Japan Travel

Japan.com - Travel - Travel in Japan - Japan Travel Search : on the web in Japan.com Powered by Home News Business Travel Travel Cities Flying to Japan Hotel Japan Overview Airports Climate Weather - Tokyo - Osaka - Other Cities Leisure Technology Living in Japan Study Job in Japan Immigration you@japan.com Login Address Password © 2001 Japan Inc. Communications K.K. All Rights Reserved. webmasters click here SONY Cyber-shot Digital Camera T1 (JE) Newly designed optical 3x zoom. Large 2.5-inch LCD and 5.1-million-pixels CCD. Meet the new, fully flat Cyber-shot with high-performance functions in a compact body : Click here to see more... JAPAN.COM FRIENDS Sign up for FREE and meet ADVERTISEMENT Free Newsletters Email : J@pan Inc Newsletter Wireless Watch Gadget Watch Terrie's Take Music Media Watch More NEWSLETTERS English OK Key Areas: » Kichijoji » Shinjuku » Harajuku » Omotesando » Shibuya » Ebisu » Shinagawa » Roppongi » Azabu » Akasaka Overview Japan, like any country, isn't something you can describe in just a few sentences. Below we have presented just some basic facts about the country, just to get things started. Japan (Nippon or Nihon) The four major islands of Japan are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, covering a total area of 377,829 square kilometers (or 145,880 square miles). According to the National Census of 2000, the total population of Japan was 126.92 million, and there were ten prefectures with more than 3 million residents. The average size for households is approximately 2.7 persons, with the average life expectancy for males being 77.64 years, and 84.62 years for females. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/index.html As of 2000, Japan's highly skilled workforce consisted of 64.46 million workers. The number of unemployed individuals, however, had exceeded 3 million per year for two consecutive years, and stood at 3.2 million. http://www.stat.go.jp/english/1.htm NATURAL FEATURES OF JAPAN The chief feature of the Japanese archipelago is its geological instability, resulting in frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes. Another distinctive characteristic of the topography is the fact that the Japanese archipelago is made up almost entirely of steep mountain districts with very few plains. Mountains and hills account for 73% of the land area, making Japan a very mountainous island country. MAJOR MOUNTAINS Mountains m Prefecture 1. *Fuji-san(Kenga-mine) 3776 Yamanashi Shizuoka 2. Kita-dake (Shirane-san) 3192 Yamanashi 3. Okuhotaka-dake 3190 Nagano Gifu An asterisk denotes a volcano. MAJOR LAKES A small number of large rivers, such as the Ishikarigawa, Shinanogawa, Tonegawa, Kisogawa, Yodogawa, and Chikugogawa, have large deltas at their mouths. A lake is defined as having an area of 10 kms2 or more and according to a 1999 survey, the lakes listed below are three of Japan's largest: lakes m Prefecture 1. Biwa-ko 670.3 Shiga 2. Kasumi-gaura 167.6 Ibaragi 3. Saroma-ko 151.9 Hokkaido FACTS IN BRIEF National Symbols Although Japan does not have an official national anthem, "Kimigayo" (His Majesty's Reign) is considered to be the 'de facto' anthem. Similarly, the "Hinomaru" ("the sun disk") has gained worldwide recognition as the 'national flag' of Japan, although it has never been officially designated as such. There is also no national flower of Japan, although many people believe it to be the cherry blossom for its overwhelming popularity or the chrysanthemum for its association with the Imperial Household. Japan has, however, officially recognized national entities such as the national butterfly (oomurasaki), national bird (pheasant), and the national sport (sumo). The national currency of Japan is yen (¥). Japanese language The Japanese language (known as nihongo in Japanese) has a complex writing system, comprised of Kanji and Kana. Kanji is derived from Chinese characters, with each character holding specific meaning, while Kana is a phonetic syllabry of characters, each character containing no inherent meaning in abstract. Hiragana and Katakana, two types of Kana, are used for locally derived Japanese words, and words initially 'imported' from other languages, respectively. It is not uncommon for students of the language to reach a level of fluency in spoken and written Japanese only after several years of dedicated study. World Heritage Sites in Japan In addition to Yakushima and Shirakami-Sanchi, which were both awarded World Natural Heritage status in December 1992, Japan also boasts nine World Cultural Heritage landmarks, including several well-known temples and shrines (see below). World Cultural Heritage Sites Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (listed in Dec. 1993) Himeji-jo (Dec. 1993) Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities: Dec. 1994) Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (Dec. 1995) Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome: Dec. 1996) Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (Dec. 1996) Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (Dec. 1998) Shrines and Temples of Nikko (Dec. 1999) Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (Dec. 2000) J@pan Inc Magazine Get all the news on the Business - Technology and People in Japan. Aims to tell the real story of Japan's move... http://www.japaninc.com

Germany Travel

Wurzburg, Germany - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger,Sheboygan, Wisconsin Wrzburg Marienberg Wrzburg , city in southwestern Germany, in Bavaria, on the Main River. It is a railroad junction, an industrial center, and the commercial hub of an agricultural region noted for its vineyards. The leading manufactures of the city include wine and beer, machinery, scientific instruments, paper, pianos, chemicals, and textiles. colorful parish church Among the architectural landmarks in Wrzburg are a Romanesque cathedral, rebuilt after receiving severe damage in World War II (1939-1945), which contains works by the sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider; Neumnster Church, a chiefly Romanesque structure with an 18th-century baroque facade; a 15th-century stone bridge spanning the Main; the Marienberg fortress atop the Leistenberg, which was the episcopal residence from 1261 to 1720, and which now houses a museum with an extensive collection of Riemenschneider's works; the Julius hospital (founded 1576); and the large rococo episcopal and ducal palace (1720-1744). the old bridge (1373 - 1543) The city is the site of a university (1582); the physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered X rays in 1895 while he was a professor in Wrzburg. The painter Matthias Grnewald was born and completed much work in the city. Julius hospital (founded 1576) its courtyard Memorial to its benefactors famous for its wine production First used as a fortification by Celts, the city was the site of the martyrdom of Saint Kilian, Christian missionary, in 689. Wrzburg was founded by Christianized Franks, and in 741 it became an episcopal see. In front of the New Residence the statue of the Bishop is looking at his older residence (Marienberg) in the background. the new residence rococo episcopal and ducal palace (1720-1744). as seen from the garden the Bishop's crest in the residence chapel the Baroque pulpit the Baroque ceiling In succeeding centuries the bishops of Wrzburg were prominent also as temporal princes, and they controlled a substantial area. The bishopric was secularized in 1801, assigned to Bavaria in 1803, and transferred to Ferdinand III, the dispossessed grand duke of Tuscany, in 1805. It passed to Bavaria in 1815. During World War II the city sustained extensive damage from air raids, but its historic buildings have been reconstructed. sculpture in the residence garden Population of Wurzburg (1990 estimate) 125,589. Returnto Germany page Returnto Europe page Returnto People and Places

air travel 23 May

WHO | Summary of SARS and air travel All WHO This site only Home About WHO Countries Health topics Publications Research tools WHO sites EPR Home Alert & Response Operations Diseases Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network International Health Regulations Laboratory & Epidemiology Strengthening Preparedness for Deliberate Epidemics Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) Country activities | Outbreak news | Resources | Media centre WHO WHO sites Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) printable version Summary of SARS and air travel 23 May 2003 This document addresses the main concerns of the public at large with regard to the risk of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) transmission to passengers and/or crew embarking on an international voyage particularly from an area of recent local transmission . A more detailed account of the specific measures the World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending is available in the Weekly Epidemiological Record dated 4 April 2003. WHO has been working closely with international air transport organizations, including ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) and IATA (International Air Transport Association), to provide accurate information in a timely manner to all persons involved in international air travel in order to further reduce the risk of spreading the disease by this means. Risk of SARS transmission in flight The risk of transmission in aircraft is very low. To date, symptomatic probable SARS cases on four flights have been associated with possible transmission onboard. Two of these flights preceded WHO's 15 March 2003 emergency travel advisory, and since 23 March 2003 and the introduction of WHO-recommended screening measures by public health authorities no further cases of SARS in flight have been documented. A key factor in reducing the risk is for passengers and crew to be aware of the main symptoms of SARS which include high fever (38 °C, 100.4 °F), cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties. Measure for persons with symptoms compatible with SARS prior to departure WHO has recommended that passengers or crew who develop symptoms compatible with SARS postpone their travel until fully recovered. WHO further recommends that public health authorities ensure that areas with recent local transmission introduce exit screening measures, which may include temperature checks for all passengers and crew. Preventing symptomatic passengers from travelling minimizes what risk there is. Finally, contacts of probable SARS cases should not undertake travel (national or international) for a 10-day period following exposure. In-flight precautions and measures Personal hygiene All passengers and crews should observe good personal hygiene. Wash hands frequently, particularly before eating. If passengers or crew cough or sneeze while onboard, they should cover their mouth and nose, and wash their hands afterwards. Face masks Current evidence indicates that a person infected with SARS is not infectious to others unless s/he has symptoms. Therefore, WHO does not recommend the use of masks by asymptomatic passengers or crew. However, WHO recommends that passengers or crew presenting with symptoms compatible with SARS during a flight from an area with recent local transmission: 1) wear a protective face mask * ; 2) be isolated, as far as possible, from other passengers; and 3) be given access to a toilet cordoned off for their exclusive use. WHO also recommends that the designated crew member(s) caring for a person with symptoms compatible with SARS wear a protective face mask*, gloves and eye protection (e.g. tight-fitting goggles or face shield). Measures on arrival of a flight with a suspected case of SARS The Captain of an aircraft with a person presenting symptoms compatible with SARS onboard should radio the airport of destination so that appropriate arrangements may be made for reception and management by public health authorities. Passenger disembarkation may be delayed upon arrival while the medical officer at the airport of destination examines the patient. Following an assessment by public health authorities, passengers and crew may be required to provide their contact details for the next 14 days. All passengers and crew who are otherwise healthy should be allowed to continue their onward journey. If the ill passenger or crew member is confirmed as a probable case of SARS, public health authorities should notify contacts using the contact details provided. Risk of infection from handling baggage or goods belonging to a SARS case There is no evidence to date to suggest that a person can be infected with SARS from handling baggage or goods, as the major route of transmission is close face-to-face contact with a SARS probable case. Aircraft ventilation The configurations of the air circulation system for commercial aircraft are designed to the specifications of international aviation regulations, as well as guidelines of aircraft manufacturers: Circulation: In flight, fresh air is introduced into the cabin continuously. The entire cabin air volume is exchanged every three minutes. Airflow: The airflow movement is designed to minimize the potential for spreading of bacteria and viruses through the cabin. Filter: Most major airlines install HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters which are highly efficient in removing dust and airborne contaminants such as droplets, bacteria and large microbes. This means that the spread of all microbes is minimized inside the cabin. Disinfection of aircraft Following a flight with a suspected SARS case, it is recommended that the aircraft be thoroughly cleaned following procedures established by local public health authorities which must involve the strict cleansing and disinfecting of the zone of risk in the cabin area (i.e. seats, headrests, tabletops, handsets, and other materials coming in contact with the suspected case) where the case was seated, as well as all shared facilities. The virus that causes SARS loses infectivity after exposure to commonly used disinfectants. * N/R/P 95/99/100 or FFP 2/3 or an equivalent national manufacturing standard (NIOSH (N,R,P 95,99,100) or European CE EN149:2001(FFP 2,3) and EN143:2000 (P2) or comparable national/regional standards applicable to the country of manufacture. About WHO | -- Employment | Other UN Sites | Search | Suggestions | RSS | Privacy © World Health Organization 2005. All rights reserved

Switzerland Travel Deals Switzerland

Switzerland tourism - Switzerland vacation reviews - Switzerland vacations - TripAdvisor Switzerland vacations - Switzerland tourism Sign in • Sign up Home > Europe > Switzerland > Switzerland Tourism Switzerland tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. All Switzerland reviews Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Switzerland Switzerland Overview All Switzerland Reviews Switzerland Hotels Flights to Switzerland Switzerland Deals Switzerland Attractions Switzerland Forums Switzerland Maps Switzerland Discount Hotels Switzerland Vacation Packages e-mail this page to a friend Popular cities Aargau Hotels Adelboden Hotels Appenzell Hotels Ascona Hotels Basel Hotels Bern Hotels Bernese Oberland Hotels Crans-Montana Hotels Davos Hotels Fribourg Hotels Geneva Hotels Grindelwald Hotels Grisons Hotels Gstaad Hotels Interlaken Hotels Lausanne Hotels Locarno Hotels Lucerne Hotels Lugano Hotels Montreux Hotels Saas-Fee Hotels St. Gallen Hotels St. Moritz Hotels Swiss Alps Hotels Ticino Hotels Valais Hotels Vaud Hotels Wengen Hotels Zermatt Hotels Zurich Hotels Read more Switzerland tourism Switzerland vacations - Switzerland tourism Sponsored links * Switzerland Travel Deals Switzerland : Book Best Available Room. ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2680 to find your luxury travel specialist Switzerland : Book Now - Pay on Checkout! Venere.com Buying Direct Means Lower Prices. Hotels, B&Bs, Apartments and More. Switzerland : Vacation Planning Experts. ClassicVacations.com Call 800-921-2650 to find your luxury travel specialist 300 Hotels in Switzerland www.bookings.ch Book a hotel in Switzerland online. Great rates. No reservation costs! All results: View all 5,871 Switzerland travel deals Where do you want to go today? Find all the best web-based write-ups and deals on your chosen destination. View map of Switzerland and choose your destination >> View all Switzerland hotels Switzerland Hotel Recommendations Other Destinations Find a great hotel based on web-wide popularity and coverage. Top-Rated hotels: Coeur des Alpes , Zermatt, Valais, Swiss Alps Widder Hotel , Zurich Chalet Fontana , Murren, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Caprice Hotel , Wengen, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Victoria Jungfrau Hotel , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Rugenpark Hotel / B&B Interlaken , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Badrutt's Palace Hotel , St. Moritz, Grisons, Swiss Alps Hotel Adler , Zurich Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel , Zurich Hotel Eden au Lac , Zurich View all Switzerland hotels Find top hotels by destination: Select your destination Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Popular Switzerland Destinations Check out these popular places: Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Switzerland Attractions Top Switzerland Attractions: Museum of Art (Kunsthaus Zurich) , Zurich Cathedrale de St-Pierre , Geneva Chateau de Chillon , Montreux, Vaud Little Carouge (Carougka) , Geneva International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (Musee International de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge) , Geneva Great Church (Grossmunster) , Zurich Church of Our Lady (Fraumunster) , Zurich Jungfrau , Grindelwald, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps The Jungfraujoch Experience , Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Swiss Alps Munster (Cathedral) , Basel Click above or search for more attractions in your destination: Select your destination Basel Bern Bernese Oberland Davos Geneva Interlaken Lausanne Lucerne Lugano St. Moritz Swiss Alps Valais Zermatt Zurich Switzerland Articles and Guidebooks SmartDeals From tips & tricks to rants & raves. Read the best sources and the most up-to-date reviews... "Overview of Switzerland," Frommer's "Swiss values: majestic views, challenging slopes," Nov 13, 2005 , Boston.com / Boston Globe "Going To: Bern," Jun 26, 2005 , New York Times (free registration required) "In Zurich, More Than Steeple Chasing," Jun 19, 2005 , Washington Post (free registration required) Read all Switzerland reviews Find a great Switzerland hotel deal! SmartDeals show you the best rates on the best hotels. Victoria Jungfrau Hotel Average price: $1552 Victoria Jungfrau Hotel - Book best available room - ClassicVacations.com More reviews, deals Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel Average price: $421 Hotel Zum Storchen - a Summit Hotel - Book Now! - Venere.com More reviews, deals Hotel Adler Average price: $176 Hotel Adler - Great Rates - Otel.com More reviews, deals View all SmartDeals TripAdvisor Switzerland Traveler Forums Travelers like you give candid advice on hotels and much more. Join the Discussion March Train Tour (3 replies, 3:52 pm, today) Holiday Wishes (6 replies, 9:16 am, yesterday) Tips for a trip to Switzerland in July (7 replies, 4:35 am, Dec 26, 2005) Read all Switzerland discussions Post a new Switzerland topic Share Your Travel Savvy skiing in late March in Switzerland (no replies, 4:41 pm, yesterday) 4 Day trip to Switzerland in Middle of March (no replies, 1:10 pm, yesterday) Zurich and Genava (no replies, 10:31 pm, Dec 13, 2005) Browse all Switzerland discussions Free alerts on Switzerland Subscribe to our TripWatch newsletter: Weekly alert to new reviews and deals Personal watch list is customizable to add other cities, hotels or attractions Plus getaway ideas from your hometown ( new feature, limited coverage ) Let Us Watch Switzerland for You E-mail: About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides unbiased reviews, articles, recommendations and opinions on Switzerland vacations. 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Disney Vacation Club Mouse

Magical Mountain - Disney Vacation Club News | Columns | Travel | Forums | Emporium Disney Company News Disney Travel Center Magical Disney Forums Disney World Columns Theme Parks & Water Parks Disney World Resorts Disney World Dining Disney World Reviews Disney World Photos Downtown Disney Disney Cruise Line Disney Vacation Club Mouse | Tunes™ Podcast New Products Apparel Art of Disney Books Disney At Home Movies Music Disney iTunes Disney Pins Prints/Posters Theme Park Products Disney Auctions Disney Movie Reviews Disney Company Stock Magical Mountain Gear Countdown Clock Gear Mouse | Tunes™ Gear Enter Arrival Date 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 05 06 Enter Departure Date 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 05 06 Magical Mountain Toolbar Magical Countdown Clock Countdown Clock Member Area About Us Magical Mountain News Syndicated Content Scrapbook Advertising Contests Emporium Policies Privacy Policy Terms of Use Contact Us Disney Vacation Club Become part of the magic by owning a part of Disney through Disney's time-share, The Disney Vacation Club. Lastest DVC Resale Properties: Beach Club--150 Points--$12,750.00 Old Key West--230 Points--$16,560.00 Old Key West--84 Points--$4,200.00 Old Key West--62 Points--$5,208.00 Saratoga Springs--200 Points--$15,600.00 Boardwalk--100 Points--$8,400.00 Boardwalk--150 Points--$12,750.00 Old Key West--210 Points--$15,960.00 Beach Club--120 Points--$10,200.00 Beach Club--320 Points--$26,200.00 View All DVC Resale Properties So what is The Disney Vacation Club? Well it basically is Disney's versionof a time share. There are a number of benefits to joining the DVC. First, the value of the pointsthat you purchase will never change. The same value you receive today, will be thesame value you receive in 30 years. While the cost of staying at a Disney hotelrises by 5-10% per year, this is a great hedge against inflation.You also receive discounts on your Unlimited Magic Passes, discounts at Pleasure Islandand Disney Water Parks as well as 10% off merchandise at Disney Stores nationwide. The Vacation Point System When you become a Disney Vacation Club member, you purchase a real estate interestin the club. This real estate interest entitles you to an annual allotment of vacationclub points. The larger the real estate interest purchased, the more pointsyou are alloted. The minimum purchase amount of points allowed for purchase iscurrently 150. Your Home Resort You also have the benefit of being able to reserve at your home resort upto 11 months in advance of your check out date. Your home resort is the resort atwhich you purchased your interest ( Old Key West , Beach Club Villas , Boardwalk Villas , Vero Beach, Saratoga Springs , Hilton Head Islandand Villas at Wilderness Lodge ). You can reserve up to 7 months in advance at any other Disney Vacation Club location. For more information on a DVC Home Resort please click here to view Shontell Crawford's column about the ins and outs of theDisney Vacation Club. Member Getaways Another perk of being a Disney Vacation Club member is Member Getaways.Through Member Getaways, you can exchange your reserved Disney Vacation Club Resortaccommodations for over 300 fantastic destinations around the world, including selectpremier hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort and Walt Disney World Cruiseline. The member getaways include Internationalresort exchanges, Unites States resort exchanges, World Passport Collection, Concierge Collection,The Disney Collection, and The Adventure Collection. Disney Vacation Club by Resale Want to get a good deal on a DVC Resale? Click here to view Disney Vacation Clubproperties that are for resale by our affiliate partner, DVC By Resale. DVC By Resale is owned by Shontell Crawford, a licensed real estate broker dealing primarily with DVC property. Disney Vacation Club 2005 Annual Dues The following is a listing of per-point annual dues for 2005 Disney Vacation Club properties: Beach Club Villas - $4.26 Boardwalk Villas - $4.41 Hilton Head - $4.03 Old Key West - $3.86 Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa - $3.82 Villas at Wilderness Lodge - $4.35 Vero Beach - $4.86 Discuss the Disney Vacation Club in our Magical Forums Home - News - Columns - Travel - Forums - Emporium - Photos - Contact Us © 2002-2005 Magical Mountain, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Magical Mountain™ website is a hobbyist/enthusiast website for the fans of The Disney Company.Magical Mountain™ is not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with, The Walt Disney Company, Disney Enterprises, Inc., or any of their affiliates. Some images are © The Walt Disney Company. No part of this site may be reproduced without permission. Love Bug (Special Edition) Mickey And The Gang: Classic Stories ... 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