Welcome All!
Before you start your trip it’s important to understand the background of the website and why to travel to Japan. Find out why this guide is different in comparison to others. Especially if you’re Australian.This page contains the following and will assist you with getting to know a little bit about Japan and what this guide will contain :
- Who am I?
- Why choose this guide?
- Layout of the website?
- Introduction to Japan- Where? Japanese People? Words to know?
All references and external links can be found at the bottom of the page in the full citation
(harvard) . On the top of each section of writing all sources used are also mentioned. All other sources used, are hyper-linked to the source directly. Image sources are listed at the bottom.
Who am I?
Firstly, I would like to say a warm Hello or こんにちは (Kon’nichiwa) and welcome to this travel guide. I am Parul, I am 25 and have a deep passion and experience of backpacking and travel around the world solo. As an experienced and accredited travel guide I have created this online and interactive website to help individuals like yourself trying to travel to Japan on a budget of five thousand dollars. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to leave a comment on any page, reach on social media or email at JapanAustraliaTravel@TravelGuides.com.au
Why choose this guide?
Have you ever wanted to travel to Japan alone and don’t know where to start? Or maybe intrigued about travelling to Japan?
Unlike other video guides, blogs and tourism agencies this is a flexible and customised intenerary to the Australian market. This guide isn’t commercialised and intended to sell you a cheap tourism package or group deal . This guide intends to explain, show and recommend key authentic experiences to immerse yourself within the Japanese culture whilst travelling and not sacrificing experiences for monetary limitations.
Japan can be such an overwhelming and costly country to look at with a plethora of things to explore and spending hours on research and formulating a plan. This can diminish the chances of creating a trip that risks seeing too many places and not immersing the culture or in contrast overstaying in a destination. It will help with budgeting for those on timely as well as monetary budget. Everything within this guide I have personally experienced, researched and planned out for any traveller.
This guide doesn’t necessarily need to be followed and can be great addition to your current trip to Japan or can provide inspiration and tips on how to plan your perfect trip! It is ideal for any solo traveller or group travelling together.
Layout of the website?
This website I have created for you all, consists of six sections guiding you on a 14 day return trip between Australia and Japan. Each page is integral providing important information from leaving your house, what to expect, budgeting, accommodation and recommended activities just to mention a few. It has links to booking pages, videos and other useful information!
Each key location consists of a recommendation of at-least two culturally significant locations/activities to do within this area of Japan, amongst other things to explore.
This website is aimed to HELP YOU and is a platform for the travelling community. Feel free to leave comments, ask questions, suggest alternatives and meet other travellers. Who knows? You may find other solo travellers and form some friends.
Introduction to Japan
Where?
I have used the following to write the below. Other sources are directly hyperlinked. The book “Multi Ethnic Japan” by John Lie in 2009 and website https://www.japan.go.jp/japan. Please go to bottom of page to see full citation.
Japan is in the Northern Hemisphere and is located on the west side of the Pacific ocean. It is surrounded by China, Russia and the Republic of China stretching from the East China Sea to the Sea of Okhotsk . It also has a whopping 6800 islands. It covers 145936 square Kilometres. Its capital is Tokyo. Japan consists of 126,700,000 people. The main religions practiced in Japan are Shintoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Although it is a small nation it attracts thousands of tourists per year for a number of reasons. It is a society that perfectly respects and carries old traditions whilst embracing modernism and expressing it in a balanced form. This unbreakable bond of Japanese people and their culture makes it one of the most incredible places to visit.
This includes its café culture, historical sites, unique fashion, ancient temples and diversity of people. Not to mention its copious amounts of street cuisine and high end acclaimed restaurants. It also offers monumental nature sites such as their infamous Cherry Blossom Season, Mount Fuji, 100 active volcanoes and its amazing winter sports such as skiing you can partake in. It still carries its traditional people and practices such as Geishas, martial arts and Sumo Wrestling. In fact Sumo Wrestling and martial arts is considered to be their national sports.
To read more interesting facts about Japan- check out the following! https://www.enkivillage.org/facts-about-japan.html
Japanese People
The following has been written using my own words based on websites: https://comingmore.com/japanese-people/, https://alljapantours.com/about-japan/japanese-people/, https://comingmore.com/japanese-people/, https://www.16personalities.com/country-profiles/japan and two Journal Articles- 1.Matsumoto, D. and Kudoh, T., 1993. American-Japanese cultural differences in attributions of personality based on smiles. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 17(4), pp.231-243.
2. Kerlinger, F.N., 1952. Behavior and personality in Japan: A critique of three studies of Japanese personality. Soc. F., 31, p.250.
Although you cannot generalise or stereotype a society, Japan is known for its people. Traditionally it is a society built on hierarchy and respect. This makes the people have a very loyal and disciplined nature. They are also practices of hard work and patience which gives them strength. So when visiting Japan you may find people to be polite and subdued. They are known for saving face which involves not being ashamed or shaming and letting down others. It shows the nature of dignity, respect and peers. Japanese people are so loyal and believe in the notion of saving face that they will never say no or speak ill of their bosses or seniors. They will even stay for a job or trade their entire life and not betray it. You generally wont hear Japanese people saying directly no as this is considered rude. They are taught to often call their seniors “senpai” and their juniors as “koahi”. The highest person in a group, family or work is treated with great respect and honour. Another act that is extremely common is gift giving or providing offerings. Weather its meeting someone for the first time or visiting someone’s home bringing a present is ritualistic form of etiquette of being polite. You will find Japanese people to be polite, shy and kind in nature making it an incredibly harmonious country. It even has one of the largest population of people above 100 years of age which is accredited to a harmonious and happy lifestyle based on the notion of working together.
They are social beings that enjoy routine with family time, socialising time and schooling/work time. They work in communal settings and enjoy having meals or drink of Sake together. When in Japan you will have a hard time feeling alone with people spending time with each other in restaurants and out and about in general.
Words to know:
In my experience it’s always good to know a few words in advance before travelling! I would recommend to know a few good phrases to get around. Japanese people primarily speak Japanese so watching the below videos and learning these phrases would be quite useful.
- Some good phrases to know when travelling in Japan
- They speak Japanese (日本語 Nihongo, [ɲihoŋɡo]
Tip- downloading google translate can scan Japanese writing to English. this is useful for menus and signs
Tip- Watch the following videos on Youtube for phrases to learn:
Phone: 1300 JAPAUS Email:JapanAustraliaTravel@TravelGuides.com.au
By: Parul Chatterjee
Source of Academic Journal, websites and books used:
1 BOOOK. Lie, J., 2009. Multiethnic japan. Harvard University Press.
2. JOURNAL ARTICLE Matsumoto, D. and Kudoh, T., 1993. American-Japanese cultural differences in attributions of personality based on smiles. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 17(4), pp.231-243.
3. JOURNAL ARTICLE Kerlinger, F.N., 1952. Behavior and personality in Japan: A critique of three studies of Japanese personality. Soc. F., 31, p.250.
4. WEBSITE JapanGov – The Government of Japan. (2020). About Japan | The Government of Japan – JapanGov –. [online] Available at: https://www.japan.go.jp/japan/ [Accessed 25 Dec. 2019].
Source of Websites used:
1.Staff, C. (2020). Japanese People – Types, Characteristics And How They Faced Bomb – Coming More. [online] Coming More. Available at: https://comingmore.com/japanese-people/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2020].
2.Japan, A. and People, J. (2020). About Japanese People | All Japan Tours. [online] Alljapantours.com. Available at: https://alljapantours.com/about-japan/japanese-people/ [Accessed 25 Jan. 2020].
3.16personalities.com. (2020). Japan Personality Profile | Country Personality Profiles | 16Personalities. [online] Available at: https://www.16personalities.com/country-profiles/japan [Accessed 25 Jan.
2020].
source of Images used:
1. https://comps.canstockphoto.com/fukuoka-japan-skyline-stock-images_csp21706653.jpg
2. https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/09/02/13/17972168-7419145-image-a-11_1567426212624.jpg
3. https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/16/when-to-visit-mt-fuji-in-autumn.jpg
4. https://www.airlineratings.com/wp-content/uploads/uploads/japanairlines.jpg
5. https://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia26/en/images/16_map.gif
6. https://japanhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/japan-flag.jpg
7.https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStITgZjQ3DvEs1i2HVV890OjMJ9WL3tMzvxyAb_7pORb0F1kYk&s
9.https://www.japan.go.jp/japan/
10.https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/google-translate-japanese-word-lens-1-2.png
source of Videos used:
1. https://youtu.be/74aYs6rcbiM
2.https://youtu.be/nuDZN8Ftxps
3.https://youtu.be/FkmryQQWLwU
Phone: 1300 JAPAUS Email:JapanAustraliaTravel@TravelGuides.com.au
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