麻豆约拍

Japan is a country made up of over three thousand islands. The largest ones are Honsh奴, Hokkaid艒, Ky奴sh奴 and Shikoku. With the world's tenth largest population of about 128 million people, it is a land of great contrasts and has always been something of an enigma to the western world. While absorbing many of the trappings of the modern industrial age, it has retained its own ancient ways of life, customs and traditions as well as putting its own stamp on the new ones.

John McCarthy is joined by three guests who have not only been to Japan as short term visitors but liked the place so much they decided to live there for a while;

Julie Bromilow has recently returned from an extended stay in Japan on an project researching education in sustainable development;

Dr Simon May was invited as a visiting professor of philosophy to Tokyo University and wrote about the 鈥榩owerful quirkiness of ordinary things in Japan鈥� in his book entitled Atomic Sushi;

Events manager, Sophie Branscombe organised the 2001 Japanese festival in London and has lived in Japan, exploring and travelling around the country, learning the language and the ancient arts of the tea ceremony and flower arranging.