Journey to the "Land of the Rising Sun"—where Japan's long history mixes (and clashes) with its cutting edge technology. Japan's history is speckled with alternating periods of isolation and integration; just close enough to mainland Asia, yet separated by an ocean, Japan has...

Journey to the "Land of the Rising Sun"—where Japan's long history mixes (and clashes) with its cutting edge technology. Japan's history is speckled with alternating periods of isolation and integration; just close enough to mainland Asia, yet separated by an ocean, Japan has always been able to choose when to accept foreign cultural influences and when to resist them. Despite this, the Japanese are a very warm and welcoming people, often stopping to help lost travelers or make conversation. This means studying Japanese courses in Japan is always an inviting experience. During their travels, Western visitors will often find facets of Japanese culture atypical but appreciated, like Japan’s abundance of vending machines, which vend everything from fried food, to underwear, to iPods. While in Japan, travelers should visit Tokyo, Japan’s largest city and the country’s financial epicenter; Tokyo is very busy, and Greater Tokyo is the most populated urban area in the world, with 35 million inhabitants.