Few cliches are harder to avoid when writing about this country than ¡°Japan as a land of contrasts.¡±

The difficulty lies mainly in the fact that it is ever-present.

Whether it is futuristic tech alongside fax machines, centuries-old temples juxtaposed with shimmering glass skyscrapers, or hotel choices between robot staff and facilities from the 1700s, Japan can be a whiplash-inducing experience even for those who have resided here for decades.