Situated in northeastern Asia between the North Pacific and the Sea of Japan. The area of Japan is 377,873 square kilometers, nearly equivalent to Germany and Switzerland combined or slightly smaller than California. Japan consists of four major islands, surrounded by more than 4,000 smaller islands. Japan's topographical features include coastlines with varied scenery, towering mountains, which are very often volcanic and twisted valleys that invite visitors into the mysterious world of nature.

Japan's population is over 126 million. Most Japanese reside in densely populated urban areas. Japan's capital city is Tokyo. The population of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area including the city, some of its suburbs and the surrounding area is approximately 12 million.

The main characteristic of the world heritage sites in Japan is that many of them are supported by the country's diverse natural environment and its climate with four seasons, for which there are few equals in the world. Among the sites of historical cultural heritage, there are many buildings influenced by the unique sensitivities of the Japanese people, and in experiencing the precision and the dynamic design, we obtain great insight into the mindset of the Japanese people and the roots of their culture.

In the middle of Tokyo, the Imperial Palace is located with a peripheral road that is a little over 5 km in length, enabling you to enjoy a very pleasant walk. In the Palace Garden, you will see various historic spots associated with the Edo Castle. You will be amazed at the spaciousness and cleanliness of Higashi Gyoen (East Park) and Kitanomaru-koen Park. Both are open to the public and admission is free. It usually takes well over an hour to walk through Higashi Gyoen, but the quiet and beauty makes it well worth doing.

In Kyoto, shrines and temples should be visited to enjoy the town's long history. Most shrines do not require admission fees, like the Kitano-tenman-gu Shrine, and it is also free to enter Maruyama-koen Park, where the Yasaka-jinja Shrine is located. Okazaki-koen Park, close to the Heian-jingu Shrine, as well as Higashi Hongan-ji, Nishi Hongan-ji, Tou-ji and Nanzen-ji Temples are also free of charge.