This year, Japanese television broadcasting celebrates its 60th anniversary. The world's very first cathode ray tube TV was made in Japan, and Japanese TV technology continues to set the pace with televisions that offer super high definition, 3D images, and Internet connectivity. TV was long a focal point of family life, but as programming diversified many Japanese came to have their own personal TV set. These days, TV can even be enjoyed on mobile phones and car navigation systems.

Tasty regional food, an amusement park or even a beach-you can find all of these things along Japanese expressways. Japan's first expressways were built in the 1960's, and half a century later the network reaches all of the nation's prefectures, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. But Japan's expressways do have at least one unpopular feature: they're expensive to use. On the plus side, they have sophisticated service areas with truly impressive leisure facilities offering refreshment to auto travelers.