Yokoso!

Come and discover the secrets and surprises of a beautiful land, where the welcome is warm and the delights are unending.

The contrasts of Japan never fail to fascinate. Tall buildings and flashing neon make Tokyo the epitome of a modern metropolis yet serene gardens can be found in the shadow of the skyscrapers, and ancient shrines are ensconced in green parks in the heart of the city. Japan's famous Shinkansen, better known as the "bullet train," whisks at a speedy 180 miles per hour from urban excitement to a countryside where ancient temples date back 800 years and mountain peaks and mineral hot spring spas beckon. Crowds still cheer sumo wrestlers practicing their traditional rituals, while modern baseball fans revel in the rousing late October "Japan Series," the season's finale (where visitors may get a preview of some of America's next stars).

In every season, Japan is a safe and peaceful land with one of the lowest crime rates in the world, a courteous society where conductors apologize if the train is two minutes late, and department stores open their day with the staff in a line, bowing to welcome in the first customers.

The hospitable Japanese know how to make foreigners feel at home. The language may be foreign, but subway signs are in English as well as Japanese, major museums offer English-speaking guides, and Goodwill Guides, volunteer residents who speak your language, are available in many cities ready to spend time showing visitors the sights. In a number of cities, including Kyoto and Osaka, families invite visitors into their homes for an evening as part of the Home Visit System in Japan. The Kyoto Women's Association arranges hands-on introductions to customs such as tea ceremonies, Ikebana flower arranging, and Origami paper crafts, held in Japanese homes in Kyoto and, in Tokyo, as well. To make things even nicer, Welcome Cards, available free in most cities, entitle foreign visitors to discounts on attractions, museums, meals and accommodations. Special air-and-hotel packages , at all-time low prices in select areas, make the trip more affordable than ever.

So foreign...yet so familiar...