At a Glance

Official Name: Japan

Continent: Asia

Area: 144,687 square miles (374,744 sq km)

Population: 126,771,662

Capital City: Tokyo

Largest City: Tokyo (7,800,000)

Unit of Money: Yen

Major Languages: Japanese (official)

Natural Resources: Fish

The Place

Japan is a large archipelago off the east coast of Asia. The country has four main islands and more than 3,000 smaller ones. The islands cover more than 1,700 miles (2,736 km) of ocean from north to south. The Pacific Ocean extends to the east and the Sea of Japan to the west. Honshu, the largest island, measures 89,000 square miles (230,510 sq km). Three parallel mountain ranges extend across the northern part of the island. To the east, the Sendai Plain lies along the Pacific Ocean. To the west of the ranges, the Echigo Plain borders the Sea of Japan. The Japanese Alps are in the center of Honshu and reach the country's highest point of 12,388 feet (3,776 m) at Mount Fuji. Lying to the east of the Alps is the Kanto Plain, Japan's largest lowland area, where many crops grow.

History

The Yamato clan were the first recorded rulers of Japan. They loosely controlled other large families in the area around 400 C.E. The area was influenced greatly by China throughout the 700s, and set up a similar court system. In 1192, the Minamoto clan took power and set up a military government. The military dictator was called a shogun. A line of shoguns ruled Japan for the next 700 years.

In 1868, the shogun system was overthrown and Emperor Meiji took power. A parliamentary government was formed in 1889. In a series of wars, Japan took over land from neighboring countries in Asia, which eventually led to World War II. These aggressive conquests ended when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945, ending World War II.

The People

About 80% of all Japanese live on the island of Honshu. Most people live in the mountain valleys. The second-most-populated island is Kyushu, home to 11% of the Japanese people. Many cities are located in the northwest. Hokkaido is home to about 5% of Japanese. Many of the island's residents work in dairy farming, fishing, and forestry. Only 3% of the population lives on Shikoku. Most live in the north, where the land meets the Sea of Japan.

More than three-quarters of the Japanese people live in urban areas. Big cities, especially Tokyo, are

Education

Education is a top priority in Japan. Children attend 6 years of elementary school, usually followed by 3 years of junior high school. Almost the entire primary school population goes to school, while about 96% of junior high school children do. Students spend much of their time in school—they even attend schools for half a day on Saturday. Their summer vacations last from late July through August.

Many students study hard to attend prestigious private high schools. This education lasts for 3 years. If their grades are good enough, they may attend one of Japan's more than 500 universities. A university student is evaluated more by the quality of the school he or she attends than by the grades earned there. There are twice as many male graduate students than there are female.

Popular Culture/Daily Life

Sports are very popular in Japan. Both children and adults throughout the country enjoy participating in and watching various events. Some of the most popular sports include baseball, gymnastics, tennis, bowling, and golf. Kendo, a native sport, is a form of fencing that uses bamboo sticks. Martial arts, which include judo, karate, and aikido, are also widely practiced. Another popular sport, sumo, is a wrestling match between men weighing as much as 400 pounds.

In their free time, many Japanese also enjoy reading, watching television, and going to the movies. There are many festivals in the country. The New Year's Festival is one of the most popular, and people hold large feasts for family and friends. Many Japanese also like to travel and frequently visit other countries.