Welcome to Japan!

Japan remains an enigma to the West. Is Japan a mass producer of advanced technology or the land of geisha and bonsai, tea ceremonies and the delicate art of flower arrangement? Does its outlook and popular culture make it Western or Asian?

Japan is an interesting blend of East and West. Your pizza may come with octopus, beer gardens are fitted with Astroturf and "parsley" refers to unmarried women older than 25 because parsley is what is left on a plate. City police patrol on bicycles and white-gloved elevator operators, working in the most expensive department stores, bow and thank you as you exit.