hiroshima and Nagasaki are important World War II sites, because the bombings of these cities led to the end of the Pacific War, the sites and museums found in these cities also speak to many as visions of a grim future, should nations continue supporting nuclear weapons programs and nuclear proliferation. These two cities are the only cities in the world that have ever been hit by nuclear bombs, and each city has its own Peace Park and Memorial Museum where visitors can get a feel for just how destructive and horrific atomic warfare truly is. For many travellers in Japan, visiting at least one of these cities is a must. Some other possibilities are in Tachiarai, Fukuoka at the Chikuzenmachi Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum which was a former airfield for training kamikaze, plus in Minamikyushu, Kagoshima the Chiran Peace Museum where most kamikaze took off on their one way missions, and in Kure, Hiroshima the Yamato Museum. Note however that at the kamikaze museums photography is mostly prohibited. Many people are curious about the possibility of visiting Iwo Jima. Currently, the Military Historic Tours Company [34] has exclusive rights to conduct tours of the island. Kanoya, Kagoshima is home to the Kanoya Air Base Museum（鹿屋航空基地史料館） which holds documents of kamikazes and other Japanese war history. The most kamikazes in the whole Pacific War took off from Kanoya and Kushira Naval Air Base. There are various other war remains throughout the city such as underground bunkers, pillboxes at Takasu Beach, and sites of former kamikaze lodgings in Nozato. Pilgrimage routes 88 Temple Pilgrimage — an arduous 1,647 km trail around the island of Shikoku Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage Narrow Road to the Deep North — a route around northern Japan immortalized by Japan's most famous haiku poet, Matsuo Bashō. Wikitravel

Japan, known as Nihon or Nippon (日本) in Japanese, is an island nation in East Asia. Its insular character has allowed it to develop a unique and very intricate culture, while its closeness to other ancient east Asian cultures, in particular China, has left lasting influence. Despite belonging to a nation long at war, both internal and foreign, Japan's people have always placed emphasis on inner balance, tranquility and natural beauty. These traditional values have become increasingly important now that Japan has grown to be one of the world's most densely-populated countries, and its legendary work ethic makes life in its cities quite hectic. Japan's sophisticated cuisine has spread to all corners of the world, but it is only in the country of its birth where you can appreciate its true form. Even more fascinating is the country's popular culture, which has developed a fandom all over the world, in particular manga comics and anime cartoons — with the Japanese taking their affinity for their favorite characters and themes to the extreme. In the 20th century, Japan enjoyed impressive economic growth, putting it among the world's most affluent nations today. This was mostly driven by rapid modernization and specialization in high technology. Japan is now full of contrasts between the living tradition and much cherished heritage, and its ultra-modern infrastructure, buildings and facilities. While the Japanese are known to be reserved and their language skills are not their strongest asset, they will go out of their way to make you feel a welcome visitor. Japanese retail businesses are also known for their legendary customer service, and visitors from overseas are often surprised at the lengths service staff would go to satisfy the demands of customers. Wikivoyage

Japan has thousands of cities; these are nine of the most important to the traveller. 1 Tokyo — the capital and main financial center, modern and densely populated 2 Hiroshima — large port city, the first city to be destroyed by an atomic bomb 3 Kanazawa — historic city on the west coast 4 Kyoto — ancient capital of Japan, considered the cultural heart of the country, with many ancient Buddhist temples and gardens 5 Nagasaki — ancient port city with a unique blend of Chinese, Japanese, and European influences 6 Nara — first capital of a united Japan, with many Buddhist shrines and historical buildings 7 Osaka — large and dynamic city located in the Kansai region 8 Sapporo — largest city in Hokkaido, famous for its snow festival 9 Sendai — largest city in the Tohoku region, known as the city of forests due to its tree-lined avenues and wooded hills. Wikivoyage

Also known as the "Land of the Rising Sun", Japan is a country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions and trends. Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese corporations still dominate their industries yet, if you read the financial news, it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt. Cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored by your travels in Japan. Although Japan has often been seen in the West as a land combining tradition and modernity, and juxtapositions definitely exist, part of this idea is obsolete, and is a product of Japan being the first major Asian power to modernize as well as Western patronization and heavy promotion by the travel industry. Keep in mind that continued demolition of some of Japan's historic landmarks goes on apace, as with the famed Kabuki-za Theater demolition. Still, with the proper planning, and with expectations held in check, a trip to Japan can be incredibly enjoyable and definitely worthwhile. Wikivoyage

Outdoors It shouldn't be surprising that in a country where more than 70% of the terrain is forests and mountains, outdoor activities abound. Hiking is very traditional and popular in Japan. You can find many small trails across the country, as well as plenty of rugged terrain in Japan's many national parks. Hikes can also be part of a spiritual experience, such as climbing the 2446 stone steps of the holy Haguro mountain through an amazing primeval forest. Ascending one of Japan's many mountains is within the capabilities of any traveller. You can reach the summit of some mountains almost entirely by car, or with only a short easy walk. Mount Aso is one of the world's largest volcanic calderas, and a paved road brings cars and pedestrians right up to the summit. Or, you can take the ropeway, which was promoted as the world's first ropeway over an active volcano. Around 300,000 people every year climb Mount Fuji, a mountain so famous as an icon of Japan that it hardly needs introduction. On the most popular route, you will need to use your hands for support, but no actual climbing is required; you can easily climb Fuji with just adequate clothing, some basic gear (sunscreen, headlamp, etc.), and 1–2 days in your itinerary. It's no walk in the park, but it's easily doable if you're not too out of shape. With its snowy mountainous terrain, Japan is an excellent destination for skiing and snowboarding, although it tends to be mostly domestic visitors. Japan's climate means that many ski resorts get excellent powder, and a lot of it: on average, resorts in the Japanese Alps get 10 m (33 ft) and Hokkaido slopes get a whopping 14 m (46 ft) or more! Skiing in Japan can be inexpensive compared to other countries, with cheaper lift tickets, budget accommodations, and cheap meals. Rental gear is reasonably priced, but as Japanese on average have smaller feet, you should consider bringing your own boots. The easiest way to get to many slopes is to take public transit (rail and buses), and ship your ski/snowboard gear to the slopes (see § Courier services). Golf is popular with the Japanese. Land is simply too valuable near cities, so golf courses have to pay a lot for land, and are typically 1–2 hours' drive outside the city. (Shuttles from the nearest train station are often available with a reservation.) Midweek prices can be found from ¥6,000 and up. Expect it to take the whole day, with travel time, a round of golf, and relaxing in a hot bath afterwards. Since most players are local businessmen, singles are not allowed on most courses (so make sure you have at least two players), and rental equipment will have a limited selection (better to bring your own clubs and shoes, which you can ship to the range cheaply; see § Courier services). Despite being an island nation, Japan is not really known for its beaches. Many beaches simply don't exist as Japanese cities (many of which are coastal) expand right up to the coast line. Where there are beaches, they tend to only be visited in summer; as soon as 1 September comes, lifeguards stop patrolling the beaches, and Japanese beachgoers disappear as a result. Surfing is somewhat popular, as the surf can be very good on both coasts (during typhoon season [Aug-Oct] on the Pacific coast, and during winter on the Sea of Japan coast). There are also some excellent spots for snorkeling and diving. Aside from marine life, corals, and World War II wrecks, you can also visit Susami, outside Kushimoto, and send your friends a postcard from the world's deepest underwater mailbox, 10 meters underwater. While boating and river sports are not very common, a few fun activities can be found, such as going river rafting in some of the last wild rivers in Japan in the Iya Valley. Spectator sports Amateur baseball match Baseball (野球 yakyū) has been hugely popular ever since it was introduced to Japan in the 1870s by an American professor. Baseball fans travelling internationally may find Japan to be one of the great examples of baseball popularity outside of the United States. Baseball is not only played in many high schools and by professionals, but also referenced in much Japanese pop culture as well. In addition, many Japanese players have gone on to become top players in Major League Baseball. The official Japanese baseball league is known as Nippon Professional Baseball, or simply known as Puro Yakyū (プロ野球), meaning Professional Baseball, and it is regarded by many to be the strongest professional baseball league outside of the United States. The Japanese national baseball team is also considered to be one of the strongest in the world, having won the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, as well as the second edition in 2009. Tickets to baseball games are generally easy to get, even on the day of a game, although popular games should of course be reserved in advance. Tickets start around ¥2,000. If you are interested, be sure to leave 4–5 hours free. You can generally bring in outside food and drink, which is a good way to save some money instead of paying prices inside the stadium (¥800 for a pint of beer); you'll just need to have your bag inspected and pour your drinks into disposable cups. Especially in Osaka, it's also popular to visit local restaurants or bars where the entire store will be taken over by fans loudly singing, chanting, and cheering non-stop through the entire game. The rules in Japanese baseball are not much different from baseball in United States, although there are some minor variations. The biggest rivalry is between Tokyo's Yomiuri Giants (a national favorite and top performer, although equally disliked by many) and Osaka's Hanshin Tigers (a perennial underdog, widely known for having the most boisterous and dedicated fans, along with many cheers, songs, and traditions). Japan has two national high school tournaments each year that draw possibly more attention than the professional game. Both are held at Kōshien Stadium, a stadium in Nishinomiya City near Kobe that seats over 50,000 and also hosts NPB's Hanshin Tigers. The National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, commonly known as Spring Kōshien (春の甲子園 haru no kōshien, or センバツ senbatsu) – Held in March, featuring 32 teams invited from throughout the country. The National High School Baseball Championship, commonly known as Summer Kōshien (夏の甲子園 natsu no kōshien) – A two-week event in August, it is the final phase of a nationwide tournament structure. A total of 49 teams participate in the final phase—one from each of Japan's prefectures, with second teams from Hokkaido and Tokyo. Soccer (サッカー sakkā) is also popular in Japan. The top men's league is the Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ nippon puro sakkā rīgu), known as the J.League (Jリーグ J rīgu), of which the top division is the J1 League. The country launched a fully professional women's league in 2021–22, the Japan Women's Professional Football League (日本女子サッカーリーグ, Nihon joshi sakkā rīgu), which is branded as the WE League (WEリーグ, WE rīgu), with "WE" standing for the English words "Women Empowerment". Japan is one of the most successful Asian soccer nations, and has been at or near the top of the Asian Football Confederation rankings for decades, and some Japanese players have had successful careers in the top European leagues. Sumo wrestling in Japan is steeped in tradition. Sumo wrestling (相撲 sumō) is a popular Japanese sport. The rules are simple enough: be the first to get your opponent to step outside the ring or touch the ground with anything but the bottom of his feet. Almost anything goes except for a handful of forbidden moves, but most matches are won by pushing or grappling, which explains why girth is usually an advantage in a sport with no weight classes. Sumo has retained many traditions from its Shinto origins, and a single bout usually consists of many minutes of rituals and mental preparation, followed by just 10–30 seconds of wrestling. Sumo wrestlers, known as rikishi (力士), live a regimented life in training stables (部屋 heya, lit. "rooms", or 相撲部屋 sumō-beya), devoting themselves to nothing more than bulking up and competing. A few foreign wrestlers have been quite successful in the top ranks, although controversial rules have put a limit on how many foreign wrestlers each stable may train. Sumo is organized by the Japan Sumo Association (日本相撲協会 Nihon Sumō Kyōkai). The biggest events are the six honbasho (本場所, "main tournaments") throughout the year, which are the only events that affect wrestlers' rankings. Each tournament is 15 days long; they're in Tokyo in January, May, and September, Osaka in March, Nagoya in July, and Fukuoka in November. With some planning, you could also arrange to visit a stable during training (稽古 keiko), although you'll need to speak Japanese or bring a Japanese guide, and strictly observe Japanese etiquette and rules from the stable. (For example, you'll be expected to sit silently for the entire duration of practice, which is usually several hours.) Training starts in the early morning, anytime from 05:00 to 08:00. Professional wrestling (プロレス puroresu) also enjoys major popularity. While it is similar to professional wrestling elsewhere in the world in that the outcomes are predetermined, its psychology and presentation are uniquely Japanese. Puroresu matches are treated as legitimate fights, with stories strongly emphasizing the wrestlers' fighting spirit and perseverance. Also, because many Japanese wrestlers have legitimate martial arts backgrounds, full-contact striking and realistic submission holds are commonplace. The country has many promotions (companies that organize shows), with the largest being New Japan Pro-Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Unlike pro wrestling in most of the world, Japanese women's puroresu, known locally as joshi puroresu (女子プロレス), is run by separate promotions from men's puroresu. Joshi promotions do regularly cooperate with men's promotions, and frequently share cards. The most prominent joshi promotion, World Wonder Ring Stardom, shares ownership with New Japan. The biggest single event in puroresu is New Japan's three-night show promoted as Wrestle Kingdom, roughly analogous to WrestleMania in the U.S. The first two nights are at the Tokyo Dome on January 4 and 5 each year; the third, added in 2022, is held on January 8 in Yokohama. Horse racing (競馬 keiba) is a big business in Japan, and one of the few forms of legal gambling. The Japan Cup, held annually at Fuchu's Tokyo Racecourse, is one of the premier events on the international horse racing calendar, and regularly attracts the world's top jockeys and horses. The Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, the Kyoto Racecourse in Fushimi, and the Nakayama Racecourse in Funabashi round off Japan's "big four" racecourses, and also host numerous internationally important races. Among these races, Arima Kinen, held at Nakayama near the end of December, is notable as drawing more betting interest than any other race in the world by a very wide margin. The Japan Racing Association (JRA) organizes races at the 10 major racecourses in Japan, while those at the minor local racecourses are run by the National Association of Racing (NAR). Bets for all JRA races can be placed at any of the JRA-run racecourses, and at off-track betting facilities run by the JRA known as WINS. Games and entertainment Karaoke (カラオケ) was invented in Japan and can be found in virtually every Japanese city. Pronounced kah-rah-oh-keh, it is abbreviated from the words "empty orchestra" in Japanese; many natives won't have any idea what you're talking about if you use the English carry-oh-kee. Most karaoke places occupy several floors of a building. You and your friends have a room to yourself — no strangers involved — and the standard hourly rate often includes all-you-can-drink alcohol, with refills ordered through a phone on the wall or through the karaoke machine. The major chains all have excellent English-language song selections. Old folks prefer singing enka ballads at small neighborhood bars. You operate the karaoke machine yourself. It lets you queue up songs to be played in order. (At 4 minutes per song, 15 songs would keep you singing for an hour.) These days, many machines use a tablet or touchscreen which you can use to search for songs by a variety of criteria; if you can get one of these set to English, great. You can also look up songs in the phonebook-sized catalogs, which is what you'll have to do if you can't get an a tablet in English, or at older places that just have a large remote control. Once you find the song's 4- to 6-digit number, aim the remote at the karaoke machine like a TV remote, type in the number (it will appear on the screen, so you can check that it was entered correctly; if not press 戻る to go back), and press 転送 or "send" to confirm and add it to the queue. Also ubiquitous are pachinko parlors. Pachinko (パチンコ) is a form of gambling that involves dropping little steel balls into a machine; more balls are awarded depending on where they land. The air inside most pachinko parlors is hot and sweaty, with ear-splitting noise. (Legally you can only trade the balls for prizes, but gamblers always opt for "special prize" (特殊景品 tokushu keihin) tokens which they sell back for cash at a separate booth elsewhere in the building or in a nearby alley. Because the booth is off-site, it's a separate business and therefore not illegal.) Even in a declining market, nearly 10% of all Japanese — mostly middle-age businessmen — play at least once a week, and pachinko generates more gambling revenue than Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore combined. Video arcades (ゲームセンター gēmu sentā, or ビデオ・アーケード bideo ākēdo; don't confuse with a regular ākēdo which means "shopping arcade/street"), though sometimes difficult to distinguish from pachinko parlors from the outside, have arcade games rather than gambling, and are often several floors high. Video games are the norm here, although you may be surprised at the sheer variety of games. Aside from the usual action and fighting games, there are also rhythm games such as Dance Dance Revolution or the much easier for beginners Taiko Drum Master (太鼓の達人 Taiko no Tatsujin), difficult-to-define oddities such as Derby Owners Club (which can only be described as a "multiplayer online card-collecting role-playing horse racing simulator"), and bizarre inventions like Chō Chabudai-Gaeshi! (超・ちゃぶ台返し! "Super Table-Flip!") where you literally bang on a table and flip it over angrily to relieve stress while racking up points. Game centers usually also have non-video games, which almost always include claw crane games (クレーンゲーム kurēn gēmu) where you can win anything from stuffed animals and trinkets to expensive smartphones and jewelry, and sophisticated photo sticker booths (プリクラ puri-kura, shortened from the brand name Print Club). Go being played, Osaka Japan's national game is Go (囲碁 igo, or just 碁 go), a strategy board game that originated in China. Players place their stones to surround the most territory on the board; stones can't be moved, but can be captured if they're surrounded in all four directions. While the rules are simple, the strategy and tactics are very complex. Despite its Chinese origins, due to the fact that it was initially introduced to and promoted in the West by the Japanese, it is by their Japanese and not Chinese names that the game itself and its in-game terminology are generally known outside East Asia. By no means everyone plays, but Go has newspaper columns, TV, and professional players. Go is also played in the West, and there is a large and active English language wiki discussing it. On a sunny day, the Tennoji ward of Osaka is a good place to join a crowd watching two Go masters go at it. Besides Go, another popular board game in Japan is shogi (将棋 shōgi) or Japanese chess. The general mechanics are similar to Western chess, with a few extra pieces that move in unique ways, but the most important difference is that after capturing a piece, you can later "drop" it back into play as one of your own pieces. The use of drops makes shogi a much more complex and dynamic game than Western chess. Mahjong (麻雀 mājan) is also relatively popular in Japan, and frequently features in Japanese video and arcade games, although it's associated with illegal gambling, and mahjong parlors can be quite seedy. Mahjong uses tiles with a variety of Chinese symbols and characters. Players draw and discard tiles trying to complete a hand with particular sets of tiles (typically, four sets of either three identical tiles or three in a straight flush, plus one identical pair). While gameplay is similar, scoring is drastically different from the various Chinese versions. Music See also: Arts in Japan#Music The Japanese love music (音楽 ongaku) in all styles. Taiko performance Traditional Japanese music (邦楽 hōgaku) uses a variety of instruments, many of which originated in China, but developed into unique forms after being introduced to Japan. The most common instruments are the shamisen (三味線, a 3-string picked or plucked instrument), the shakuhachi (尺八, a bamboo flute), and the koto (箏, a 13-string picked zither). Taiko (太鼓) are drums that are unique to Japan, and range in size from small handheld drums to enormous 1.8-metre (5.9 ft) stationary drums. Taiko also refers to the performances, which are very common at festivals. Outside of traditional Japanese music, these instruments are not frequently used. Western classical music (クラシック[音楽] kurashikku [ongaku]) is moderately popular in Japan with people of all ages. There are 1,600 professional and amateur orchestras (オーケストラ ōkesutora) in Japan; Tokyo is home to nearly half of them, including eight full-time professional orchestras. There are also well over 10,000 choirs (合唱 gasshō, コーラス kōrasu or クワイア kuwaia); the Japan Choral Association has more information. With the arrival of Western pop music in the 20th century, Japan created its own forms of pop music. These have largely died out except for enka (演歌), sentimental ballads in Western pop styles composed to resemble traditional Japanese music, typically sung in an exaggerated emotional style. Jazz (ジャズ jazu) has been very popular in Japan since the 1930s. Jazz coffee shops are a common way to listen to jazz. J-pop and J-rock flood the airwaves. Punk, heavy metal, hip hop, electronic, and many other genres also find niches in Japan where they get their own Japanese interpretation. J-pop is often associated with idols (アイドル aidoru), young music stars manufactured by talent agencies. Although many are one-hit wonders, quite a few idol groups turn into long-lasting acts: SMAP and Morning Musume have been popular for decades, while AKB48 has rocketed to the top to become the best-selling female group in Japan. Concerts (ライブ raibu, "live") are easy to find. Depending on the event, you may be able to buy tickets at convenience stores (using a numeric code to identify the right concert), online, at record stores, or in various pre-sale lotteries. (Some sellers may require you to have a Japanese credit card with a Japanese billing address, so you may need to try multiple methods to find one you can use.) You can buy day-of tickets at the venue, assuming the concert isn't sold out, but large venues may not even sell tickets at the door. Rather than doing general admission, tickets may be numbered to divide the audience into smaller groups which are admitted in order. Music festivals (ロック・フェスティバル rokku fesutibaru, shortened to ロックフェス rokku fesu or just フェス fesu) are also popular, drawing tens of thousands of people. Fuji Rock Festival is Japan's largest festival, and covers many genres. Rock In Japan Festival is the biggest festival where only Japanese artists are allowed to perform. Performing arts Bunraku doll in the National theatre, Osaka See also: Arts in Japan#Performing arts The most well-known types of traditional Japanese performing arts originated in medieval or pre-modern Japan, and feature melodramatic period stories of historical events, romance, or moral conflicts. While the old Japanese language they use can be off-putting, an important part of these art forms is the intricate visual aspects of their traditional costumes and emotional expressiveness. You may be more interested in the less well-known taishū engeki ("pop theater") or modern comedy, such as rakugo solo storytellers, extremely popular manzai stand-up duos, or Western-style comedy. Bunraku (文楽) is a type of puppet theater. An actor and two stagehands precisely control each puppet, while a narrator performs the exposition and all dialogue with improvised shamisen accompaniment. Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a popular type of dance-drama. It's known for the elaborate costumes and makeup that performers wear. Kabuki tells its stories through the expressions and dances. Actors fly above the audience on wires and make dramatic entrances and exits via aisles down the middle of the audience, complex revolving stages, and trap doors. Noh (能 nō or 能楽 nōgaku) is an older type of musical drama. Minimalist and probably boring for the average visitor, noh uses wooden masks and stark movements on identical bare sets, and tells its emotional stories through the lyrics, which are in an old form of Japanese (difficult for even native speakers to understand). It's sometimes described as "Japanese opera", although it's closer to chanted poetry rather than actual singing. Traditionally used as comic intermission between acts in a noh play, kyōgen (狂言) consists of short (10 minute) plays, often using stock characters such as servants and their master, or a farmer and his son. Much less well-known is taishū engeki (大衆演劇), a vague term meaning "theater for the masses" or "popular theater". Superficially, it's similar to kabuki, with elaborate Edo-period costumes, but the melodrama is turned all the way up. Every performance is a new tale, as these plays are not scripted, but invented from scratch during the morning's rehearsal; the simple stories are easy to understand even without a translation, with the good guys obviously triumphing over the bad guys. Following the play, the second half showcases actors mostly solo performing traditional dances with modern flashing stage lights and fog machines. You may find these accessible shows to have cultural similarities to variety shows, revues, or even drag shows. Shows are much cheaper than kabuki or noh, around ¥2,000. Comedy in Japan is markedly different from the Western style. Japanese are very sensitive about making jokes at the expense of others, so Western-style stand-up comedy isn't very common. Most Japanese comedy relies on absurdity, non sequiturs, and breaking the strict social expectations. Most Japanese also love puns and wordplay (駄洒落 dajare), although these can cross the line into groan-inducing oyaji gyagu (親父ギャグ "old man jokes"). Don't bother attempting irony or sarcasm; Japanese rarely use these, and they're likely to take your statement at face value instead. The most common and well-known type of stand-up comedy in Japan is manzai (漫才). This typically involves two performers misinterpreting each other and making puns at a breakneck pace. Another traditional type of Japanese comedy is rakugo (落語), comedic storytelling. A lone performer sits on stage, using tricks to convey actions like standing up or walking, and tells a long and usually complicated funny story which always involves dialog between two or more characters. A few troupes do Western style stand-up and improv comedy in English, which attracts a diverse international audience and even a lot of English-speaking Japanese. Japanese cultural arts See also: Arts in Japan#Japanese cultural arts Preparing tea Japan is famous for geisha, although they're often misunderstood by the West. Literally translated, the word 芸者 (geisha) means "artist" or "artisan". Geisha are entertainers, whether you're looking for song and dance, party games, or just some nice company and conversation. Geisha train from a young age to be exquisite, high-class entertainers. They're often employed today by businesses for parties and banquets. Although traditionally expensive and exclusive, you may be able to see geisha perform for as little as ¥3,000, or for free at a festival. In the largest Japanese cities, it's easy to spot a geisha if you look in the right part of town. In hostess clubs, a female hostess will provide conversation, pour drinks, entertain, and to some degree flirt with her male clients. (At a host club, roles are reversed with male hosts serving female clients, typically with a bit more overt flirting.) Hostesses work in bars and sing karaoke to entertain, compared to geisha coming to tea houses and restaurants to perform traditional Japanese arts. The hostesses are professional flirts, not prostitutes, and many hostess clubs have a prohibition on physical intimacy or sexual conversation topics. Maid cafés and other cosplay restaurants have employees dressed as French maids pamper their clients while serving them beverages and food. Tea ceremony (茶道 sadō or chadō) is not unique to Japan, or even to Asia, but the Japanese version stands out for its deep connection to Japanese aesthetics. The focus of a Japanese tea ceremony is not so much the tea as making guests feel welcome and appreciating the season. Due to the influence of Zen Buddhism, Japanese tea ceremony emphasizes a uniquely Japanese aesthetic called wabi-sabi (侘寂). A very rough translation might be that wabi is "rustic simplicity" and sabi is "beauty that comes with age and wear". There are tea houses across Japan where you can be a guest at a tea ceremony. The most common type of "informal" ceremony usually takes 30 minutes to an hour; a "formal" ceremony can take up to 4 hours. Festivals Kanto Festival in Akita Japan has an estimated 200,000 festivals (祭 matsuri) throughout the year. Festivals are held for a variety of reasons, the most common being to give thanks (e.g. for a successful rice harvest) and bring good fortune. Although most festivals are small events sponsored by local shrines or temples, there are hundreds that are large city-wide affairs, any of which would be a nice addition to your itinerary if they overlap your schedule. The main event at many large festivals is a parade of floats, which are usually lifted and carried by hand by several dozen men. Often a shrine's kami (spirit/deity) will be ritually put in a portable shrine (mikoshi) and carried around the neighborhood as part of the parade. At some festivals, anyone can take a turn helping to carry a float for a few minutes. Fireworks (花火 hanabi) are also a common event at festivals, particularly in the summer; in Japan, this is the most common use of fireworks. The rest of the time is spent enjoying the booths and entertainment. Food stalls have traditional festival foods like takoyaki, shaved ice (かき氷 kakigōri), and skewered hot dogs. A traditional game at festivals is goldfish scooping (kingyo sukui): if you can catch a goldfish using the flimsy paper scoop, you get to keep it. Other common games include ring toss and cork guns. Festivals are a time for the neighborhood and community to come out and celebrate together, whether it's a family, young couples making a date of it, or just a group of friends. Nearly everyone will put on a colorful yukata robe, while many of the people working at the festival wear happi coats. (Street clothes are perfectly fine, too.) The JNTO website has a list of several dozen festivals throughout the year in English. Some of the most well-known festivals are: Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり Sapporo Yuki-matsuri) in Sapporo (February, 7 days starting the second week) — elaborate snow and ice sculptures Hakata Dontaku in Fukuoka (May 3–4) — Japan's largest festival, drawing over 2 million people during the Golden Week holidays Kanda in Tokyo (May, Sa-Su closest to May 15 in odd-numbered years) Hakata Gion Yamakasa in Fukuoka (July 1–15) — famous for racing one-ton floats Gion in Kyoto (July, the whole month but particularly 14-17 and 21-24) Nebuta in Aomori (August 2–7) Awa-Odori in Tokushima (August 12–15) — folk dance festival There are also several nationwide festivals: New Year's (正月 Shōgatsu) (December 31 - January 3) Hina matsuri (March 3) — during the "Doll festival", families pray for their girls, and arrange displays of dolls of the emperor and his court Tanabata (around July 7; in Sendai, August 5–8; some places based on lunar calendar) — sometimes called the "Star Festival", celebrates the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (the stars Vega and Altair) who could only meet on this day each year Obon or Bon (three days usually around August 15, but date varies by region) — when spirits of the deceased return to this world; families have reunions, and visit and clean ancestors' graves Shichi-Go-San ("Seven-Five-Three") (November 15) — for girls age 3 and 7 and boys age 3 and 5 Some local festivals are more eccentric. Hari Kuyō ("needle memorial") festivals are held throughout Japan to express thanks to old or broken needles and pins. Hadaka ("naked") festivals are actually common throughout Japan, but the most well-known one is the Eyō Hadaka matsuri at Saidai-ji in Okayama. Thousands of men wearing just loincloths scramble to catch lucky sacred items thrown into the crowd, which will bring them a year of happiness. Naki Sumō ("crying sumo") festivals throughout Japan have competitions where two sumo wrestlers holding babies see which baby will cry first as priests provoke them by making faces and putting on masks. And the Kanamara matsuri in Kawasaki is famous for celebrating the male genitalia. Hot springs and public baths See also: Public baths in Japan As a nation made of volcanic islands, it's not surprising that in Japan hot springs (温泉 onsen) are commonplace. Japanese have pondered for centuries what the best hot springs in the country are, and they've come up with quite a few. Bathing is a big deal in Japan, and be it a scenic onsen hot spring, a neighborhood sentō bath or just an ordinary household tub, bathing Japanese style is a pleasure. Whereas a Western "bath" is used for washing in, "baths" in Japan are for soaking and relaxing, more like a hot tub. Washing is done first outside the tub. Rotenburo outdoor bath in the Oku-Hida Onsen Villages Onsen are the pinnacle of the Japanese bathing experience. Clusters of hot spring inns pop up wherever there's a suitable source of hot water. The most memorable onsen experience is often the rotenburo (露天風呂): outdoor baths with views of the surrounding natural scenery. While most onsen are run commercially and charge fees for entry (¥500-1000 is typical), especially in remote areas there are free publicly maintained baths that offer minimal facilities, but, more often than not, stunning views to make up for it. To find those off the beaten track inns, check out the Japan Association of Secluded Hot Spring Inns (日本秘湯を守る会 Nihon hitō o mamoru kai), which has 185 independent lodges throughout the country. Sentō (銭湯) are public bath houses found in any large city. Intended for people without their own home tub, they are typically quite utilitarian and are slowly dying out. Some, however, have gone upmarket and turned into "spas" (スパ supa), which are public baths for stressed-out salarymen, often with a capsule hotel (see § Sleep) bolted on the side. As you might expect, these come in varying degrees of legitimacy — beware any place advertising "esthe", "health", or "soap" — but most are surprisingly decent. Foreign visitors typically visit hot springs by stopping at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, most of which feature hot springs as one of their main attractions (the other main attraction usually being the elaborate kaiseki meals). This requires some research and planning to decide where you want to go (most ryokan are in small towns in the country) and to fit it into your schedule. But don't focus exclusively on inns; many onsen have no lodging, making them cheap and quick to stop at, although many are hard to get to without a car or bicycle. Many onsen and sento prohibit the entry of visitors with tattoos. Intended to keep out yakuza gangsters (who often sport full-back tattoos), the rule is usually applied with a modicum of common sense, but heavily tattooed visitors will, at the very least, receive curious looks and may be asked to leave. Japanese are understanding of the funny ways of foreigners, but there's one rule where no exceptions are made: you have to wash yourself and rinse off all foam before entering the bath. Baths in Japan are generally used naked, although if you really don't want to be seen by strangers and/or travel companions, you can instead use private baths (by reservation or attached to your room) or stay clothed in a foot bath. Wikivoyage

In regards to hotel photography of HILTON hotels and HILTON hotel brands in particular, Can Burak Bizer | Hotel Photography + Hotel Video Production is HILTON preffered consultant for hotel photography and hotel video production; in North America, Southeast Asia Pacific and india, Europe and United Kingdom, Middle East and Africa regions worldwide - appointed by HILTON hotels.

For HILTON preferred hotel photographer in Japan or for HILTON approved hotel photographer in Japan, please contact us.

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Through invitation, Can Burak Bizer | Hotel Photography + Hotel Video Production is genuinely excited on the possibility of providing hotel photoshoot and hotel photography expertise as ACCOR approved hotel photographer in Japan, BEST WESTERN approved hotel photographer in Japan, CHOICE approved hotel photographer in Japan, FOUR SEASONS approved hotel photographer in Japan, HYATT approved hotel photographer in Japan, IHG approved hotel photographer in Japan, JIN JIANG approved hotel photographer in Japang, KEMPINSKI approved hotel photographer in Japan, RADISSON approved hotel photographer in Japan, MARRIOTT approved hotel photographer in Japan, WYNDHAM approved hotel photographer in Japan... to provide leading hotels and hotel brands with brand approved hotel photography and brand preferred hotel photography, at its finest.

• International luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, Russia Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Thailand Rosewood London, England International luxury hotels offer high-quality amenities, full-service accommodations, on-site full-service restaurants, and the highest level of personalized and professional service in major or capital cities. International luxury hotels are classified with at least a Five Diamond rating or Five Star hotel rating depending on the country and local classification standards. Example brands include: Grand Hyatt, Conrad, InterContinental, Sofitel, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Peninsula, Rosewood, JW Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton.
• Lifestyle luxury hotels & resorts: Shangri-La's Fijian Resort in Yanuca Island, Fiji Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates Raffles Praslin, Seychelles Lifestyle luxury resorts are branded hotels that appeal to a guest with lifestyle or personal image in specific locations. They are typically full-service and classified as luxury. A key characteristic of lifestyle resorts is focus on providing a unique guest experience as opposed to simply providing lodging. Lifestyle luxury resorts are classified with a Five Star hotel rating depending on the country and local classification standards. Example brands include: Waldorf Astoria, St. Regis, Shangri-La, Oberoi, Belmond, Jumeirah, Aman, Taj Hotels, Hoshino, Raffles, Fairmont, Banyan Tree, Regent and Park Hyatt.
• Upscale full-service hotels: Upscale full-service hotels often provide a wide array of guest services and on-site facilities. Commonly found amenities may include: on-site food and beverage (room service and restaurants), meeting and conference services and facilities, fitness center, and business center. Upscale full-service hotels range in quality from upscale to luxury. This classification is based upon the quality of facilities and amenities offered by the hotel. Examples include: W Hotels, Sheraton, Langham, Kempinski, Kimpton Hotels, Hilton, Lotte, Renaissance, Marriott and Hyatt Regency brands. Wikipedia
• Boutique hotels: Boutique hotels are smaller independent non-branded hotels that often contain mid-scale to upscale facilities of varying size in unique or intimate settings with full-service accommodations. These hotels are generally 100 rooms or fewer. Wikipedia
• Focused or select service hotels: Small to medium-sized hotel establishments that offer a limited number of on-site amenities that only cater and market to a specific demographic of travelers, such as the single business traveler. Most focused or select service hotels may still offer full-service accommodations but may lack leisure amenities such as an on-site restaurant or a swimming pool. Examples include Hyatt Place, Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn.
• Economy and limited service hotels: Small to medium-sized hotel establishments that offer a very limited number of on-site amenities and often only offer basic accommodations with little to no services, these facilities normally only cater and market to a specific demographic of travelers, such as the budget-minded traveler seeking a "no frills" accommodation. Limited service hotels often lack an on-site restaurant but in return may offer a limited complimentary food and beverage amenity such as on-site continental breakfast service. Examples include Ibis Budget, Hampton Inn, Aloft, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn, and Four Points by Sheraton.
• Extended stay hotels: Extended stay hotels are small to medium-sized hotels that offer longer-term full-service accommodations compared to a traditional hotel. Extended stay hotels may offer non-traditional pricing methods such as a weekly rate that caters towards travelers in need of short-term accommodations for an extended period of time. Similar to limited and select service hotels, on-site amenities are normally limited and most extended stay hotels lack an on-site restaurant. Examples include Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Residence Inn by Marriott, Element, and Extended Stay America.
• Timeshare and destination clubs: Timeshare and destination clubs are a form of property ownership also referred to as a vacation ownership involving the purchase and ownership of an individual unit of accommodation for seasonal usage during a specified period of time. Timeshare resorts often offer amenities similar that of a full-service hotel with on-site restaurants, swimming pools, recreation grounds, and other leisure-oriented amenities. Destination clubs on the other hand may offer more exclusive private accommodations such as private houses in a neighborhood-style setting. Examples of timeshare brands include Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacation Club International, Westgate Resorts, Disney Vacation Club, and Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
• Motel: A motel, an abbreviation for "motor hotel", is a small-sized low-rise lodging establishment similar to a limited service, lower-cost hotel, but typically with direct access to individual rooms from the car park. Motels were built to serve road travellers, including travellers on road trip vacations and workers who drive for their job (travelling salespeople, truck drivers, etc.). Common during the 1950s and 1960s, motels were often located adjacent to a major highway, where they were built on inexpensive land at the edge of towns or along stretches of freeway. New motel construction is rare in the 2000s as hotel chains have been building economy-priced, limited-service franchised properties at freeway exits which compete for largely the same clientele, largely saturating the market by the 1990s. Motels are still useful in less populated areas for driving travelers, but the more populated an area becomes, the more hotels move in to meet the demand for accommodation. While many motels are unbranded and independent, many of the other motels which remain in operation joined national franchise chains, often rebranding themselves as hotels, inns or lodges. Some examples of chains with motels include EconoLodge, Motel 6, Super 8, and Travelodge. Motels in some parts of the world are more often regarded as places for romantic assignations where rooms are often rented by the hour. This is fairly common in parts of Latin America.
• Microstay: Hotels may offer rooms for microstays, a type of booking for less than 24 hours where the customer chooses the check in time and the length of the stay. This allows the hotel increased revenue by reselling the same room several times a day. Wikipedia

• Single hotel rooms are for single travellers. In many hotels, a single room is actually the same as a double room.
• Double hotel rooms are for two travellers sleeping in the same bed. Might be used by one guest and is referred as Double Sole/Single use.
• Twin hotel rooms have two separate single beds.
• Triple hotel rooms have either three separate beds, or a double bed plus a single bed.
• Quads hotel rooms are designed for 4 people or more.
• Hotel Suites are complete apartments with multiple rooms, generally intended for longer stays. Wikitravel

• Bed and breakfast (B&B) hotels: The morning meal is included. This may range considerably from a simple roll and coffee to an elaborate spread.
• Half board (aka half pension, demi-pension, modified American plan) hotels: A hotel rate that includes breakfast and one additional meal, typically dinner. Also called Modified American Plan and demi-pension.
• Full board (aka full pension, full American plan) hotels: A hotel rate in which three meals a day are included in the price.
• All inclusive hotels and All-inclusive resorts: All meals and drinks are included. The list of "free" drinks is usually limited though: house wine is probably OK, champagne probably isn't. Wikitravel

• Six and seven-star hotels: The notion that a hotel can be six or seven stars is a joke among travel professionals since most respectable hotel rating systems do not give out a rating higher than five stars. The consensus is since so few hotels really can achieve the five star rating then there shouldn't be a rating higher than five stars. An example of a claimed "seven star" hotel is Dubai's Burj al-Arab. It's certainly one of the most luxurious hotels in the world (as awarded earlier by Conde Nast Traveller Magazine). In reality, it is a 5 star deluxe property (the alleged seven star status is not often corrected in the media, though).
• Five-star hotels: The five-star hotels is the quintessential luxury hotel, offering thrills above and beyond the actual needs of the travel. They have restaurants and night spots that are world class, with food and entertainment that draw non-guests to sample it too. Five-star hotels also tend to have opulent and expensive decorations; fancy gyms, swimming pools and spas. Major five-star chains compete to offer the most ludicrous thrills imaginable: Loews offers dog-walking services, while Conrad will let you order from a menu of pillows. Needless to say, all this comes at a steep price, and you're unlikely to be able to justify the expense of a five-star for ordinary business travel. The other downside to five-stardom is that hotels that can jump through all the hoops to achieve the rating are likely to be large and impersonal. Major chains: Orient-Express Hotels, Conrad (Hilton), InterContinental (IHG), Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, St. Regis, Le Meridien, W, JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton (Marriott), Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel (FRHI), Shangri-La, Kempinski, Mandarin Oriental, Sofitel (Accor), Four Seasons, Regent, Langham International, Mövenpick Hotel and Resorts
• Four-star hotels: The four-star hotel is a good business hotel. Everything works smoothly, there's Internet in every room, a well-equipped business center, they'll arrange your airport transfer and room service is palatable and only somewhat expensive. And your boss will probably not faint when they see the bill. Major chains: Hilton, Marriott, Novotel (Accor), Crowne Plaza (IHG), Kimpton Hotels and Radisson BLU Hotels (Carlson Rezidor). Wikitravel
• Three-star hotels: Three-star hotels are solid but dull. Your room will have an attached bathroom and there's probably a restaurant downstairs and 24-hour reception service. Major chains: Mercure (Accor), Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn (IHG), Best Western Wikitravel
• Two-star hotels: In this class, hotels will typically be small to medium size and offer more extensive facilities that one star hotels. Two star means no-frills hotel. In many countries, two stars means that your room may have its own bathroom and there's almost certainly a TV and perhaps a telephone in your room, but rooms are bare-bones and you're unlikely to want to spend any more time than strictly necessary inside. Major chains: Ibis (Accor), Comfort Inn, Motel 6, Super 8 and Etap
• One-star hotels: You don't see many of these, and with reason. One-stars are not just no-frills, but often downright dodgy: rooms are barely functional, shared bathrooms are somewhere down a corridor and the painted ladies from the all-hours karaoke bar next door dance the horizontal tango all night long in the room next to yours.
• Unrated hotels: Unrated hotels are a mixed bag. Most, it is safe to say, are hotels that are either too dodgy to achieve even the meager requirements of a one-star — or, alternatively, too small and personal to be able to offer (say) 24-hour room service, although the service and amenities offered are otherwise of five-star caliber. There are also selective hotel groups for smaller properties that generally select for high quality, boutique hotels. Wikitravel

• Destination resort: A destination resort is a resort that itself contains the necessary guest attraction capabilities so it does not need to be near a destination (town, historic site, theme park, or other) to attract its patrons. A commercial establishment at a resort destination such as a recreational area, a scenic or historic site, amusement park, a gaming facility, or other tourist attraction may compete with other businesses at a destination. Consequently, another quality of a destination resort is that it offers food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping within the facility so that guests have no need to leave the facility throughout their stay. Commonly, the facilities are of higher quality than would be expected if one were to stay at a hotel or eat in a town's restaurants. Some examples are Atlantis in the Bahamas; the Walt Disney World Resort, near Orlando, Florida, United States; PortAventura World, near Barcelona on the Costa Daurada in Spain; Costa do Sauípe, Northeastern Brazil; Laguna Phuket, Thailand and Sun City, near Johannesburg, South Africa. Closely related to resorts are convention and large meeting sites. Generally, they occur in cities, where special meeting halls, together with ample accommodations and varied dining and entertainment, are provided.
• Seaside Resort: A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German Seebad.[a] Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort. Wikipedia
• All-inclusive resort: Entrance of an all-inclusive resort in Egypt An all-inclusive resort charges a fixed price that includes most or all items. At a minimum, most inclusive resorts include lodging, unlimited food, drink, sports activities, and entertainment for the fixed price. In recent years, the number of resorts in the United States offering "all-inclusive" amenities has decreased dramatically. In 1961, over half offered such plans, but in 2007, less than a tenth do so. All-inclusive resorts are found in the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica, Dominican Republic; in Egypt, and elsewhere. Notable examples are Club Med, Sandals Resorts, and Beaches Resorts. An all-inclusive resort includes three meals daily, soft drinks, most alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and usually other services in the price. Many also offer sports and other activities included in the price as well. They are often located in warmer regions. The all-inclusive model originated in the Club Med resorts, which were founded by the Belgian Gérard Blitz.
• Recreation Resort: A spa resort is a short-term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa goers to develop healthy habits. Historically, many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters. Typically over a seven-day stay, such facilities provide a comprehensive program that includes spa services, physical fitness activities, healthy diet programs, and special interest programming. Golf resorts are resorts that cater specifically to the sport of golf, and they include access to one or more golf courses and/or clubhouses. Golf resorts typically provide golf packages that provide visitors with all greens and cart fees, range balls, accommodations, and meals. A view of a typical ski resort and ski lifts In North America, a ski resort is generally a destination resort in a ski area. The term is less likely to refer to a town or village. A megaresort is a type of destination resort of an exceptionally-large size, such as those along the Las Vegas Strip. In Singapore, integrated resort is a euphemism for a casino-based destination resort. A holiday village is a type of self-contained resort in Europe whose accommodation is generally in villas. A holiday camp, in the United Kingdom, refers to a resort whose accommodation is in chalets or static caravans.
• Timeshare Resort: There are more than 1500 timeshare resorts in the United States that are operated by major hospitality, timeshare-specific, or independent companies. They represent 198,000 residences and nearly 9 million owners, who pay an average $880 per year in maintenance fees. A reported 16% of the residences became vacation rentals. Wikipedia

• Advertising photography: Advertising photography photographs made to illustrate and usually sell a service or product. These images, such as packshots, are generally done with an advertising agency, design firm or with an in-house corporate design team.
• Architectural photography: Architectural photography focuses on capturing photographs of buildings and architectural structures that are aesthetically pleasing and accurate in terms of representations of their subjects.
• Event photography: Event photography focuses on photographing guests and occurrences at mostly social events.
• Fashion and glamour photography: Fashion and glamour photography usually incorporates models and is a form of advertising photography. Fashion photography, like the work featured in Harper's Bazaar, emphasizes clothes and other products; glamour emphasizes the model and body form. Glamour photography is popular in advertising and men's magazines. Models in glamour photography sometimes work nude.
• 360 product photography: 360 product photography displays a series of photos to give the impression of a rotating object. This technique is commonly used by ecommerce websites to help shoppers visualise products.
• Concert photography: Concert photography focuses on capturing candid images of both the artist or band as well as the atmosphere (including the crowd). Many of these photographers work freelance and are contracted through an artist or their management to cover a specific show. Concert photographs are often used to promote the artist or band in addition to the venue.
• Crime scene photography: Crime scene photography consists of photographing scenes of crime such as robberies and murders. A black and white camera or an infrared camera may be used to capture specific details.
• Still life photography: Still life photography usually depicts inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made. Still life is a broader category for food and some natural photography and can be used for advertising purposes.
• Real Estate photography: Real Estate photography focuses on the production of photographs showcasing a property that is for sale, such photographs requires the use of wide-lens and extensive knowledge in High-dynamic-range imaging photography.
• Food photography: Food photography can be used for editorial, packaging or advertising use. Food photography is similar to still life photography but requires some special skills.
• Photojournalism: Photojournalism can be considered a subset of editorial photography. Photographs made in this context are accepted as a documentation of a news story.
• Paparazzi: Paparazzi is a form of photojournalism in which the photographer captures candid images of athletes, celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people.
• Portrait photography and wedding photography: Portrait and wedding photography photographs made and sold directly to the end user of the images.
• Landscape photography: Landscape photography depicts locations. Wildlife photography demonstrates the life of wild animals. Wikipedia

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