Seasons

Japan boast of it’s distinctly four seasons throughout the year. Each season is coupled with unique natural and environment changes and a set of activities perfectly suitable to each season.

• Winter (December – February). Japan has a snowy and cold winter, and with temperatures dropping below zero occasionally. Many winter sports and recreations are played especially on the Central and Northern Japan.
• Summer (June – August). Many well-known festivities are held and resorts are packed with locals and tourist during summer. Temperature could be as high as 30 degrees.
• Spring (March – May). The blooming of the sakura or cherry blossom marks the start of this season. This is a perfect time to go sight-seeing with splendid mountain views, and pinkish fields and garden all over the countryside.
• Autumn (September – November). This season is marked with the glorious changing of leaves into amber, red, and autumn colors. This is characterized with a cool temperature with a gentle and fresh breeze. Many sports tournament, exhibitions, and music concerts are held during autumn.

Places of Interest

Japan is not only known for its technology and industrial advancement, but also as home to many natural scenic places and world heritage sites. With a rich history and tradition, Japan is one of the best preservers of national and historical sites, and the environment.

• Mount Fuji – is the country’s highest peak. It is famous in the world with its perfect cone. A visit to Japan is not complete without visiting the Fuji-yama.
• Shiretoko – is considered the last remaining wilderness in Japan that boasts of its pristine natural environment with hardly any equal in the world. This Peninsula is home to many species of birds, animals, and plants. Shiretoko is famous for nature treks, animal watching, camping, relaxation, and meditation.
• Shirakami-sanchi – is known as a forest museum. It is a vast primeval forest that houses many protected species of animals and plants endemic to Japan. It features beautifully carved valleys and falls. During a fall, the changing of colors to red and yellow emphasizes the breath-taking beauty of the place.
• The Shrines and Temples – Japan is known to have built some of the most beautiful shrines and temples in the world. These temples embody so much history and tradition from many key periods of Japan’s history. These temples and shrines are known crowd-drawers for tourist and locals alike. Many shrines can be found in the Tochigi, Nara, Kyoto, Uji, and Otsu prefectures.
• Hiroshima Ruins – the ruins of the Hiroshima city after the atomic bomb during World War II. The ruins are preserved as a constant reminder of the devastating results of World War.

Helpful Tips

• Be sure to carry some money in Yen – Japanese currency. Although most establishments in major cities accept major credit cards, it is not always the case in the countryside.
• When bringing appliances in your travel to Japan, it is important to be aware that Japan’s electricity is in 100V with 50/60 cycles. Your appliances may not work or has less power. Also, electric plugs in Japan are only two-pronged, so be sure to buy a converter plugs for your three-pronged appliances.
• Keep your baggage nominal. Japanese people are known to travel with minimal luggage. Consequently, not so wide space is provided in trains and major transports.
• Wear an easy, ready to wear shoes or snickers in Japan. Japanese customs dictated to remove your shoes indoors, thus it is convenient to wear appropriate shoes.
• Japanese are especially polite people. It is advisable to learn some Japanese words for greetings and conversation. Sample is “Ohayou gozaiamasu!” for good morning.
• Be sure to have 3G mobile phones for Japan’s use, it is safe to assume that non-3G phones will not work in Japan.

Tourism is travel for leisure, recreation and business purposes. The word tourism is mostly defined as citizens who take a trip which is a combination of the occurrence and relationships that take place from the travel and stay of non-residents, wherein it doesn’t lead to permanent residence and with no earning activity. Other definitions of tourism include, a momentary or short-term movement of people to destinations outside the country or certain place where they normally live and work and the activities during the stay at each destination, which includes all actions for all reasons. Tourism was also defined in terms of specific activities chosen by a selection and embarked on outside the home.

The World Tourism Organization (WTO) describes travelers as inhabitants who take a trip to and reside in places outside their common environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one successive year for relaxation, industry, and other reasons not related to the implementation of an activity compensated from within the place visited. Tourism is important and considerable for countries such as France, U.S., Germany and several island nations such as the Philippines, The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives and countless to mention. This is due to the large receipt of money for business with their goods, services, and the prospect for employment in the service industries connected with tourism. Service industries include entertainment arenas such as shopping malls, casinos, various music venues, theaters, and amusement parks, transportation services such as taxis, airlines and cruise ships, and hospitality services such as accommodations including hotels and resorts.

In 1994, the United Nations classified tourism in three forms: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. Domestic tourism includes people of a given country roaming only within that particular country. Inbound tourism involves non-residents traveling within the country and outbound tourism which involved residents roving to other countries. In addition, the United Nations also made consequent different categories of tourism by merging the three types of tourism, which are Internal Tourism, National Tourism and International Tourism.  Internal tourism consists of domestic tourism and inbound tourism. National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism. International tourism includes inbound and outbound tourism.

These are the 10 most visited countries by 2008 from the report of the World Tourism Organization (number of international tourist arrivals):

1. France with – 79.3 million
2. United States with 58.0 million
3. Spain with 57.3 million
4. China with 53.0 million
5. Italy with 42.7 million
6. United Kingdom with 30.2 million
7. Ukraine with 25.4 million
8. Turkey with 25.0 million
9. Germany with 24.9 million
10. Mexico with 22.6 million

Estimated international tourist arrivals were above 922 million in 2008.

Top ten tourism country earners of 2008 from the report of the World Tourism Organization:

1. United States with $110.1 billion
2. Spain with $61.6 billion
3. France with $55.6 billion
4. Italy with $45.7 billion
5. China with $40.8 billion
6. Germany with $40.0 billion
7. United Kingdom with $36.0 billion
8. Australia with $24.7 billion
9. Turkey with $22.0 billion
10. Austria with $21.8 billion

Countries that do spend a lot of money for the development of their respective tourists’ spots have been associated with higher tourism earnings.

Indeed tourism has a big impact on a country’s gross national product. Traveling around the world to the many beautiful scenic spots not only gives joy to the tourists, but it also helps a lot in uplifting the economy of the country being visited.

Traveling is indeed one of the most enjoyable activities to everyone. It gives a lot of benefits and advantages not only to yourself but for the countries or places as well. When you plan to go on traveling, always make sure to make the best out of every country or place you visit. Always make sure to enjoy, learn and always have fun.