TOURIST-RECREATIONAL RESOURCES OF JAPAN

The purpose of the study is to consider the features of tourist and recreational resources of Japan and to identify those types of tourism that are most developed on their basis. Method. The study was conducted in three stages: 1) preparation of the study (problem statement); 2) the stage of accumulation of scientific information: bibliographic search of scientific information, study of documents, main sources of the topic, compiling a review of the literature, the choice of aspects of research; 3) information processing (methods: comparative, statistical, scientific systematization); 4) analysis of the received information (interpretation of results, formulation of the general conclusions). Results. Tourist activity, as the main form of recreation, belongs to the types of social practice with a pronounced resource orientation. It is determined that tourist resources include everything that can be used to meet the needs of tourists. Three main groups of tourist and recreational resources of Japan are identified and analyzed: natural-recreational, cultural-historical and socio-economic resources. Within the group of natural and recreational resources, the geographical location, relief, climate, water, forest, flora and fauna resources and objects of the nature reserve fund are characterized. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the uniqueness of natural and recreational resources is due to the insularity of the country. Based on the analysis of cultural and historical resources, it was found that although Japan accepts Western standards of living, as a cultural region, it continues to be a unique and inimitable phenomenon. The high socio-economic standard of living has made the Japanese one of the most traveling nations in the world. The main socio-economic resources that contribute to the development of tourism in Japan – the level of socio-economic development of the country, demographic and infrastructural resources. It is determined that Japan has unique tourist and recreational resources that determine the specifics of its tourism product. She skillfully attracts them to improve the country's image in the world tourism market. It was found that the country attracts a large number of tourists with exotic nature, cultural monuments and a high level of infrastructure development, especially transport accessibility. It is determined that taking into account the trends of world tourism and the uniqueness of available tourist and recreational resources in Japan, the following types of tourism have developed: health, medical, environmental, skiing, beach, cultural and educational and business. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the modern analysis of the peculiarities of the tourist potential of Japan and the characteristics of the predominant types of tourism. The practical significance of the study is determined by the possibility of using the results of the article, both by travel agencies to form a tourism product and by potential tourists to understand the specifics of recreation in the country, as well as for educational purposes.