This is a journey through a land where deep-rooted tradition and modern technology combine to form a complex picture of daily life. Zen cloisters and robots, ancient feudal rites and high-speed bullet trains - the seeming contrasts and contradictions of life in the Land of the Rising Sun fill 30 reports that dig deep into the typical experiences of the Japanese. With great sensitivity, the author gets behind the scenes in Japanese culture to report on what moves the people of this island nation, what excites and shocks them, how they eat, celebrate, and live. Included in the volume are insightful tips - to include crucial points of everyday etiquette - of use to anyone who wants to take their own sojourn to this fascinating land.