Our dream: A world united through football.

THE FUTURE

Japanese people are shameless lovers of fads and anything new. This includes everything from artificially intelligent toilets to humanoid robots that can play trumpets. In Japan, technology everywhere is embraced in the spirit of fun and beautiful design.

FOOD

You’ve never had sushi until you’ve had it in Japan. Forget going to an overpriced celebrity-chef restaurant – everyday corner sushi counters turn rice and fish into unforgettable works of aesthetic and culinary art. Better yet, tuck into the world’s freshest sushi at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market.

FASHION

Don’t try to keep up with fashion in Japan. It’ll leave your head spinning. Kids take wardrobe cues from cartoons to hip hop artists and everything in between. It’s fun, fantastic, and sometimes a little frightening.

POP CULTURE

Japanese comic books, animation and other entertainment media are packed with fantastic tales that draw fans from elementary school kids to businessmen. But the power of Japanese pop culture goes way beyond fandom and merchandising – it defines Japanese society.

TRADITION

Turn a corner in Japan’s bustling cities, and you may find yourself in a quiet Shinto shrine where priests perform rituals honouring the gods. Tradition is alive in every aspect of Japanese life, from businessmen exchanging bows to the colorful flourish of a geisha tripping down a lane in Kyoto.

SPORT

From before the days of the samurai, the thrill of competition and the honor of victory has been an essential part of Japanese life. From traditional sports like sumo and karate to Western stadium games like baseball and football, Japanese exult in athleticism. You’ve never seen cheering until you’ve watched a game in Japan!

NATURE

Sitting on a raft of tectonic plates, Japan abounds in mountains, volcanoes and hot springs. All that underground heat and pressure has created breathtaking landscapes to explore, and oceans of thermal baths to relax in. Mt. Fuji towers above all, an icon of Japan’s natural beauty.

CITIES

Tokyo never stops. Always reinventing itself, this city of the future is part sci-fi film set, part samurai fortress. Whether it’s raising a glass of sake in a neon-lit back alley or belting out karaoke with friends until the wee hours, good times are what Tokyoites live for.

DESIGN

From rice cookers to bullet trains, Japanese-designed products are sleek, bold and simple. It could be a pair of gorgeously lacquered chopsticks or the latest futuristic mobile phone hitting the shelves in Akihabara, Tokyo’s electronics mecca – Japanese design is rooted in tradition but in full embrace of the future.