Japan/Gallery

'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. The sign on the door (非常口 Hijoo Guchi 'fire exit') is written in kanji, or Chinese-derived characters. 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.
An early seventeenth-century map drawn by an Italian missionary in China. It is the first map in which the name 'Sea of Japan' appears. Image: Public Domain	A mid nineteenth-century British map. Image: Public Domain
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.	Northern Japan is home to the indigenous Ainu people. A cise is a traditional Ainu dwelling, with a thatched roof and entranceway separate from the main interior space. These replicas can be seen at Nibutani, an Ainu-majority village in Hokkaido.
Himeji Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site; its defences and gardens showcase two sides of Japan's history and culture.	Bank cards with cute characters on them are widely available in Japan.
Japanese restaurants often display plastic replicas of many dishes, so diners can see exactly what to expect.	Japan's islands are divided into 47 prefectures.
Japanese politician Ryuhei Kawada campaigning in elections to the upper house of the Japanese parliament in 2007; Japan is a democracy where both party-affiliates and independents such as Kawada can successfully seek office.	A traditional Japanese doll. The Hina Matsuri (雛祭り 'Doll Festival') is held every 3rd March in Japan.
Tengu-geta shoes can be seen at traditional festivals. Photo © by Sonny Santos, used by permission.	Neon signs light up the streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Logos and other signs often employ the katakana script rather than the Chinese-derived kanji characters.
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