Martial arts , such as aikido, judo and karate, all traditionally associated with Japan, have a much lower profile than you might expect. Tokyo with its many dojo (practice halls) is the best place in the country in which to view or learn these ancient sports. The TIC at Yurakucho in Tokyo has a full list of dojo that allow visitors to watch practice sessions for free.

If you're interested in attending any sporting event, check the local media, such as the Japan Times and Tokyo Classified , for details. To get tickets it's best, in the first instance, to approach one of the major advance ticket agencies: Ticket Pia, for example, can be found in most main cities. In Tokyo, Ticket Pia also has an English-language telephone booking line (tel 03/5237-9999). Major games and events sell out quickly, so a second approach is to go directly to the venue on the day and see if you can get a ticket from the box office or a tout outside; expect to pay well over the odds, though, if it's a popular game.

In terms of participation sports, golf is the most popular, with some fourteen million golfers in Japan, and more courses and driving ranges than you can swing a club at. The current recession has taken the shine off the sport being used for business meetings and as a status symbol, but fees for playing a round remain out of the reach of all but the most dedicated visiting golf fan.

More accessible outdoor activities in this mountainous, volcanic country are skiing during the winter and hiking and mountain climbing during the summer. If you're interested in such pursuits, it's worth getting in touch with the Tokyo-based International Adventurers Club (IAC) or its sister club for the Kansai region, the International Outdoor Club (IOC), both of which provide informal opportunities to explore the Japanese countryside and mountains in the company of likeminded people. The Web sites www.skijapanguide.com and www.outdoorjapan.com are also mines of useful information.