JAPAN. ENDLESS DISCOVERY

TODAY I WILL BE WRITING ABOUT JAPAN, A COUNTRY I WANT TO VISIT. IN MY PAST BLOGS I HAVE TALKED ABOUT PLACES I HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN TO, BUT TODAY I'LL TALK ABOUT A COUNTRY I WANT TO GO TO! YOU WOULD BE WONDERING WHY I NAMED MY BLOG "JAPAN. ENDLESS DISCOVERY" WELL, IT'S THE THE TRAVEL TAGLINE OF JAPAN. IN 2010, THE JAPAN TOURISM AGENCY UNVIELED IT'S NEW LOGO AND CATCHPHRASE- "JAPAN. ENDLESS DISCOVERY" TO HELP PROMOTE ITS TOURISM TO OTHER COUNTRIES MORE EFFECTIVELY. THE NEW TOURISM SLOGAN IMPLIED THAT JAPAN IS A DESTINATION WITH COUNTLESS HISTORICAL, TRADITIONAL, AND CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS, WHICH ATTRACT THE GLOBAL VISITORS.

JAPAN IS A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION, IT'S POPULARITY IS GROWING DAY BY DAY PERTAINING TO ITS RICH HERITAGE, TEMPLES, CASTLES, HOT SPRINGS, GARDENS, ETC. THESE ARE A FEW REASONS I WANT TO VISIT JAPAN, AND BY THE END OF THIS BLOG EVEN YOU WOULD WANT TO VISIT THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!

JAPAN IS A VERY SAFE COUNTRY-

JAPAN IS ONE OF THE MOST SAFEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD. ACCORDING TO 2019 GLOBAL PEACE INDEX, JAPAN IS THE 9TH MOST PEACEFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. JAPAN POLICE FORCE IS THE SWIFTEST IN CRIME SOLVING, WHICH MAKES THE COUNTRY'S CRIME RATE LOWER THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. I HAD ONCE READ THAT LOCALS EVEN LEAVE THEIR BELONGINGS UNATTENDED IN CAFES AND BARS! CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE DOING THAT IN A COUNTRY LIKE INDIA....

JAPAN IS VERY CLEAN-

MOST FIRST TIME VISITORS OF JAPAN ARE SHOCKED BY HOW CLEAN THIS COUNTRY IS. I HAD READ THAT STUDENTS SIT WITH THEIR SATCHELS ON THEIR DESKS, AFTER THE TEACHER ANOUNCES THE RESPECTIVE DAYS CLEANING ROSTER, THOSE CHILDREN STAND UP, GRAB THE MOPS, CLOTHS, BUCKETS AND BROOMS FROM THE CUPBOARDS AT THE BACK OF THE CLASSROOMS, AND TROT OFF TO THE TOILETS. BY INSTILLING SUCH MANNERS FROM A YOUNG AGE IN THE CHILDREN MAKES JAPAN THE CLEANEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. THEIR HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, PUBLIC TRANSPORT, BARS, ETC TEND TO BE ABSOLUTELY SPOTLESS, FILLED WITH PLEASANT SMELLS, AS THEY ARE CLEANED REGULARY.

THE BEAUTIFUL TEMPLES AND SHRINES-

JAPAN IS A HOME TO NUMBER OF TEMPLES, SHRINES AND MONASTRIES. DURING THE JAPANESE EMPIRE, PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE EMPEROR AT THAT TIME WAS DIVINE, HIMSELF A LIVING GOD, SO THEY WOULD WORSHIP HIM. TO EXPERIENCE THE REAL CULTURE OF JAPAN VISITING THEIR TEMPLES, SHRINES AND MONASTRIES IS A NECESSITY! MY TOP PICKS WOULD BE KINKAKUJI TEMPLE IN KYOTO, SENSOJI TEMPLE IN TOKYO AND NEZU SHRINE IN TOKYO.

THE MAGNIFICENT CASTLES-

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT EUROPE IS THE LAND OF CASTLES AND BATTLEFIELDS. YET, THE CASTLES OF SAMURAIS AND REGIONAL LORDS IN JAPAN ORATE DRAMATIC HISTORIES OF THEIR OWN! MANY VISITORS ARE ENTHRALED BY EXPLORING THE ELEGANT ARCHITECTURE AND FAMILY LEGACIES OF JAPANESE CASTLES. ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE CASTLE OF JAPAN IS THE HIMEJI CASTLE, IT TOPS ALL THE LIST OF CASTLES AROUND THE WORLD! HOPE TO VISIT IT SOME DAY.

LARGE NUMBER OF UNESCO SITES-

JAPAN BOASTS 25 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES, AND EACH OF THESE SITES ATTRACTS THE GLOBAL VISITORS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WITH UNIQUE INTERESTS AND KNOWLEDGE. SOME OF THESE ARTIFICIAL STRUCTURES REPRESENT THEIR HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT, TRADITION, WHEREAS OTHERS REMAIN INTACT AND UNTOUCHED. MOST OF THESE TRAVELLERS, INSIST ON PAYING A VISIT TO THE HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL, WHICH COMMEMORATES THE VICTIMS OF THE 1945 ATOMIC BOMBING, AS WELL AS SHIRAKAWAGO AND GOKAYAMA, HISTORIC VILLAGES WHICH HIGHLIGHT THATCHED ROOF-DWELLINGS.

THE CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON-

AS I HAD MENTIONED IN MY PREVIOUS BLOG HOW WE TEND TO ENJOY TRAVELLING TO NEW PLACES AS WE ARE DEVOID OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE GET TO EXPERIENCE WHILE TRAVELLING TO THAT PLACE. IN THIS CASE ITS THE CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON WHICH MAKES MY URGE TO VISIT JAPAN MORE STRONG. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN CHERRY BLOSSOMS CALLED "SAKURA" IN JAPANESE, MAKE FOR A CHARMING SIGHT AS THEY FLEET IN THE AIR. WHITE OR PINK, SOMETIMES DARK PINK OR YELLOW, THEY ATTRACT LOCALS AND TOURIST. ALWAYS PLAN YOUR JAPAN TRIP IN APRIL SO AS TO ATTEND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL!

WELL, THERE WAS A PLETHORA OF OTHER REASONS WHY ONE SHOULD VISIT THIS WONDERLAND! THE EXCITING SUMMER FESTIVALS, SKIING CULTURE, JAPANESE HOT SPRING BATHS, DELICIOUS JAPANESE CUISINE, FUTURISTIC CAPSULE HOTELS, AMUSEMENT PARKS AND MANY MORE REASONS....