JAPAN FROM A-Z

• The history of DAMS and reservoirs in Japan dates back many centuries, and a number of ancient earthen dams are still in use. The country has over 2,000 dams in service for water supply, hydropower, and flood control. When completed, the Kazunogawa Power Plant will be the largest hydro plants in Japan. The Takase Revine has 3 dams, and the Takase Dam is one of the highest dams in the world. Kurobe Gorge is the deepest gorge in Japan, and Kurobe Dam is the highest arc-style dam in the country. Some Lakes have dams. Lake Daisetsu was created by a rock and earth dam across the Ishikawa River. Japan has over 50 Nuclear Power Plants. Japan has favorable conditions for the development of geothermal energy.

• The remains of DINOSAURS have been found in Japan including those of the Nodosaur. Several museums in the country have Dinosaur Exhibits. A variety of Fossils have been found in Japan.

• Japan is divided into DISTRICTS and wards The country has 11 regions that are divided into 47 Prefectures. The country has several geographic regions.

• Japan has experienced many EARTHQUAKES. The USGS has a special page for kids about Earthquakes. Earthquakes under the sea produce tidal waves called Tsunamis.

• EDUCATION in Japan is compulsory from Elementary thru Junior High. The Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau is responsible for establishing curriculum standards at those levels. Take a virtual tour of the Aichi Center for Japanese Studies.

• Japan has many EVENTS and festivals throughout the year. Aoi Matsuri is said to be the oldest festival in the world. Snow Festivals are held during the winter in northern Japan, and Sapporo has ice carvings. During the Doll's Festival, mothers and daughters show handmade dolls to friends and family. Special symbols on Children's Day are carp streamers and irises. Japan has a wide range of entertainment including nightlife, sports, and amusement parks.

• Many species of FISH are found in the waters surrounding Japan including several Game Fish. Over 200 species of freshwater fish are found in the lakes and rivers of the country. Aquaculture accounts for almost 1/2 of the coastal fish produced in the country. Fly Fishing is a relative new sport in Japan. The Ichthyological Society of Japan was established to study fish. Fish are often mentioned in poetry and comic verse and appear in various emblems.

• The National Flag is white with a red circle in the center. It is called the "Hi no Maru" which means "The circle which is the sun". Prefectures and some cities have their own Flag.

• Japan has a variety of FOOD including regional specialties. Chopsticks are used to eat. Seafoods include fish, seaweed, and eels. There are hundreds of varieties of sushi and it is not restricted to raw fish. Tea is the drink of Japan and a formal Tea Ceremony is an art form. The Hairy Crab is one of the delicacies of Hokkaido.

• Japan has many FORESTS and some are set aside as conservation sites. National Forests account for 30% of the wooded area in Japan. There are 3 threatened bird species that breed in the forests on the main southern islands of Japan. The Japanese Night-heron and Fairy Pitta are mainly confined to lowland forests in southern Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, and Yellow Bunting nests only in mid-altitude forests in the mountains of Honshu. Another 8 threatened species breed on small islands in the Izu islands, Ogasawara islands, and Nansei Shoto. These include the Okinawa Rail and Okinawa Woodpecker, which are endemic to the forests of Okinawa, and Amami Thrush, which is found only on Amami and nearby small islands.

• GARDENS in Japan are divided into several types – modern garden, paradise garden, dry landscape garden, tea garden, and stroll garden. Tea Gardens are a place for Tea Ceremonies. Hill Gardens have artificial hills. Flat Gardens have stone, sand, and gravel. Kairakuen Garden is one of the three great gardens of Japan. The Botanical Gardens of the Batchelor Memorial Museum in Sapparo has over 5,000 varieties of plants

• The GLOBAL POSTION of Japan is approximately 35° North latitutde and 139° East longitude. The highest place is Mt. Fuji, and the lowest is Hachiro-gata. Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt using a global positioning system. Japan has many geocaches.

• Japan has a Constitutional Monarchy with a Parliamentary GOVERNMENT and was the first Asian country to introduce a parliamentary system which is called the Diet. The Emperor is the Head of State and the Prime Minster is the Head of Government. The Imperial Family is the oldest heriditary monarch in the world and descends from an unbroken lineage nearly 2,000 years old. The Chrysanthemum is the floral emblem of the Imperial Family which is called the Chrysanthemum Throne.

• The HISTORY of Japan dates back to about 10,000 B.C. and the country is divided into several periods. The Early periods included Nara,Heian Periods, Kamakura Period, Muromachi Period, and Azuchi-Momoyana Period. Subsequent periods were Edo Period, Meiji Period, Militarism WW2, and Post War.

• Japan has a variety of HISTORIC SITES. The Hida Minzoku Mura Folklore Village demonstrates rural life in Medieval Japan. Nakabaru Vestige on Henzu Island is the remains of a village approximately 2500-2000 years old.

• Japan celebrates a variety of HOLIDAYS. The biggest holidays are New Year and Golden Week. The Gregorian calendar has been used in Japan since 1873. There are Lucky and Unlucky Days. During the year, the country has Public Holidays

• INDUSTRIES in Japan include electronic equipment, automobiles, chemicals, textiles, and processed foods. Construction and manufacturing are major industries. Toyoto, Nissan, and Mazda offer tours of their plants.

• Japan has a variety of INSECTS. Click here for some pictures. The Giant Wood Spider is the largest spider in the country.

• Japan is made up of thousands of ISLANDS. The 4 main islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Artificial islands and peninsulas have been built. The Yaeyama islands have some of the best scuba diving in Asia. Shiraho Reef on the South East tip of Ishigaki Island has the largest expanse of blue coral in the world, and Kabiri Bay on the north shore has a cultured black peal industry. Irishu omote Island is forest and jungle. The entire island of Miyajima is called Shrine Island. Shikoku is a mountainous wooded island and is the smallest of the 14 main island. Yonaguni Island is at the southernmost tip of Japan.

• JAZZ is popular in Japan and Jazz Clubs are located throughtout the country. Japan has Symphony Orchestras and most belong to the Association of Japan Symphony Orchestra. Tokyo has Opera Companies and a Symphony Orchestra. The National Anthem is Kimigayo.

• Japan has KARST, caves, and caverns. Akiyoshi Plateau is the largest karst plateau in Japan and the most spacious limestone cavern in Asia. It was created when a 300 million-year-old underground coral reef was pushed up to the surface by the displacement of the earth's plate and has limestone in a variety of forms. The Shuho-do Cavern is the largest limestone cavern in the Asia and some of the cave is open to the public. Gyokusendo Cave in Okinawa is the largest stalactite grotto in Japan.

• Many aspects of life in Japan focus on KIDS. Kids Web Japan has activities for kids and information about the country.

• Japan has many LAKES Lake Biwa is the largest lake in the country. Lake Shikaribetsu freezes over in the winter and a village of igloos is built for winter weddings and a festival in March. Lake Akan is a crater lake and is famous for its duckweed which is found in only a few lakes around the world.

• The LANGUAGE in Japan is called Japanese. Poetry began as a language of the aristocrats. Haiku concentrates on a thought in a brief way. Renga is a linked poem with strict rules - 1 person writes 2 lines another 2 lines and so on. English is taught in school.

• Many LIBRARIES are located throughout Japan including Public Libraries and Academic Libraries. There is a National Diet Library. Japan has many a href="http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/folk/index.html"> Folk Legends.

• Japan has many LIGHTHOUSES. Some lighthouses are open to the public and have museums. The lighthouse at Sakai is the oldest wooden, western-style lighthouse in Japan and is a national historic site. The tallest lighthouse in Japan is the Steel Marine Tower in Yokohama.

• Japan has a variety of MINERALS including gold, magnesium, and silver. The Geological Survey of Japan is responsible for national mineral development.

• The islands of Japan are have many MOUNTAINS with the plains and intermontane basins only accounting for 25% of the national territory. Central Japan is marked by the convergence of three mountain chains that form the Hida Mountains which are sometimes called the Japanese Alps. Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in the country.

• Japan has a wide variety of MUSEUMS including a Toy Museum. Abashiri and a museum dedicated to preserving the heritage of a small tribe of nomadic reindeer herders who live on Sakhalin Island.

• The name Japan is thought to come from the word "Jipang" which Marco Polo brought from China in the 13th century. The Japanese names for Japan are Nippon, which is used for most official purposes, and Nihon, which is a more casual term. Both names literally mean "The Land of the Rising Sun". Before Japan had relations with China, it was known as Yamato. Wa was a name early China used to refer to Japan. the Cantonese word for Japan, from which the word Japan probably originated, is Jatbun. In Malay the Cantonese word became Japang and was thus encountered by Portuguese traders in Malacca in the 16th century who brought the name to Europe. It was first recorded in English in 1577 spelled Giapan. In English, the official title of the country is simply "Japan". The official Japanese title is Nipponkoku or Nihonkoku, literally "State of Japan." Traditionally the family name is followed by given name. Many cities have nicknames

• Japan has many OBSERVATORIES and some are open to the public. The Kiso Observatory has the 4th largest Schmidt telescope in the world. The Observatory at Nobeyama has Radio Astronomy Observatories. The Corona Observatory at Norikura conducts cosmic ray experiments. The observatory at Chikurin Jisan has a 188-centimeter reflecting telescope, the biggest in Asia.At

• The Pacific Ocean is to the east of Japan. The Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea are to the north, the Sea of Japan is to the northwest, the East China Sea is to the southwest, and the Philippines Sea is to the south. July 20 is Oceans Day. The USGS provides information on why the ocean is salty.

• ORIGAMI is part of Japanese culture and an form of art. It was first created for special ceremonies and is passed down from generation to generation. Each origami shape has a special meaning and most are made from one square of paper. Because of Sadako Sasaki, origami cranes have become a sign of peace.

• Japan has many PARKS including 28 National Parks. There are also Theme and Amusement Parks, Water Parks, and Food Theme Parks. The largest National Park is Daisetsuzan National Park which has volcanoes, lakes, and forests. Uneno Park is one of the most extensive green spaces in Tokyo.

• Japan has a population of over 127 million PEOPLE. The ancestors of the Ainu were the original inhabitants of Japan and lived in a settlement in Hokkaido. Famous People include singers, actors, wrestlers, and sports players.

• Japan has many PORTS, Harbors, and Marinas. Major ports are Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Kobe. Nearly everything imported to Japan come through ports. There are more than 2,000 fishing ports. Hakodate has been a fishing ports since the 18th century and was one of the first to be opened to trade with the west.

• Take a QUIZ about Japan. Take a quiz about Hello Kitty.

• The growing interest in QUILTING in Japan is attributed to a number of American Quilt exhibits held in the country. An International Great Quilt Festival is held in The Tokyo Dome Stadium. Sashiko Quilting and Origami Quilting originated in Japan.

• RELIGION is an integral part of life in Japan. The major religions are Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto means “the way of the gods” and encompases the spiritual essence of all things living and non-living. Buddhism is a philosophy that is simple and intellectually satifying. The Great Buddha was cast in 1252.

• Japan has a variety of REPTILES including turtles, lizards, geckoes, and snakes. There are also many amphibians including salamanders, newts, and frogs and toads. frogs and toads. Frogs are thought to bring good luck.

• Japan has many RIVERS. Due to the mountainous nature of the terrain, most rivers are short, fast flowing, and shallow. The longest river in Japan is the Shinano River which flows from the mountains of the Chubu region through Niigata Prefecture to the Sea of Japan. Most rivers are not navigable, and a network of ports, harbors, and highways serve as transportation of goods.

• There are about 90,000 SHRINES in Japan. The easiest way to distinguish between a Shrine and a Temple is that when you enter a shrine, you pass through an arched torii gate that has two vertical pillars with two horizontal crossbeams. The Grand Shrine of Ise is the spiritual center of all the shrines in Japan and is torn down and rebuilt every 20 years. The Itsukushima Shrine is a World Heritage site. the Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine is the oldest and largest shrine in Japan.

• Playing and watching SPORTS is a popular pasttime in Japan. Baseballis the most popular sport. Several games were invented in Japan including Judo, Karate, and video games. The 1998 Winter Olympics were held in Nagano. The Japan Game Fish Association promotes fishing as a sport

• Japan has an official TARTAN. It was inspired by the cherry blossoms.

• Japan has many TEMPLES and every Japanese municipality has at least one. The oldest structure in Japan is a temple in Nara. Kinkakuji Temple is famous for its golden exterior. Ryoanji Temple is famous for its Zen rock gardens. Shofukuji Temple is the oldest Zen temple in the country. Zenkoji Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage temple in the country.

• Japan has all forms of TRANSPORTATION. The railway system in Japan leads the world in terms of safety, efficiency, and comfort, and there are both Public and Private Railways. The country has several airports including 2 International Airports. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructer, and Transportation of the National Government issues License Plates for Motor Vehicles. Seiken Tunnel is the longest in the world and runs under the Tsugari Straits. Many large cities have subway systems. The country has a network of local city and rural buses. Frequent ferry services connect the main islands of Japan and local ferries connect all populated small islands.

• Japan has a variety of TREES. The country does not have an official tree, but many of its prefectures do. The blossom of the cherry tree and the chrysanthemum are the unofficial National Flower. Evergreens include the larch, spruce, and many varieties of fir. The camphor tree and banyan are found in the south, and the tea plant and wax tree are cultivated. The beech, willow, chestnut, and many conifers are found in central and northern Honshu. Lacquer and mulberry trees are cultivated extensively, and the cypress, yew, box, holly, and myrtle are plentiful. The most common Japanese fruit trees are peach, pear, and orange. Pine trees symbolizes youth and longevity. They are used as a decorative plant in Japanese gardens and are popular for bonsai. Many tree species are grown as bonsai.

• Japan has 12 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List including the central part of the Shrakami Mountains and the island of Yakushima. Nikko Toshogu is a shrine and mausoleum to a warlord and is famous for its "see-no-evil, speak-no-evil, hear-no evil" monkey carvings. Horyuji is a Buddhist temple built between A.D. 670 and 714.

• Japan has over 100 UNIVERSITIES, colleges, and technical schools. Japan Student Services Organization holds an annual Japan Education Fair for students who wish to study at a university in Japan.

• Japan has a variety of VEGETATION. Flowers include the pimpernel, bluebell, gladiolus, many varieties of lily, and the tree peony. Few wild flowers are found. Over 700 species of 132 families of plants have been identified in Kaisho Forest. The Kushiro Marsh is the largest wetlands in Japan and has 600 species of plants. Flower Festival Commemorative Park in Gifu has a display garden of roses. Bambo groves are found in the tropical and temperate zones. Japaneses Irises have been developed in Japan over the centuries. In Hokkaido the vegetation is subarctic and similar to that of southern Siberia.

• Japan has both active and inactive VOLCANOES. They are part of 5 volcanic arcs and part of the northwest quadrant of the Ring of Fire. The Volcanological Society of Japan provides information about volcanoes in the country. Mount Usu and Showa-Shinzan are major tourist attractions in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. In 1978 Mount Usu on Hokaido erupted and volcanic ash covered 80% of the island. Showa-Shinzan is the newest volcano. It emerged in 1943 in the wheatfield of a farmer and over the next 2 years grew to its present hight of over 1,000 feet. Geothermal activity at thousands of sites has created natural hot springs. Dogon Hotsprings is over a thousand years old. Beppu Hot Springs has more than 3,000 hotsprings and is the largest spa resort in the country. The eruption of a volcano can cause a Tsunami.

Japan has many WATERFALLS. Sounkyo Gorge is renowned for its waterfalls. Minoo Waterfall is one of the best in the country and has been featured on a stamp. Fukuroda-no-taki Falls is said to be one of the most famous falls in Japan.

The WEATHER in Japan is temperate and there are 4 seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter. The northern Island of Hokkaid is cool and rainy with long cold winters and short warm summer. The southern island of Kyushu is subtropical and warm.

• Japan has a variety of WILDLIFE. Each area has different animals. Bears and deer live in the forests of Hokkaido. Macaques (snow monkey) live in colder areas.

• XMAS is the abbreviation for Christmas. Many aspects of Christmas can be seen in Japan much as in the rest of the world. In Japan Christmas is celebrated in different ways. In Japanese Merry Christmas is Merii Kurisumasu.

• YMCA organizations are located throughout Japan. The 1st YMCA in Japan was established in Tokyo in 1880.

• Japan has many YOUTH HOSTELS. including traditional and western. Most of them are in out-of-the-way places or on the edges of built-up areas. There are also Elderhostels. The country has nearly 3,000 official campsites.

• Japan is in the Japan Standard Time Zone, and Greenwich Mean Time is plus 9 hours (GMT+0900)

• Japan has many ZOOS and aquariums. The Asa Zoological Park has zoo animals, a petting zoo, and pony rides for kids. Tama Zoological Park has nearly 200 animals and several types of gardens. Toba Aquarium has nearly 1,000 species of 20,000 different sea animals. The Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world. Yokohama Sea Paradise has a 3 story aquarium with over 100,000 sea creatures and an escalator thru an underground world.

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