Japan Map

0: Japan

1: Japanese Fighting

Japanese fightingSamurai created martial arts. There are many different kinds of martial arts like judo and kendo. They both require discipline and concentration. There is also kung fu and sumo wrestling. Japanese fighting is so cool!

2: The Atomic Bomb

The Atomic BombThe atomic bomb was dropped on Japan on August 6, 1945. The place that the Americans picked to drop the bomb on was Hiroshima. After the Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb, Colonel Paul Tibbets, quickly steered the plane to safety. After the atomic bomb exploded the EnolaGayâ??s crew cried out â?? My God what have we done?" Finally, I think the Atomic bomb was not a good idea, but this is how we got our freedom.

3: Baseball

BaseballBaseball is huge in Japan. Some awesome Japanese MLB baseball players are Daisuke Matsuzaka, Ichiro Suzuki, and Hideki Matsui. Some Japanese baseball teams are the Orix Blue Wave and the Osaka Red Dragons. Two famous ballparks in Japan are the Tokyo dome and the Shiro dome. Finally, the main Japanese baseball teams are located on Honshu.

4: Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. It is one of the biggest cities in the world. Tokyo has a population of 13 million people. Tokyo is located on the east coast of Honshu. In the center of Tokyo is the Imperial Palace. Japan is a proud nation. Much of Tokyo was destroyed during the earthquakes in 1923.

5: Pacific Ring of Fire

Pacific Ring of FireJapan is located in the center Pacific Ring of Fire. The Pacific Ring of Fire is a part of the Pacific Ocean where there are many earthquakes and volcanoes. As many as 1,500 earthquakes are recorded yearly in Japan. Over the years, the Japanese has learned to live with volcanoes and earthquakes.

6: The Sapporo Snow Festival

The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of Japanâ??s largest winter events. The number of visitors to this event increases every year. The snow festival has many amazing statues and sculptures all made out of snow and ice! The snow festival started in 1950, when local high school students built amazing statues. Finally, the snow festival is considered a festival of international â?? caliber.

7: Geography of Japan-land

Geography of Japan- land Japan is an island east of the contintent ofAsia. Japan has 6,825 islands, but onlyfour main islands. The main islands are called Hokkaido,Shikoku, Honshu, and Kyushu. Japanâ??s tallest mountain is Mount Fuji. Japanâ??s capital isTokyo. Many people around the world travel to Japan.-

8: Mount Fuji

Mount FujiMount Fuji is a famous mountain in Japan. It is 12,388 feet tall and is an inactive volcano. During August and July you may climb Mount Fuji. If you climb Mt. Fuji be sure to stay for sunrise or sunset because the views are spectacular. Finally Mount Fuji is in a Japanese national park.

9: Japanese food

Japanese FoodJapanese food is usually eaten with chopsticks. Most of the Japanese eat fish and have rice as theircenterpiece of their meal. The Japanese have afavorite food, called sushi. Sushi is made out of a lot of different kinds of fish. Japanese eat their mealssitting on the floor with low tables. Their food is very healthy.

10: Japanese inventions

Japanese InventionsJapan has many inventions. Some inventions are robots, computers, cameras, and other appliances. The Japanese own Nissan, Toyota, Suzuki, Honda, Lexus, and Mazda car companies. These items are sold all around the world because of their low price and high quality.

11: Geography of Japan- Water

Japan is an island, so it is surrounded by water. To the north of Japan is the Sea of Okhotsk. To the west is the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, the Seto Inland Sea is to the south, and the Pacific Ocean is to the east. Japan also has a lot of lakes and rivers. Some of their names are Lake Sai, Lake Tanuki , Sumida River, and the Tama River. So, if you ever visit Japan, make sure you visit their bodies of water.

12: Sumo wrestlers

Sumo wrestlers There are rituals before sumo wrestlers start matches. Sumo wrestlers wear very heavy belted loincloths when they fight. The way sumo wrestling works is there are two large wrestlers that try to push each other out of a straw ring. The matches mostly end in less than a minute because it is very hard to keep all of your body parts (except for your feet) off the ground. An interesting fact is that sumo wrestlers are required to live together. Finally, one of the greatest sumo wrestlers of all times is Takanohana.

13: The Bullet Train

The Bullet trainA futuristic train in Japan is the bullet train. The Japanese word for Bullet Train is Shinkansen. In 1966, the Bullet Trains became the first 100 MPH passenger train service. People like the BulletTrains because they are reliable and safe. Finally, the Japanese are constantly improving the Bullet Train to make it faster.

14: Nintendo

NintendoNintendo was founded on September 23, 1889 in Kyoto, Japan. The company was first a card company, but in 1966, Nintendo became a videogame company. Nintendo then came out with their first videogame system, the Ultra Hand! Nintendo is still making awesome videogames like Pokemon, Mario, and Sonic.

15: Clothing

ClothingJapanese wear many different stylesof clothing. Young people, men, and womencan wear a kimono. A kimono is a beautiful robewith patterns on it. Kimonos are made out of bright colored silk. The kimono was a sign of wealth.The more kimonos a person wore, the richer they were.Japanese can also wear western clothing. WesternClothing is made in the U.S., it is the clothing we would wear.

16: Red crown crane

There are many animals in Japan. But my favorite animal is the red crowned crane. The red crowned crane is Japanâ??s national bird. It is the worldâ??s largest crane. People call it the red crown crane because it has a red dot on its head and it looks like a crown.

17: Religion

ReligionJapan has two main religions, Shinto and Buddhist. The Shinto people believe that there are ancient spirits in nature including the wind, the trees, the sea, and the mountains. Some Japanese homes have â??god shelvesâ?, they are used for giving offerings to the gods. In the sixth century Buddhism was brought to Japan. Buddhist go to temples to pray. Some Buddhist have alters in their homes to honor their ancestors.

18: Calligraphy

CalligraphyCalligraphy is the Japanese writing. In Japan, books are printed from wooden writing blocks. They use characters instead of letters. There are different requirements such as shitajiki, which is a black, soft mat; a bunchin, which is a metal stick used to hold down the paper; hanshi, which is the paper used to write; a fude is a brush; a suzuri, which is a container for the ink, and finally, a sumi, which is solid black material that must be rubbed in water. There are three types of calligraphy such as, Kaisho a square style; Gyosho, which is a semi cursive style. Finally, shosho which is a cursive style. Calligraphy is a very interesting kind of writing!

19: Origami

OrigamiOrigami is a very popular craft in Japan. Dogs, birds, and other animals are made from one single piece of paper. Origami is growing around the world in popularity. In fact, in recent years origami has developed in seventeen other countries. There is a tradition that if a person is sick friends and family make a thousand paper cranes as a prayer. Origami is a great way to be creative.

20: Tatami Mats

Tatami MatsTatami mats are very special to Japan. A tatami is a straw mat. All tatami mats are the same size. Some tatamis can have patterns on them. When a person enters a house, they would never step on a tatami with their shoes on, only slippers. Also, tatamis are very soft and comfortable. The Japanese think that tatami mats feel like soft fluffy cushions. All tatamis are brown, the inventor of tatami mats chose that color. The Japanese will remember tatami mats forever.

21: The God of Thunder

The god of thunder is named Raijin. He got his name because rai means thunder and jin means god in Japanese. Sometimes pictures show him as a demon pounding drums to make thunder. There is also a symbol on the drums. Finally, people show Raijin with the wind god Fugin in Japanese mythology because they are friends.

22: samurai

SamuraiSamurais were heroes in Japan. The meaning of Samurai is someone who serves. The samuraiâ??s three main weapons were swords, guns, and bow and arrows. The Samurai made a techniquecalled martial arts by fighting off their enemies when they lost their weapons. Samurais were brave warriors.

23: The Tea Ceremony

The Tea CeremonyThe Tea Ceremony is important to the Japanese. The Tea Ceremony takes place in a room called chashitsu. In the chashitsu, there are no decorations except an alcove called a tokonoma. When the guests arrive, they are offered some hot water, then led into a garden. Instead of giving cups to all the guests, they drink the tea from a teacup, wipe off the rim, and give the cup to another person! It takes two hours to make the tea. Finally, The Tea Ceremony takes about three hours to finish.

24: handmade Paper

Handmade PaperWashi is the Japanese word for handmade paper. Many people call it rice paper but the paper is not made from rice. The first step to making handmade paper is to get inner bark from three kinds of plants. Then, pound the plants into mush and mix with a solution to produce a thick pasty substance. Next, this paste is spread onto bamboo mesh screens. After that when the solution has dried, sheets of paper are carefully pulled off the screens. Patterned Washi paper makes gift wrap. Finally, the Washi is sold in many towns and people love to write on it.

25: Farming

Japan is one of the biggest importing countries of farming products. Japanâ??s main crop is rice patties. But, they also grow potatoes, mandarin oranges, watermelons, and tea. When some Japanese farmers farm, they use machines while others use their hands. So if you ever eat Japanese food in Japan, be thankful for farmers because most of Japan's food comes from farmers.

26: Kubuki Theater

Kubuki Theater is highly stylized Japanese dance and drama. Kubuki is kmown for men who dress up as women in plays. The Theater of Kubuki is sometimes translated as â??The art of singing and dancing. If you want to visit Kubuki, it is located in the Ginza, district of Tokyo.

27: Japanese Schools

At most schools in Japan a uniform is required. The first thing a child does in a school day is bow to their teacher. Japanese children start school at age six, and start learning English in middle school! Japanese children also go to school a half day on Saturday. They learn math, social studies, art, music, and computer. Japanese and U.S. schools are similar in some ways but different in other ways too.

28: Cherry Blossoms

Cherry BlossomsCherry Blossoms are the national flower of Japan. They are used for the art of flower arranging. Cherry Blossoms were important to the samurai. The samurai saw the Cherry Blossom as a symbol of themselves. Every year thousands of people see the little pink flowers called the Cherry Blossom. The Cherry Blossoms is the most beautiful flower in Japan.

29: puppets and plays

Puppets and PlaysJapanâ??s best known traditional theater has been one of the countyâ??s most popular entertainments. These plays are filled with sword fights, dancing, and music. These plays last about five to six hours. The puppets theatre is called Bunraku. The puppets are four feet high. Two to three people can move one of the puppets at a time. The puppets sometimes sing Japanese music, American music, and other music. Everyone enjoys the flawless puppet shows.

30: Japanese Hot Springs

Hot Springs are a central feature of Japanese tourism. Also hot springs draw hundreds of people each year because the hot springs are so relaxing. Japanese hot springs have natural water from springs. Hot Springs are supposed to have healing powers because of its minerals.

31: Japanese Fans

Japanese FansJapanese fans are similar to Asian fans. People in Japan think the fan symbolizes the way of life. Legend says that the handle represents the beginning of life and the ribs represent roads going to different places. Fans come in many shapes, colors, and sizes and are sometimes given as gifts.

32: Sword Making

Sword MakingNihonto is a Japanese sword. Nihontos are an ancient weapon to the Japanese. There are a good amount of nihontos in Japan. One of them is called a katana, it is usually long, single edged and curved. It also was worn by samurai in the 1400s. Some other nihontos are wakizasi, tsurugi, odachi, maginata, and yari. Some other nihontos are still seen today. A shinogi/the middle ridge is the most noticed part of the sword. The tip of a nihonto is considered an extremely important characteristic. A nihontâ??s tip is not chipped like spears or wooden knives. Nihontos are made by hand not machine. I think sword making is so cool.

33: Japan's Transportation

Japan's Transportation There are many different kinds of transportation in Japan. At one time, most people got around by walking until railroads were built. Today in Japan, many people drive cars. Some types of cars are Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. Did you know people in Japan drive on the left-side of the road? Toll roads connect major cities. Today, many people use high speed trains because they are so punctual.

34: Japan Flag

Japan FlagJapan, also known as Nippon is called the Land of the Rising Sun. There is a red circle in the middle of the Japanese flag that represents the rising sun. Red also represents hardiness, bravery, strength, and valour. The white part of the flag represents peace and honesty. The Japanese national flag was adopted on August 13th 1999.

35: Climate

ClimateJapanâ??s islands stretch so far the weather varies a lot. It has four seasons just like America. Summer lasts from May through early September. Fall runs from September through November. It can get so windy in the Fall that it can cause typhoons. Winter goes through November to February.