Accessible Japan

Above, a view of Fukuoka and Hakata Bay from Fukuoka Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many people wonder how accessible Japan is for foreign visitors.

Peter Rickman has an article in the online edition of the U.K.'s The Daily Mirror on Japan's accessibility as a holiday destination.

He begins with:

A 15 degree, 30 degree or 45 degree bow... what exactly does this situation require? 

An acknowledgement that I’ve just accidentally bumped into the person standing next to me or a full-blown apology? 

As our guide, Mie, has just explained, making the right choice in Japan can be a minefield. I opt for 15 degrees and, to my relief, I get a smile and a similarly inclined bow in return. 

Not everything in this fascinating country is as tricky to master, however. Japan is much more accessible than you may think – as I discovered on my whirlwind tour... 

My journey starts in Fukuoka, a city which is keen to promote itself as a tourist destination and to attract visitors who would normally only head for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. 

It has become more accessible to western visitors with the introduction of direct KLM/Air France flights from Europe. 

Situated in the north of the southern island of Kyushu, Fukuoka is Japan’s sixth largest city.

From Fukuoka, the author's "whirlwind tour" moves on to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.

To read the full article, go here.