Japan. Land of rising sun

Japan is the most unique, majestic and completely mysterious country. Traveling to Japan will be a journey to the future and the past for you at the same time. And it's not just its rich and ancient history and culture: Japan itself is a huge museum. Here the temples are adjacent to skyscrapers and without breaking the general harmony, they form a single whole.
The main thing for the Japanese is a sense of beauty, the ability to create and perceive the beauty of our world.

Geography
Japan is an island country located on an archipelago of more than 6.8 thousand islands, which stretch along the eastern coast of Asia in a curved chain of about 3800 kilometers.
The total area of ​​the islands of Japan is about 378 thousand square meters. km. Only four islands of all can be called large. These are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu - the Japanese do not even call them islands, but call them the main land, the main territory: they account for 98% of the entire country.
Mountains are a characteristic feature of the Japanese archipelago, they cover 71% of the land, and only some areas along the coasts or channels of large rivers are plains and lowlands that border mountain systems.
The most famous mountain in Japan is Fujiyama. It rises on the border of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures. It is the highest mountain in Japan.
A significant part of the mountain peaks in Japan are volcanoes, there are about 200 of them, 67 are considered "alive" (active or dormant). Among the volcanoes, Asama, Miharayama, Asosan and Sakurajima are especially active.

Culture
The basic principle of Shinto philosophy is life in harmony with Nature, Kami and people. Initially, everything is harmonious in this world; evil is a violation of harmony or its absence at all. On this statement, the basic principles of Shinto are built:
Spiritual purity (helps to find harmony with yourself and the world around you);
Life in harmony (awareness and understanding that the world is dual, that is, everything in the world has the potential for both good and bad);
Honoring Nature
Veneration of ancestors (since the souls of the deceased can also become Kami, and serve as protectors of the clan).
major religions in Japan: Shintaism, Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Bushido
The peculiarity of this doctrine is to emphasize the role of meditation and other methods of psycho-training in achieving satori. Satori means peace of mind, balance, a sense of non-being, "inner enlightenment."
Zen was especially widespread in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. among the samurai, when his ideas began to enjoy the patronage of the shoguns.
The main moral and ethical standards of Confucianism, primarily loyalty to duty, honor, the concept and characteristics of a "noble husband", were combined with a Buddhist reverent attitude towards death and, as a result, indifference to life, belief in the possibility of rebirth in a better quality, depending on how did you manage to live and finish your life.

The Japanese suffer from workaholism
Japan is one of the ten countries in the world in terms of living standards. It is the second largest economy in Asia, losing only recently to its neighbor, China. One of the reasons the Japanese are successful is their workaholism. Most often, the Japanese work their entire lives in only one company, work here even began to be inherited. It takes 99% of the ordinary Japanese's time, which has become a big public health problem. Death from overwork is common in the island nation.
The cult of nature and sakura
The Japanese are very careful in their nature. Even in megacities with millions of people, you will not be hard pressed to find numerous parks and green corners. Life in Japan stops when the Japanese cherry blossom - sakura - begins to bloom in spring. The Japanese for a while forget about their work, and all local parks are filled with people. The period of O-hanami - local picnics in nature begins. During this period, there are so many people in the parks that you risk standing in line to get into the bosom of nature for several hours.
Suicide forest
Japan is a country with a lot of suicides. Near Fujiyama is the Aokigahara forest. The Japanese come to this place to say goodbye to life. More than 100 bodies are found here a year. The cause of suicide is the general internal loneliness of the Japanese and burnout at work.

Interesting facts
90% of mobile phones in Japan are waterproof. Because young people use them even in their hearts.
There are more pets in Japan than children.
The Japanese often sleep in public places and even at work. This practice is called inemuri.
About 1 million Japanese are hikikomori, that is, people who voluntarily renounced social life.
Most streets in Japan are unnamed. Block numbers are used as addresses.
The academic year in Japan begins on April 1st. First of all, children are taught to sing and dance, and only then to read and write.
A train delay of more than 60 seconds is considered unacceptable delay in Japan.
The Japanese do not give names to the months, preferring to call them "second month" or, for example, "tenth month".
Tokyo is recognized as the safest major city in the world.
All waste in Japan is recycled and reused.