Sites used http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/japan.html
FAST/QUICK FACTS ABOUT JAPAN
Website Used: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/japan.html
- The Japanese name for Japan is “Nihon” or “Nippon” which means “sun origin”
- Japan belongs to the continent of Asia. Japan is an island nation surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West
- Japan is made up of 6,852 islands
- The highest point in Japan in Mount Fuji, which stands at 3,776m (12,388ft)
- As of July 2012, there are over 127 million people living in Japan (127,368,088), which is the tenth largest population in the world
- Tokyo is the capital city of Japan and also the largest city. Other major cities include Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo
- Japanese is the official language of Japan
JAPAN'S CALTURE |
Web Site Used: http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring01/Newsome/culture.html
|
The Japanese culture is a multi-layered and complex system that has been developing within itself and forming new layers for thousands of years. When Westerners think of Japanese culture, perhaps one of the first images that spring to mind is one of an ancient Samurai warrior wielding his heavy sword, or perhaps they picture a young Geisha, pouring tea and serving sushi. While these elements do play some role in the entire concept of Japan as a whole, the entire meaning and history of the nation is larger than that. The Ainu are the indigenous people who occupied Northern Honshu, Hokkaido and some of the islands to the north of Hokkaido. They are genetically different, that is a different race, to the other populations in Japan. The Ainu religion is very different to the main Japanese religions of Buddhism and Shinto. The Ainu worshiped as gods objects in nature including fire, water, wind and thunder. In addition they had animal gods such as bears, foxes, owls and plant gods. The clothing traditionally worn by the Ainu was different to the clothing worn by Japanese at the time when the two people started to come into contact, early 1700s. The same is also the case for their housing, which was constructed of bark and grasses including bamboo. The houses were normally about seven by five metres.
|
JAPAN'S HISTORY |
Japan is an island nation that has well over 6000 islands. The four largest islands make up by far the majority of the country's land. In the 8th century, Japan became unified into a strong state ruled by an emperor. In 794, Emperor Kammu moved the capital to what is today Kyoto. This started Japan's Heian period where much of today's distinct Japanese culture emerged including art, literature, poetry, and music. In the 10th and 11th centuries Japan entered into a feudal era. During this time the samurai, a ruling class of warriors, came into power. The leader of the most powerful clan of samurais was called the shogun. In 1467 a civil war broke out call the Onin War. It was between the shogun and the feudal warlords, called daimyo. Japan was once again unified in 1590 under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the 1500s the Portuguese arrived in Japan. They began to trade and learn about European society and the west. However, in the 1630s the shogun closed the country to outside contact and trade. This policy was called sakoku. Japan would remain closed to foreigners for over 200 years. In 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States forced Japan to reopen relations with the rest of the world. Japan became an empire ruled by an emperor. In World War II Japan allied with the Axis Powers of Germany and Italy. On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the United States bombing Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This caused the United States to enter the war on the side of the Allies. Japan surrendered in 1945 when the US dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1947 Japan adopted a constitution with a democratic government. Since then Japan has grown into a powerful nation with one of the world's largest economies.
|
FUN FACTS ABOUT JAPAN
|
|
|