Why We Love Japan

Geisha girls, a Shiatsu massage, karate, sushi, cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji are some reasons why we love Japan.

By: Kwin Mosby

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We love Japan's rich culture, including Kabuki Theater and Geisha girls --traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills including performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.

Experience spiritual peace at the Kongobu-ji Temple’s Zen meditation garden, located on Mount Koya. The temple’s modern Banryutei rock garden in Japan’s largest, with 140 granite stones arranged to suggest a pair of dragons emerging from clouds to protect the temple.

We love American-made automobiles, but we also love Japanese manufactured cars, like Acura, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. And this will get your motor revving; Honda has been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959.

You can’t leave Japan without Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Asia and 1 of the largest in the world. There are roughly 250 Chinese-owned/themed shops and restaurants scattered throughout the district. You’ll be shocked to know that only a few Chinese people still live in Chinatown with a population of about 3,000 to 4,000 people.

Explore Japan’s top tourist attractions, including the Mori Art Museum (pictured), Tokyo Tower, Tokyo National Museum and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. Osaka and Kyoto are also our favorite Japanese cities; so, make sure you add these exciting destinations to your travel itinerary if you’re planning a trip “The Land of the Rising Sun.”

We love a relaxing Shiatsu massage. Shiatsu is a type of alternative medicine consisting of finger and palm pressure, stretches and other massage techniques. Practitioners believe it’s a good way to help people cope with issues such as stress, muscle pain, nausea, anxiety and depression.

The Japanese have always been a leader in cutting-edge technology, and what better place to visit than Tokyo’s Akihabara District to check out or buy some of the hottest, high-tech gadgets in the world. Looking for designer fashions, visit Tokyo’s Shibuya District if you’re looking for designer fashions; or go shopping for traditional Japanese crafts at the Japan National Craft Center in Tokyo.

Nothing beats the pomp and circumstance of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony also called the Way of Tea. This cultural activity involves the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. And we can’t turn down a good, soothing cup of green tea.

Sushi is a popular Japanese food, and we love it! Sashimi, neta, shan and wasabi are all the makings of a delicious and succulent sushi meal.

Sumo wrestling is a competitive full-contact sport that originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally. We admire the brute strength of the wrestlers and their ability to force their hefty opponents out of the circular ring, or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet.

This photo captures 2 things we love about the Japanese. We enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms and the snow-capped peak of majestic Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan.

Take a stroll through a beautiful Japanese garden like the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto (pictured), Sankeien Garden in Tokyo, Rikugien Garden in Yokohama, Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu or Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa.

We appreciate the acting talents of Japanese actors, including George Takei (pictured), Takeshi Shimura and Ken Watanabe.

We love the discipline of Karate, a martial art that developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan, in the 19th century. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands.

What’s not to love about dressing up in fun costumes? We marvel at the popularity of Cosplay. Participants dress up in costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Comic books, anime, graphic novels and video games are often sources of inspiration.

We enjoy learning about Japanese royalty and their history. Visit Tokyo and see the remarkable Imperial Palace, the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. Built on the site of the old Edo castle, include the main palace, private residences of the imperial family, an archive, museum and administrative offices.

Nagoya Port, located in Isle bay, is the largest and busiest trading port in Japan. This port is notably the largest exporter of cars in Japan. So we admire the Japanese for their industrial ingenuity.

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Japan

Why We Love Japan

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