2018 Festival’s Countries- JAPAN

Japan is an archipelago, or string of islands, on the eastern edge of Asia.
There are four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and nearly 4,000 smaller islands!

The area of Japan is slightly smaller in land mass than California.

Japan is the only country in the world with a reigning emperor. Emperors have no real power, but they are still revered as a symbol of the country’s traditions and unity.

Tokyo, a megalopolis and the capital of Japan, is located on Honshu island. Central Tokyo has a population of 12 million people, with the population of the Greater Tokyo Area estimated at over 35 million people. Tokyo is also known for its skyscrapers, shopping, and pop culture.

Japan has dense cities, imperial palaces, mountainous national parks and thousands of shrines and temples.

The Japanese people have a deep affection for the beauty of the landscape. Almost four-fifths of Japan is covered with mountains. The Japanese Alps run down the center of the largest island, Honshu. The highest peak is Mount Fuji, a cone-shaped volcano considered sacred by many Japanese. Some mountainous areas have been terraced (had step-like areas cut into them) to allow farmers to grow rice and other crops.

The climate is good for farming, with rice being the chief crop. About half of Japan’s arable land (land able to be farmed) is devoted to growing rice.

Japan can be a dangerous place. Three of the tectonic plates that form Earth’s crust meet nearby and often move against each other, causing earthquakes. More than a thousand earthquakes hit Japan every year. Japan also has about 200 volcanoes, 60 of which are active.

Japan is the second – largest economy in the world. Japan’s high-tech industry makes some of the most popular electronic products in the world

The Japanese are famous for their willingness to work very hard. Children are taught to show respect for others, especially parents and bosses. They learn to do what’s best for their family or company and worry less about their own needs.