Where is Japan?

Japan map

Japan (Japanese: にっぽんこく), commonly known as Japan, is an island country located in East Asia. It consists of 6,852 islands including the Japanese Islands, the Ryukyu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands, covering an area of about 378,000 square kilometers. The whole territory of Japan is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, the West, the Korean Peninsula and the Russian Far East, the Thousand Islands in the northeast, Taiwan and the eastern part of China in the southwest. With a population of 126 million, Japan ranks 11th in the world. The capital of Japan is Tokyo.

Quick facts of Japan

Time zone

Japan is located in the UTC+9 time zone (KRAT/ICT). Japan is 9 hours ahead of GMT/UTC (London). Times are often expressed according to the 24-hour clock.

Currency

The currency of Japan is yen, or JYP for short. 1 dollar is about JPY110 and 1 RMB is about JPY16. The value of Japanese banknotes is（¥）JPY1000, （¥）JPY2000, （¥）JPY5000 and （¥）JPY10000. The value of coins are （¥）JPY1, （¥）JPY5, （¥）JPY10, （¥）JPY50, （¥）JPY100, （¥）JPY500.

International Call Code and internet domain name

The dial-up code for the country is 81 and the top Internet domain name for the Cambodian website is .jp.

Language

Although Japan does not have a statutory official language, Japanese is used in various laws and government documents.

Climate

Japan is located in a temperate zone with a large temperature difference throughout the year. Deeply affected by the ocean, the maritime climate is obvious. The Japanese territory is dominated by the subtropical monsoon climate, but since the islands of Japan extend from the southwest to the northeast, the north-south latitude is about 20 degrees, so the climate across the country is still very different, mainly divided into six climate zones: Hokkaido climate, Japan seaside climate, central highland climate, Pacific climate, Seto Inland climate, South West island climate.

How to get there?

The mode of transportation between Japan and other countries is mainly airplane. Narita International Airport is the portal to Tokyo. Kansai International Airport is the portal to cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. Central Airport is the portal to Nagoya. Fukuoka Airport, Naha International Airport and New Chitose International Airport are the portal to Kyushu, Okinawa and Hokkaido.

3 Major cities and best attractions recommended in Japan

Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. Tokyo is not only a hub for Japan's political, economic, cultural, and transportation fields. It is also a world-class commercial finance, popular culture and fashion city, and one of the cities with the highest degree of economic development and wealth in the world.

Tourist attractions in Tokyo: Sensōji、Tokyo Tower、Tokyo Disney Resort、Tokyo Disneyland、Ueno Park

Kyoto

Kyoto is a city with a long history in Japan. Kyoto and Tokyo are listed as the most representative cultural windows of Japan.

Tourist attractions in Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera、Fushimi-Inari Taisha、Fushimi-Inari Taisha、Arashiyama、Kinkakuji Temple

Osaka

Osaka is the largest urban and economic center of West Japan. In addition to the economy, Osaka is also known for its unique culture of the Dalit. Osaka and Tokyo today are listed as the most representative metropolis in Japan. In addition, Osaka is also international cities with a reputation in the world.

Tourist attractions in Osaka: Osaka Castle Park、Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan、Umeda Sky Building、Kuromon Market、Niversal Studios Japan

Best time to visit Japan

It is a veritable country that is suitable for all year round. The best season for sightseeing is spring and autumn. March to May is suitable for visiting cherry blossoms and September to November is suitable for visiting Japanese maple.  December to February is suitable for skiing in Japan. The Kanto area, centered on Tokyo, and the Kansai area, centered on Osaka, are currently the most popular tourist destinations in Japan.