Japan consists
of four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
Japan has four
seasons and is located on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Japan's neighbor
countries are China, Korea, Taiwan, and Russia.
Japan is located
in the Far East, where the sun rises first.
The time difference
is 14 hours ahead of the US in winter (13 hours in summer).
The area of
Japan is 1/25 the area of the US.
The population
of Japan is about one half of the population of the US.
The population
density of Japan is 12 times of the population density of the US.
There are 47
prefectures (similar to US states).
The capital
of Japan is Tokyo.
Three-quarters
of Japan is covered by mountains.
Only 10% of
the land is lowland, which is used for rice production.
The highlands
are used for growing tea, fruits, and vegetables.
Japanese eat
rice (1/3), bread (1/3), and noodles (1/3).
Japanese eat
many types of fish cooked in various ways
The winter
temperature of Japan averages 17 degrees Fahrenheit in the north and 64
degrees
Fahrenheit in the south.
The summer
temperature averages 63 degrees Fahrenheit in the north and 84 degrees
Fahrenheit
in the south.
Japan has active
volcanoes and experiences frequently earthquake.
Japanese people
live close to each other; therefore, it is important for them to
care about and respect others.
Japan has a
lot of seasonal events such as participating in summer festivals and
watching cherry blossoms.
National holidays:
January 1 (New Year's Day), January 15 (Coming-of-Age
Day), February 11 (National Foundation Day), March 21 (Vernal Equinox
Day), April 29 (Green Day), May 3 (Constitution Day), May 5 (Children's
Day), September 15 (Respect-for-the-Aged Day), September 23 (Autumnal
Equinox Day), October 10 (Sports Day), November 3 (Cultural Day),
November 23 (Labor Thanksgiving Day), and December 23 (Emperor's
Birthday)
