The culture and history of Japan is one of the oldest and richest in the world, and its capital city, Tokyo, seems to be in constant battle with itself, combining the immense bulk of Japanese tradition with the hyper speed of modern day commerce. When I traveled to Japan, I had no choice but to spend at least a few days in the city, perspiring in the humidity and admiring the colossal mass of people that sifts constantly down gigantic thoroughfares on foot, in vehicles and on bicycles, interweaving with buildings so tall that the tops seem to touch the clouds. Also, it has been said, and I truly believe that through all my travels, Tokyo was the one place that a tourist can actually feel at home. With the growing globalization of the world and the west, Japan has grown more and more involved and invested in the economy, and for some reason (in my opinion, the Japanese mindset necessitates it) seems to send out more tourists to other parts of the world than most other Asian countries combined. As such, Japan is generally very hospitable to tourists from around the globe. I felt more at home in Tokyo than I have in any other foreign city (in truth, I felt more at home in Tokyo than I do when I visit New York City). Many people in Japan speak English, and if they don't they are very receptive to broken, guidebook Japanese. It is as if they don't mind that your accent is atrocious and your phrases are more broken up than the contents of a china hutch after an earthquake, just as long as you try. This attitude was incredibly refreshing, for even hailing from the United States, where immigrants are the rule rather than the exception, many people refuse to even attempt to speak with someone who's English isn't perfect.

After flying in to Tokyo airport which, I might add, was one of the largest airports I have ever seen and cannot be fully imagined until you experience it for yourself, I took a cab into the city where I had pre-booked a room in a high rise hotel. After having seen so many films depicting the Tokyo skyline from a high rise, I couldn't resist booking a room with expansive windows on the 85th floor of a skyscraper for my first and second night in the city. The price was atrocious, but worth every penny, as the view was one of the most spectacular and stunning scenes I have ever experienced. I spent my first few days in Tokyo simply wandering around the city, following my guidebook's lead. Among the various tourist sites, I visited the art gallery called the Complex, a gigantic five story multi-faceted gallery that was a cascade of color and a uniquely diverse look at the many styles and schools of Japanese art. I also took some time to walk around the Imperial Palace and a few of the more famous Shinto shrines, all of which are worth a look. As far as transportation within the city of Tokyo was concerned, I used strictly the subway system there, which is extensive, and probably unrivalled by any other underground rail system in the world.

The next destination on my list was Mt. Fuji, where I spent some days at high altitude, enjoying the fresh air and open spaces after my brief but hectic stint in Tokyo. Mt. Fuji is, as you may know already, the tallest mountain in Japan, and is a dormant volcano, with a gorgeously regular conical shape that has lent itself to artistic representation since time immemorial. I did a little hiking, and explored the nearby city of Fuji-Yoshida, to which any traveler to the Mt. Fuji area would be well advised to pay a visit.

No matter your personal stance on religion, no traveler to Japan should leave the country without visiting Kyoto. This city is home to an absolutely astonishing amount of religious structures: more than 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shinto shrines total up to at least 2000 separate religious buildings all found within Kyoto. Much like the comparison of St. Petersburg to Moscow in Russia, Kyoto was the previous Imperial Japanese capital before it was moved to Tokyo, and Kyoto remains the cultural center of Japan just as Tokyo is the commercial center. A veritable treasure house of Japanese culture, the time I spent in Kyoto was by far the most memorable part of my trip. One place that I would recommend to any traveler in Japan is the Nijo Jinya. It is one of the most interesting Edo-period dwellings, yet is fairly obscure and not well known. The best part is its special features: although built originally as a house for a merchant, it had been converted into a temporary hotel for visiting royalty and aristocracy. Because of this, the house presents several surprises to visitors. The house was built with fire-proof walls and its labyrinthine chambers were created specifically to make ambushes or surprise attacks against the visiting lords a virtual impossibility. Besides this, a handful of secret passages and concealed stairwells and even trapdoors from which samurai guards would spring to surprise the uninvited guest.

After the time I spent in Kyoto, I felt like I had gotten to know the real cultural sense of Japan. Although the three days I spent there were in no way long enough to see as many of the ancient and unique temples as I would have liked. I flew back to Tokyo, and stayed one more day in a unique Japanese style residence called a Ryokan. It is the Japanese version of a short term boarding house that gives travelers the experience of an older age. At the Ryokan I stayed in, Sukeroku-Nu-Yado, all the furniture actually comes from the Edo period of Japan's history. Besides this, the appointments and amenities of the rooms and the communal areas were impeccable - a pristine place to experience a truly Japanese-style accommodation.

In short, there are few places as interesting and culture rich as Japan. Any traveler who wants to experience a country steeped in history, culture, and with friendly people, then Japan should be their destination of choice.