JapanNippon: Land of the Rising

SunMrs. White

GeographyArchipelago-

with over 3000 islands.

4 main islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu & Shikoku

9 regions & 47 prefectures

Only 20% of the land is suitable for farming.

Misawa gets about 12 feet of snow yearly. Low temperatures: Nov- MarchMild temperatures: April-June

Hot/humid: July-October

January 2010

Exports & Imports-Biggest export: cars & electronics

-Import: food, oil, & wood

-Resources: zinc, copper, & coal,

-Rice farmers use trench farming

-My prefecture’s main export:

Apples!

JAPANESE CULTURE

Value teamwork & unityFamily/tradition comes

firstAnti-confrontational They ALL recycle! Very financially

responsibleRespect for elders

RELIGION:Main religions are Buddhism and Shinto.

Shinto: Ancient religion based on ancestral worship, 2

deities, & animism Buddhism: 18 deities, follow

Eightfold Path

Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)

*Hamani- Cherry Blossom Viewings

*Symbol of life, death, and rebirth.*Animism- part of Shinto belief; idea

that ALL living things have a spirit

Hirosaki Castle- built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan.Protection: moat, walls, and fences

Education Learn to write Japanese characters. Attend school Monday-Friday & some

Saturdays. Wear Uniforms & a strict schedule More academically competitive than other

countries 198 days of school- 6 weeks of summer breakBelow is the “juku”

school where I taught English.

Restrooms- Western-style on the left & the traditional Japanese toilet on the right

Vending Machines

Japanese Food… not like I expected!

Bullet Train- The Shinkansen

-Travels approx. 122 MPH-Each train carries over

1500 people.-Trains are never LATE.

Eart

hq

uake

s/Tsu

nam

is

Average of 1500

quakes yearly.

Occur often because Japan is located on the Ring of

Fire

Tohoku Earthquake- 3/11/119.0 quake- caused flooding, landslides, fires, infrastructure damage, & nuclear incidents. Shifted the main island of Japan eight feet. Largest recorded quake in Japanese history & 7th biggest quake ever in the world. Tsunami waves that followed: 6-23 feet http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8375389/Massive-tsunami-hits-Japan-after-earthquake.html Over 15,000 dead

Over 6,000 injuredOver 3,000 missing (probably dead)

Our home in Misawa was 190 miles away from epicenter of quake. After the initial quake: 31 earthquakes > 6.0 in 3 days. On 4/7- a 7.1 earthquake hit in almost the same spot. http://www.japanquakemap.com/

Resilient people- emotionally prepared for quake damage. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/8377303/Waiting-for-disaster-is-a-way-of-life-in-Japan.html