Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [625]
International Aikidō Federation (Map; 03-3203-9236; www.aikido-international.org; 17-18 Wakamatsu-chō, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Japan Karate Association (Map;03-5800-3091; www.jka.or.jp/english/e_index.html; 2-23-15 Kōraku, Bunkyō-ku, Tokyo)
Japan Karate-dō Federation (Map;03-3503-6640; www.karatedo.co.jp/jkf/jkf-eng/e_index.htm; 6th fl, Nihon Zaidan Daini Bldg, 1-11-2 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Nihon Sumō Kyōkai (Ryōgoku Sumō Stadium; Map;03-3623-5111; www.sumo.or.jp/eng; c/o Ryōgoku Kokugikan, 1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo)
Skiing
Japan is the best place to ski in Asia and it boasts some of the most reliable snow in the world. For more information, see the Skiing in Japan chapter Click here.
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BUSINESS HOURS
Department stores usually open at 10am and close at 6.30pm or 7pm daily (with one or two days off each month). Smaller shops like food shops, stationery stores or clothing shops are open similar hours (usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, to noon or 1pm Saturday) but may close on Sunday. Large companies usually work from 9am to 5pm weekdays and some also operate on Saturday morning.
Banks are open 9am to 3pm weekdays (some open until 5pm). For information on changing money, Click here. Post offices open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (major post offices 8am to 8pm); central post offices have after-hours/weekend windows.
Restaurants are usually open from 11am to 2pm and from 6pm to 11pm, with one day off per week, usually Monday or Tuesday. Some stay open all afternoon. Cafes are usually open 11am until 11pm, with one day off per week, usually Monday or Tuesday. Bars usually open around 5pm and stay open until the wee hours.
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CHILDREN
Japan is a great place to travel with kids: it’s safe and clean and there’s never a shortage of places to keep them amused. Look out for Japan for Kids by Diane Wiltshire Kanagawa and Jeanne Huey Erickson, an excellent introduction to Japan’s highlights from a child’s perspective. In addition, Lonely Planet publishes Travel with Children, which gives the low-down on getting out and about with your children.
Practicalities
Parents will find that Japan is similar to Western countries in terms of facilities and allowances made for children, with a few notable exceptions. Cots are available in most hotels and these can be booked in advance. High chairs are available in many restaurants (although this isn’t an issue in the many restaurants where everyone sits on the floor). There are nappy-changing facilities in some public places, like department stores and some larger train stations; formula and nappies are widely available, even in convenience stores. Breast feeding in public is generally not done. The one major problem concerns child seats for cars and taxis: these are generally not available. Finally, child-care agencies are available in most larger cities. The only problem is the language barrier: outside Tokyo, there are few, if any, agencies with English-speaking staff. See also Eating with Kids for some helpful tips on ordering food with children in tow.
Sights & Activities
Tokyo has the most child-friendly attractions in Japan, including Tokyo Disneyland; for more information, see Tokyo for Children. In Kansai, popular attractions for the young ’uns include Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan, Osaka Aquarium and Nara-kōen Click here in Nara, with its resident deer population.
Children who enjoy the beach and activities like snorkelling will adore the islands of Okinawa and the Izu-shotō Click here.
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CLIMATE
The combination of Japan’s mountainous territory and the length of the archipelago (covering about 20° of latitude) makes for a complex climate. Most of the country is located in the northern temperate zone, which yields four distinct seasons. In addition, there are significant climatic differences between Hokkaidō in the north, which has short summers and lengthy winters with heavy snowfalls, and the southern