Frommer's Japan
Chapter One
The Best of Japan
Hardly a day goes by that you don't hear something about Japan, whether the subject
is trade, travel, cuisine, the arts, or Japanese imports ranging from Sony and Toyota
to karaoke and anime. Yet Japan remains something of an enigma to people in the
Western world. What best describes this Asian nation? Is it the giant producer of cars,
computers, and a whole array of sleek electronic goods that compete favorably with
the best in the West? Or is it still the land of the geisha and bonsai, the punctilious
tea ceremony, and the delicate art of flower arrangement? Has it become, in its outlook
and popular culture, a country more Western than Asian? Or has it retained its
unique ancient traditions while forging a central place in the modern industrialized
world?
In fact, Japan is an intricate blend of East and West. Its cities may look Westernized-often
disappointingly so-but beyond first impressions there's very little about this
Asian nation that could lull you into thinking you're in the West. Yet Japan also differs
greatly from its Asian neighbor ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Japan ebook
