Japan is a land of opposing forces: one of civilization and chaos, quiet beauty and modern noise. It is a land of upheaval, and to the uninitiated, Japan's traditions, sights and sounds will always surprise. It has a history thousands of years old and a deeply personalized culture borrowed greatly from China and Korea
Roughly the size of California, Japan is home to 127 million people living on a chain of islands that runs from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. The ancient archipelago stretches across 200 of latitude from north to south, leaving Japan with a climate that ranges from sub-tropical to sub-arctic. While the southern islands lay carpeted with tropical jungle, the northern island of Hokkaido spends most of the year blanketed in deep powdery snow. Perched along the "Ring of Fire," Japan's geography is highly active—with 80 percent of the nation covered in mountain, and 40 active volcanoes which still spew lava.
Venture into Japan's countryside and you'll find yourself in a land where samurai and salarymen are still coming to terms with modernity on a day-to-day basis. Though rich in natural resources, and nostalgia for times past, Japan's rural environment remains largely neglected and unmanaged, yet ripe for the outdoor traveler. Japan's high prices have kept it something of a secret over the past 30 years, but nature tourism is on the rise; If you're looking for adventure, Japan is ripe for the pickin'.
Brent Madison has been traveling, living, and working in Southeast Asia for over half his life. Born in Hong Kong to a Canadian family, Brent was raised in many different countries, including Hong Kong, the Philippines, the U.S., and the U.K. After finishing college in the U.S., Brent traveled to Japan to complete his study of the Japanese language. There he began a career in professional travel writing and photography. Since then, he has been writing mainly for U.S. newspapers and magazines, covering Japan and Southeast Asia. His work can be seen in Shutterbug Magazine, the LA Times, TravelMart Magazine, Dynasty and various other publications.
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