ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What role does Japan’s geography play through out the
history of Japan?
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To understand important factors of Japanese geography.
JAPAN
• The people call it Nippon (“source of the sun”)
• The capital is Tokyo• Japan is an archipelago - a
chain of islands• There are 4 major islands
and 3,000 minor• Comparative Distance
from Land– Japan - 115 Miles– Great Britain - 21 Miles
PEOPLE
• Japan is homogeneous there are also no ethnic minorities
• The Japanese have a strong sense of national identity
Population Population ComparisonsComparisons
61126
1,250
7 40
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
Population in Millions
ThailandJapanChinaHong KongSingapore
The 4 Major Islands
• Volcanic Islands
• Hokkaido- in the north; the most isolated
• Honshu - largest and the most populated
• Shikoku - southeast
• Kyushu - furthest south; closest to Korea
• Inland Sea - used for trade
LAND AND CLIMATE
• Japan is about the size of Montana
• 4/5 of the islands are mountainous
• The lowlands are densely populated 20,000 people per square mile
CLIMATE
• Japan is humid continental and humid subtropical
• The winters are moderate and the summers are warm
• The islands receive plenty of rain for crops
• The main crop is rice but not enough is grown to feed the entire population
RESOURCES
• Fish is a major part of the diet
• Japan has few natural resources
• Japan’s desire for natural resources was one cause of their support for the Germans in WWII.
• It must import raw materials
• Japan depends on world trade
Rice FarmerRice Farmer’’s s Farmhouse:Farmhouse:Okutsu Town, Okayama Okutsu Town, Okayama PrefecturePrefecture
Different Climates and Seasons Different Climates and Seasons in Japanin Japan
FallFall WinterWinter
SpringSpring SummerSummer
Mt. Fuji
• Active Volcano• 12,388 Ft. High• Called Fuji-San by the
Japanese• Summit believed to be
sacred. Forbidden to women until the 1860s.
Global Tectonic PlatesGlobal Tectonic PlatesJapan -- On the Japan -- On the ““Fire RimFire Rimof the Pacificof the Pacific””
Ginza Ruins After The Great Ginza Ruins After The Great Kanto Earthquake -- Tokyo, Kanto Earthquake -- Tokyo, 19231923
Over 100,000 dead!Over 100,000 dead!
Kobe Earthquake -- January Kobe Earthquake -- January 17, 199517, 1995
► 7.2 Richter 7.2 Richter scalescale
► 5,500 deaths5,500 deaths