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Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

A ‘Western’ country, Japan is located in the Far East, in the Pacific ocean, and has China, two Koreas and Russia as the neighboring states. This country and its people have very peculiar features, original culture, rich history and amazing landscapes.

The main feature that the tourists immediately notice in Japan is the carefully looked after natural environment. Any territory, even the smallest strip of land among the skyscrapers, should necessarily be decorated with a tiny lawn. Any pond can be turned into a tiny nature reserve that the residents of the community consider their shrine. Carefully preserved historic monuments and temples are scattered all over the country, and that is why Japan makes an unforgettable impression on everyone, who decides to visit it.

The symbols of the country are the biggest ‘holy gate’ in Japan called Wooden Door, Itsukushima shrine on the ‘sacred’ island of Miyajima, standing in the water in a small bay, and the famous beautiful volcano, Mount Fuji, surrounded by picturesque landscapes. Another icon of the country is Seto Ohashi Bridge, erected in the end of the 20th century over the Inland Seto Sea, from Honshu to Shikoku. Many ‘pearl farms’ in Japan are also interesting as tourist sites visited by thousands of tourists every year.

Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world and the capital of Japan. It was founded in the middle of the 15th century following the outlook of the ancient Chinese capital Xi’an. This giant metropolis has many old wooden buildings and churches. They interestingly contrast the ultramodern neighborhoods. The center of the city is the Imperial Palace, former Edo Castle, which was constructed in the 15th century and was surrounded by picturesque parks. A lot of tourists also visit the temple of Toshogu Shrine, the Tokyo National Museum, the National Science Museum, the temple of Cannon goddess and many other places. In Tokyo, one will also find a complex of skyscrapers called Three Towers and the largest Harumi Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. Some of the minor, but no less interesting museums include the Museum of Subway, the Museum of Glasses, the Museum of Plumbing, the Museum of Bags etc.

To the northeast of Tokyo, there lies the Nikko National Park, located among picturesque lakes and known for the splendid Kegon and Shirakumo waterfalls and hot springs. The pearl of the resort is the Toshogu Shrine temple complex, which includes 23 monuments of architecture, including the famous pagoda and Yakusido temple. Numerous picturesque bridges are stretched over the waterways, and the most beautiful of them is the “sacred bridge” of Cinque. Mount Nantay is the place of the Buddhist temple Tachi-ki-Kannon and Kazaana caves, known as the caves of the winds.

The second largest city of the country is Yokohama. In the past, it was repeatedly destroyed by earthquakes, but today the city amazes with its ultra-modern architecture and the high speed of life. Yokohama is often called the city that never sleeps. Its main attractions are landscaped parks and an outdoor museum, which has gathered samples of traditional wooden buildings, temples and houses from all over the country. Here one will also find the largest and most renowned commercial district of the coutnry, the water park called the Island of Entertainment, and the Maritime Museum. However, it is difficult to stay in Yokohama for a long time because of the strong gas pollution and extremely high density of population.

Nara is the first imperial capital of the country, often visited because of its open-air museum, which houses the most important Buddhist temples and pavilions, pagodas and gardens. Located 70 km from Nara, the famous Horyuji Temple is recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Biwa is located in the central part of Honshu Island, north-east of the former capital of Kyoto. It is often mentioned in Japanese literature, since it lies close to the ancient capital. The lake has three islands, where big cities of Hikone and Otsu are located. Biwa is also known as the paradise for fishing.

Looking for a reliable Japanese Travel Agency or tour operator in Japan? Be sure to find the one with best rating, so that a reliable service and best price is offered.

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Your Questions About Google Translate

John asks…

What is a better program to use instead of Google Translate, so that I can translate English to Chinese?

Right now I’m learning Mandarin with a friend and when I don’t have him around I’ve been using Google Translate to continue learning on my own. The thing is he just explained to me that Google does A LOT of bad translations from English to Chinese, so I was wondering if anybody new a better program that I could use? I really want to learn Mandarin as quick as possible so any help would be greatly appreciated :-)

dman answers:

These webs are informative:

http://www.chinese-tools.com/learn/chinese

http://www.nciku.com/

http://www.yellowbridge.com/

Lisa asks…

Why do people always say to use Google Translate?

I always see people here telling people to use Google Translate. Why? Google Translate (and all other web translators) SUCK, and you have pretty much a 0% chance of getting an accurate translation. People are posting here because they want a *person* to translate, not some machine that doesn’t understand context.

dman answers:

Google Translate is recommended because it’s probably the most used translator. Unfortunately, translators do not understand context and are therefore very unreliable. It’s not as easy to cheat on your Spanish paper as it looks.

Daniel asks…

Where can I find how to translate hiligaynon online like google translate-but that only translate Tagalog?

I need something just like the google translate that will translate English to Hiligaynon & Hiligaynon to Englsih–words, paragraphs,everything.

dman answers:

You should visit this link: http://www.bansa.org/dictionaries/hil/
It’s a dictionary for hiligaynon. The Web site also offers dictionaries of other Philippine languages. If you have some ability with the language, you’re better off writing the words and paragraphs on your own with the dictionary for references. Google translate is terrible at translating phrases! It’s great for single words, but it tries to translate it too directly and doesn’t understand concepts of grammar.

Mandy asks…

Why do people bother asking “Can you translate this?” questions instead of using Google Translate?

I always use Google translate when I want to know what something in another language means and it far faster than waiting on an answer here on Y!A.

Why can’t people here just use Google Translate to translate text instead of asking questions here on Y!A?

dman answers:

No local dialect translation

Charles asks…

Can anyone translate from Arabic to English the google translator doesn’t work?

يعنى امريكا دي كلها مالقيت الا اخت دي دي دورجبا
i am trying to have someone translate this , and google translate doesn’t translate well, so i don’t know what it’s saying. I also need to know if there is a way to respond to the responses?
Thanks

dman answers:

I already rated 1st answer

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UK Caravan Parks

By Harry Smith

Caravan holidays can be a great option for family holidays. They are the perfect combination of outdoor fun and modern amenities. Whether you are six or sixty, there is usually something enjoyable to do on a caravan holiday. Caravanning is very popular in the UK, so it is not difficult at all to find a camping park in a great location.

These parks are not just parking spaces for caravans, far from it. They are actually holiday resorts, with facilities catering to families as well. On site facilities can include outdoor and indoor swimming pools, restaurants and cafes, as well as entertainment venues and shows for different age groups. Many parks nowadays also have Wi-Fi and some type of internet access.

These are just some of the facilities that are commonly available in many holiday parks. Many may also have other recreational activities and sports. Sometimes, guided tours of the local area are also available, as are training lessons for various sports. For instance, a caravan park on a popular surfing beach is quite likely to offer surfing lessons!

Most family parks in the UK provide other types of accommodation as well. This means that, if you don’t want to bring your own caravan, you can choose to stay in one of the many static caravans or cabins available at the park. Many parks also have tents available. All accommodation is normally self catering.

While families with children may prefer to have different entertainment options and facilities at the park, there are those for whom a Caravan holiday is more just about enjoying the outdoors. It is also possible to find basic campsites with simple amenities. Most caravan sites, whether it is parks or simple fields, also have space for tent camping.

Prices in UK parks vary greatly as per the facilities offered by the park. There is a star grading system designed for UK parks that helps standardise the level of service offered by each park. The system covers parks of all kinds, from basic camping sites to resorts that offer lodging and boarding.

The star system works on the principle of excellence in whichever service the park offers. For instance, simply having more amenities will not earn a venue a star, but providing excellent service in whatever amenities they offer will. This makes it easy for holidaymakers to choose a park that is excellent in their chosen criteria. One to two star parks are good to acceptable in terms of quality, parks need to be very good indeed to be awarded three stars.

Four stars are usually awarded to parks that offer excellent quality with careful attention to detail and very high standards of cleanliness and general upkeep. Five stars is the highest standard of UK parks and are awarded to facilities which are of exceptionally high quality. Beautifully maintained surroundings, impeccable service and the highest level of upkeep and hygiene are to be expected at five star rated caravan parks.

There are a number of caravan park chains in the UK. These will have their own websites and a listing of individual parks in different locations. Independent parks and small farm-based caravan sites can also be found online. Some location-based research on the internet can help you find local campsites, and even reviews from other campers.

The author regularly writes articles about travel, leisure and holiday resorts. For more information please visit camping in Cornwall and camping St Ives

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