Natural resources/Arable land

Arable land means land that can be used to grow things on.

Not much of Japan's land is arable. Why do you think this is?

Japan only grows enough food for about 40% of its people. Things such as wheat,corn,many kinds of fruit etc are brought in from other countries. Here is a picture of what one family eats in one week.

Japan also needs to get a lot of its energy from other countries, especially oil.

Japan does have energy sources though. Coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and hydro power power a lot of the country.

Japan is also one of the most energy-efficient developed economies in the world.

Deposits of gold, magnesium, and silver can be found but other minerals are brought in from other countries.

Japan is an export nation. This means it gets a lot of materials such as oil, minerals, wood and so on and then turns them into things such as cameras, cars, televisions which are then sold to people like us.

Vegetation and Nature

Look at the map first. What do you see? A lot of green, right?

Japan has many regions of vegetation. There is tropical forest, temperate forest, and coniferous forest. Temperate means most of the trees lose their leaves in the winter. Coniferous forest means that tress that do not have leaves, but needles. ( Things like spruce trees)

In Hokkaido there are many trees that do not loose their leaves. Some of the animals that live here include snow monkeys and brown bears.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32746775@N00/sets/72157616287444627/

On the the three islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu there are animals such as wild boars, tanuki, hawks, cranes and so on.

(ta-nu-ki) They look like racoons but are relatives of foxes!




There are many kinds of beautiful trees on these islands too. Plum, oak, beech, chestnut and cherry trees are some of the trees that grow.


The islands are in the far south of Japan are tropical and have palm trees, lush forests and rare and tropical flowers and animals. There are also many rare and endangered animals.





I-ri-o-mo-te ( Iriomote wildcat)

The construction of dams, roads and other projects has endangered the lives of many animals in Japan

http://www.animalinfo.org/country/japan.htm

Mountains and the Sea

Even though Japan may seem like a crowded place much of land ( about 80%) is covered in mountains and forests. There are also numerous lakes and rivers which provide water for domestic and industrial uses. Access to clean water is not an issue for the people of Japan.

Japan is made up of about 4000 small islands and four major islands. Can you remember the four islands and where they are? Quiz yourself and see how you score.


http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=name-those-islands


How do things such as mountains and oceans affect the way of life in people in Japan? Where do most people live? What about the size of an average house or apartment? Think, think, think! What do you think? Check another website if you want.


How about food? If a country is surrounded by ocean, what kinds of things will available to catch and eat?


Hmmm... Interesting!

Many Japanese have a deep affection for the land they live in. According to the ancient religion Shinto, things like mountains, forests, waterfall possess their own spirits called (ka-mi) kami. Japan's highest mountain is Mt. Fuji. Some people think is sacred. Can you think of anything that is sacred to some Canadian people? What is important to you?

Climate

Our beautiful province of Manitoba is known for short warm summers and long cold winters.

What is the climate like in Japan? Well, before we start we need to know a few things.

First, Japan is actually bigger than most people think. It is about 3000km from the from the northern island of Hokkaido (Ho-kai-do) to the island of Okinawa. (O-ki-na-wa). This means the temperature is quite different depending on where you are. In the spring time, people in the far south can suntan on sandy beaches while people on the island of Hokkaido are still skiing, skating and snowboarding.

Okinawa Japan Hokkaido Japan

Now that you know that, let's talk a little about the weather.

Japan's weather is usually warm and it can be also pretty wet. It rains a lot in June and July. All the rain can cause floods, but floods aren't too much of a problem for people who live in the country. Earthquakes can be a problem though. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? I have! In an earthquake, buildings can be destroyed or damaged. The power may go out, and it may be hard to get water to drink.

Check the link to see what to do if you are ever in an earthquake.

http://www.ih-osaka.or.jp/enjoy/en/emergency/05.html

In late summer and early fall there are many typhoons in the southern part of Japan. Typhoons are tropical storms. ( strong winds and heavy rains.) Typhoons can also cause great damage.

Facts and More Facts

Name of country: Japan
Government: Democracy
Capital: Tokyo
Offical Language: Japanese
Monetary Unit: Japanese yen
Area: 377, 835 square kilometers
Highest Point: Mount Fuji
Major Rivers: Ishikari, Kitakami, Shinano, Tone
Major Lakes: Biwa, inwashiro, Kasumigaura

Did you know?

1. Japanese junior high school students do not need to pass any of their classes to graduate.


2. Snowmen in Japan are made of two large snowballs instead of three.


3. In Japan they drive on the left side


4. About 70% of Japan is covered in forests and mountains


5. When entering a Japanese house, outdoor shoes are always taken off at the doorway (genkan). Slippers are provided by the host.


6.When entering a room with tatami floor, slippers are removed as well. Tatami should only be stepped on with socks or in bare feet.




Tatami An army of snowmen

Quiz it up!

You have 15 minutes. You cannot look at your notes or my blog. Are you ready?

Click the link!

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=you-think-you-know-it-prove-it