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'Cosplayers' (from コスプレ kosupure 'costume roleplay') - teenagers who dress as characters from film, television or animé cartoons - pose for the cameras in Harajuku, Tokyo. These girls are dressed as members of the Japanese band 'Dir en grey'.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

This bar menu in Shinjuku, Tokyo lists food and drink in both angular katakana - for loanwords or to make signs easier to read - and the curvy hiragana script - for native vocabulary. Top of the list, in katakana, is レミーマルタン - Remii Marutan 'Remy Martin' brandy; bottom, in hiragana, is あんみつ anmitsu - a jelly to finish a meal.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Japan's capital, Tokyo, is a city of packed streets, neon logos and the ancient tucked away alongside the modern.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Japan and its neighbours.

Traditional and modern meet on the streets of Harajuku, Tokyo.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Japan's capital, Tokyo, is a city of packed streets, neon logos and the ancient tucked away alongside the modern.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Promoting a maid-kissa (メイド喫茶 meido-kissa, 'maid coffee shop') in Akihabara, Tokyo will involve looking the part; young women in maidlike waitresses' outfits are a common sight in this electronics quarter of the city.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Tengu-geta shoes can be seen at traditional festivals.
Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.

Himeji Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site; its defences and gardens showcase two sides of Japan's history and culture.
(CC) Photo: John Stephenson

Bank cards with cute characters on them are widely available in Japan.
(CC) Photo: Henry Tapia

Japanese restaurants often display plastic replicas of many dishes, so diners can see exactly what to expect.
(CC) Photo: John Stephenson

Japan's islands are divided into 47 prefectures.