Japan Travel Guide: Festivals, Traditions and Real Experiences

What is Christmas like in a country where almost nobody is Christian? Why do millions of Japanese families order KFC weeks in advance? And what actually happens at a festival that has been running since 1869? In this audio guide, Anya Lewis takes you through Japanese holidays, festivals and everyday culture – and then takes you along on her own three-week journey through the country. The first half explores the traditions: Christmas Eve as a romantic occasion, the great New Year house clean, buckwheat noodles for longevity, temple bells at midnight, and two of Japan's great summer festivals, Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori. The second half is a first-hand travel account. Tokyo's neon streets, karaoke and the yakitori alleys of Shinjuku. Kyoto's bamboo forest, a traditional tea ceremony in kimono, the deer of Nara and the red gates of Fushimi Inari. Osaka's street food, digital art museums and Universal Studios. Along the way: what a JR Pass saves you, why you want a Suica card, what hostels really cost, how to order in a restaurant without being rude – and honest observations on tattoo culture and LGBT acceptance in Japan. Woven throughout are the phrases you will actually use: greetings, festival small talk, saying what you want to eat and drink, and how to wish someone a happy new year. Not a full language course, but enough to make people smile when you try. For anyone planning a trip to Japan – or simply curious about how the country really works.