Japanese people have been settling in Britain since the 19th century and the Japanese community has continued to grow ever since. The Office for National Statistics estimates that, in 2008, 32,000 individuals born in Japan were resident in the UK.

Small numbers of Japanese people travelled to Britain around the middle of the 19th century and most were government officials or students.

Around the time of World War I, Japanese migration to Britain increased as Japan's economy expanded rapidly and Japanese organisations, usually trading firms and banks, shifted some of their workers to Britain to set up shop.

By the time World War II had started, most Japanese had returned to their homeland and those who remained in Britain were sent back home. The small British Japanese community was eradicated and it was not rebuilt until the 1980s when the booming Japanese economy once again brought branches of Japanese firms to Britain's capital city.

Japanese cars and electrical goods like the Sony Walkman filled the shops and British Japanese communities flourished once again.

The Japanese influence on British life is evident in the growing number of Japanese restaurants cropping up across the nation and Japan's stylistic influence on British design has been in full swing since the 1870s.

British furniture and textile design has been inspired by Japanese styles, from black lacquered sideboards to delicate and intricately designed screens.

One of the most famous Japanese dishes has to be sushi rolls and you won't have to go very far if you want to find a restaurant that serves some. Udon and soba noodle dishes, teriyaki and tempura are all popular Japanese dishes widely available throughout the United Kingdom.

If you fancy making your own Japanese cuisine then you need a few essentials. Nori seaweed sheets are perfect for making your own sushi rolls and wasabi, a hot horseradish paste that is often mixed with soy sauce to make a spicy dip, can be easily picked up in larger supermarkets, along with most essentials.

Japanese supermarkets are common as well so you can always locate your local one if you want to purchase special ingredients.

Soft drinks such as cold teas, CC Lemon, Calpis and Pocari Sweat are the perfect accompaniment to your meal and if you feel like something a little stronger then look out for sake as well as Japanese beer such as Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo.

Japanese tea is another culinary delight to look out for. The best known white teas are from the province of Fujian and Japan Sencha is one of the most popular traditional teas.

The ability to make cheap calls to Japan simply by using the internet means you can chat to friends, family or business colleagues there without spending a penny. There are several organisations that provide a telephone service used over the internet which means you can call the orient without paying the price.

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