For many people, the mention of Japan conjours up images of weird masks and extravagantly made-up actors twirling red umbrellas on a stage and elegant, kimono-clad ladies demurely pouring cups of tea in tranquil under the cherry blossoms. Well, even today you can still experience all these things, if you know where to look.

The traditional arts in Japan are exactly that - traditional. Solemn awareness of the history and intimate knowledge of the past-masters of your chosen form of expression are essential if you wish to practice at the highest level. These ancient 'ways' are not for the faint of heart, but many foreigners come to Japan each year to enlighten themselves through their study. For the rest of us, just a nibble at this great banquet of culture will be more than enough.

But the Japanese do know how to kick back and have fun, too. You might be surprised by just how wild a Japanese festival can get! Snow festivals, fire festivals, fertility festivals - you name it, they have it. When it comes to food, the Japanese are as enthusiastic as anybody on earth. And the changing seasons bring new delicacies. The beauty of summer fireworks and autumn's spectacular changing leaves can also take the breath away.

Modern Japan:

Although you could count the number of world-famous Japanese people on one hand, the country is producing more and more figures, human and otherwise, that have grabbed the attention of a global audience.The mantle of the country's most famous film director has passed from the late Kurosawa Akira to Kitano Takeshi - better known in Japan as an irreverent slapstick comedian. J-pop, as Japanese pop music is called, has long been popular across Asia. But now a generation of young, bilingual artists may help to globalize the phenomenon. And then there's the cute Pokemon and Hello Kitty that  might send your kids into spasms of commercial greed, but imagine if they had the same effect on the entire population! Well, in Japan they do. Cartoon characters, comic books and all-round cuteness are pervasive - some might even say downright invasive. But 'Japanimation' has a more serious side to it. Movies like Spirited Away and Ghost in the Shell made even Hollywood sit up and take notice.

Japanese companies may not dominate the Global 500 listings quite like they used to but they aren't down for the count, either. Japan's top electronics brands, such as Sony and Panasonic, continue to dominate the world. But the almost insatiable demand for new gadgets in Japan means that new products come out on a weekly basis and some of them never make it to foreign markets. A Big Bang in the financial industry has caused major upheaval and some ground-breaking changes in the way Japan does business.

New to Japan:

The prospect of working in Japan attracts thousands of people each year. To find that elusive, high-paying position, you need to know where to look and what you'll need to clinch the job. And, once you've got it, you'll be needing a place to live. This is perhaps the biggest headache for new arrivals but we can help steer you through the minefield of renting your own pad.

Pictures from Japan:

                  1)A Geisha, professional entertainer         2)An ancient Samurai warrior    3)A Shrine dedicated to a Japanese god

                   4)Ginza District, the largest buissness area in Tokyo   5)The Giant Buddha, sitting in the Kamakura temples

5)Shibuya, the part of the city where the country's young hip generation go.