Now and Zen: a journey through Japan - Japan is a fascinating and compelling country, a destination of patterns, colors, and textures. 

Click through the gallery and take a different look at the Land of the Rising Sun. 
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Mount Fuji - Mount Fuji summits at 3,776 m and is the highest mountain in Japan. It's listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list as a Cultural Site. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Kyoto - The extraordinary Fushimi-Inari Shrine. This is the most important shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. (Photo: CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Kyoto - The shrine is distinguished for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Kyoto - Look carefully as you wander through Maruyama Park. The simplest and most delicate of subjects can leave you speechless.  (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Kyoto - Two women performing Kyomai, the Kyoto style of Mai, a 17th-century traditional Japanese dance. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple whose top floors are completely covered in gold leaf.  (Photo: CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Nagano - Sited near the resort town of Karuizawa is Mount Asama, an active and staggeringly beautiful volcano.  (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Kobe - Traditional Japanese style rooms are unique for their interior design. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Yokohama - Japan's second-largest city features the Cosmo Clock 21, a giant Ferris wheel. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - The 634-m Tokyo Skytree television broadcasting tower standing in Asakusa district is a familiar landmark. (Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Tokyo - In spring, Kitanomaru Park is painted pink and lilac by an explosion of cherry blossom. (Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Tokyo - Rush hour at Shibuya Station, a busy railway station that exudes a surreal, almost fantasy quality with its giant posters and video screens.  (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - The interior of a city bookstore. (Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Tokyo - Odaiba is one of the venue locations for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The beach is a popular retreat for Tokyo's citizens. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - Hibiya Park comprises an expanse of woodland and greenery in the heart of the city. But here's a different take on the park's environment.  (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - The prominent Tokyo Tower arrows skywards from verdant Shiba Park, one of Japan's oldest parks.  (Photo: CC BY NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - A novel Shimbashi fire service manhole. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Tokyo - An unusual view through the glass roof of a Roppongi shopping mall. Known as a nightlife district, the neighborhood is also a highly regarded cultural hub. (Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Osaka - A sprawling port city, Osaka's nightlife is legendary as is its delicious street food. (Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Osaka - The city is also famed for its modern architecture, exemplified by the Umeda Center Building. (Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Shibuya - A city ward of Tokyo, Shibuya is a colorful and vibrant district, even in the rain. (Photo: CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Nagasaki - Head for the terraces above the city on clear, still evening for uninterrupted views of this attractive port destination. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Nagasaki - Alternatively, climb Mount Inasa after sunset for one of the most compelling night views in Japan.  (Photo: CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Fujinomiya - Nestling in the foothills of Mount Fuji, the serene Shiraito Falls is protected as a Japanese Natural Monument. (Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Kamakura - This pleasant coastal town offers hikers plenty of walking opportunities through Houkokuji, noted for its bamboo garden. (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Ōtsu - The everyday commute is captured for posterity at Biwako-Hamaotsu Station. The city itself is known for its collection of historic temples. (Photo: CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Lake Tōfutsu - The Tōfutsu-ko Waterfowl and Wetland Center near Abashiri, pictured in deep winter. (Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Sapporo - Sapporo is the oldest beer brand in Japan, founded in 1876. It's exported around the world. (Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Kumamoto - One of Japan's most admired military structures, Kumamoto Castle has a history that dates back to 1467. The castle keep is reconstructed in concrete, but several wooden structures remain from the original stronghold. (Photo: CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Hiroshima - Children dressed in traditional costume and waving open fans cheer during a city festival. (Photo: CC BY NC-ND 2.0)

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Hiroshima -

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial in all its ethereal beauty. (Photo: CC BY-NC 2.0)

See also: Picturesque piers of Australia

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