Women drink more wine than men in Japan and Japanese women are starting to take their place in the world of wine.  This article offers recommendations on where to buy good wine in Tokyo and an intriguing bit about a new wine called Oroya created especially to compliment the flavors of sushi.

On the technology front, the Japanese cell phone is a technological wonder that allow you to leave your wallet at home.  Just imagine paying for everything fro groceries to movies tickets with your cell phone – there are challenges to bringing this technology to the United States but the big players are working very hard to make it a reality.

Last year’s Michelin Guide to Tokyo awarded the city more starts than any other destination, including Paris, and even more are on the way this year.  But some restaurants refused to be cited by the guide and many believe it does not accurately reflect the dining scene in the city despite its popularity.

The Japan Tourism Agency opened on October 1st of this year and is tasked with promoting the country as a travel destination and increasing the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan.  Some say that this is a daunting task due to the increase in the value of the Yen and other issues.  From  Mighty yen scares off the tourists:

“As a travel destination, Japan still has a reputation for being overpriced, difficult to navigate and culturally inscrutable. These are mostly myths, but myths that are easy to believe until this country has a suitable tourist infrastructure. “

This Week in Japan’s History :

November 12th via Kyodo News

In 1948, General Hideki Tojo, Japanese prime minister from 1941 to 1944, is sentenced to death by the Far Eastern Tribunal of War Crimes in Tokyo. Tojo and six other Japanese leaders were executed December 23, 1948.

In 1990, Crown Prince Akihito is enthroned as emperor of Japan, two years after the death of his father Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Private outdoor onsen bath

I am not suggesting that you throw away your guidebook – use it as a resource, along with others, to create yourself a personal “cut & paste” guidebook that is relevant to your interests and the goals that you have for your trip.  Start by going through your guidebook and highlighting or flagging items of interest – must see sights, restaurants, museums and potential accommodations.  That’s a great start but you aren’t finished yet – now it’s time to set aside your traditional guidebook and look to some other resources for information.

One often overlooked way to prepare for a trip to Japan, or anywhere else for that matter, is to read about it in advance of your trip.  But do yourself a favor and don’t limit yourself to travel articles and reviews – read about some of the events in Japan’s long history, read local newspapers and magazines, and even pick up a novel written by a Japanese author.  By reading about Japan you will gain a better understanding of this country and it’s people and your trip will be enhanced immeasurably.  You will notice and understand many little things that you might have otherwise overlooked and these little things will make for great travel memories.

Browse through the new, but constantly expanding Japan Reading Room or look through the Japan related books featured at The Nihon Sun to find some great Japan reading material and print, cut, paste, rip and tear out pages from some of the following resources (and your traditional guidebook) to create a highly personal and relevant “cut & paste” guidebook for YOUR trip to Japan.

The Nihon Sun Japan: A Closer Look series:

• Japan: A Closer Look at Hokkaido
• Japan: A Closer Look at Tohoku – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Chubu – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Kanagawa
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo Practicalities
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kanto – Tokyo – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look At Tokyo:Lesser Known Facts And Figures
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kansai – Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3
• Japan: A Closer Look at Chugoku – Part 1 & Part 2
• Japan: A Closer Look at Shikoku
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kyushu – Part 1
• Japan: A Closer Look at Kyushu – Part 2

Japan Tourism Websites

• Read Traveling to Japan? Look Beyond The Usual to find links to tourism websites from the different regions of Japan.
• Yokoso Japan! is Japan’s official tourism website.  Get travel planning tips and information about sightseeing destinations and the history and culture of Japan.

Japan in Traditional Media

• New York Times Travel Section – Japan
• The Japan Times Travel Section
• The Japan Times Festival Listings

Regional Magazines in Japan

• Metropolis – travel articles and event listings for visitors and residents.
• WEB att.JAPAN – a magazine for visitors and residents of Japan.
• Kateigaho International Edition (KIE) – Japanese Art & Culture Magazine and the first item featured in The Nihon Sun Reading Room.

Associations

• Traditional Crafts of Japan by area.
• Friends of the Earth Japan – monthly hikes in the Tokyo area and other events around Japan
• Japan Museum Information – A searchable data base of museums in various areas in Japan.

Work in Japan

• WWOOF Japan – work exchange program in Japan. (Tip from Honor at Tokyotopia, an ever growing repository for all things Tokyo related)
• JET Program – Teach English in Japan

Blogs and Other Online Resources

• UNESCO World Heritage destinations in Japan
• Big In Japan by Gadling
• National Geographic – Intelligent Travel Blog offers sustainable travel tips for Japan and other destinations and recently followed the Jenss family as they traveled across Japan on a worldwide trip.
• Budget Travel Destination Asia – scroll down the page to find articles about Japan.
• Bento.com – restaurant guide for major cities in Japan.
• Ping Mag Make -  Coverage of traditional artists and craftspeople working in Japan today.
• JapanSoc – A Social Networking Site covering Japan with links to news articles and many great blogs about Japan.

You probably will invest a fair amount of money to get yourself to Japan and it only makes sense to take some time and use a variety of resources to plan your perfect trip. Subscribe to The Nihon Sun and some of the resources above to create that one of a kind, personal, “cut & paste” guidebook to Japan – the investment in time will ensure a great return on the money you spent to get here.

Can you suggest other Japan Trip planning resources?  Leave them in the comments and together we will create a comprehensive guide so everyone can make the most of their trip.

Image Credit: Personal Collection

Hokkaido (red)

A popular desitnation year round this island in northern Japan offers great skiing in the winter and beautifull pastoral greenery in summer.  The world famous Sapporo Snow Festival is held annually and UNESCO World Heritage added Shiretoko in Hokkaido to its list of natural sights in 2005.

Learn more about this region at the Visit Hokkaido website.

Tohoku (dark green)

Home to the Shirakami-Sanchi, another UNESCO World Heritage site famous for it’s beech tree forest and the 87 species of birds that can be found there.  See many of the areas sight by following the Apple Route in the fall or spring when the colors of the area are at their peak. Or take some time to explore the city of Sendai.

Chubu (tan)

Visit the villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama famous for their houses traditional thatched roofs and also UNESCO World Heritage sites.  Visit the Chubu Tourism Site or explore the Nagoya and Kanazawa two major cities in the region.

Kanto (blue)

Home to Tokyo and Yokohama with an abundance of things to do and see for the visitor.  If you can’t get to Kyoto or Nara, be sure to make some time to visit the temples, shrines and big Buhhda of Kamakura.

Kansai or Kinki (teal)

The historic monuments of Nara and Kyoto are also among the UNESCO World Heritage sites.  The major city in the region is Osaka and the tourist information sites for both Nara & Kyoto are worth clicking through.  Another great resource is the list of 100 carefully selected sightseeing spots in Kansai.

Chugoku (light green)

Home to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial,  yet another UNESCO World Heritage site and the city of Hiroshima itself.

Shikoku (pink)

The Japan National Tourist Board has put together a great three day itinerary through this area of whirlpools, ancient shrines, valleys and historic towns.  Take three days to enjoy the nature and traditions that Shikoku has to offer.

Kyushu-Okinawa (yellow)

Okinawa is Japan’s tropical paradise and a poplar vacation destination for citizens and international travelers. Also worth exploring are the cities of  Fukuoka & Kagoshima.

Visit Web Japan to learn more about the regions of Japan or visit the Japan National Tourist Organization for more trip planning inspiration.

Image Credit: Wikimedia, Regionen japans