©Katie Holmberg with the Japan Society

The Geography of Japan
This unit of seven lessons aimed at Year 7 and 8 classes not only allows students to investigate aspects of Japanʼs human and physicalgeography, but also incorporates activities introducing them to Japanese culture. Over the course of the unit, students will have theopportunity to learn about Japanʼs location, climate, wildlife, population, and natural hazards. They will also consider the ways in which
Japan is unique as well as drawing comparisons with other countries, including the UK. In addition to the main topics covered in each lesson,
cultural topics are introduced throughout the scheme, giving students a deeper insight into Japan beyond common stereotypes.
CURRICULUM LINKS
This unit covers criteria outlined in the ʻGeography programmes of study: key stage 3. National curriculum in Englandʼ including:
Location knowledge Students will ʻdeepen spatial awareness of the worldʼs countries using mapsʼ, with a ʻfocus on...Asiaʼ as well as study
ʻenvironmental regionsʼ, and their ʻkey physical and human characteristicsʼ.
Place knowledge Students will ʻunderstand geographical similarities, differences and links between places through the study of...a region
within Asiaʼ.
Human and physical geography Through the ʻuse of detailed place-based exemplarsʼ students will learn about ʻkey processes in physicalgeography: plate tectonics, weather and climateʼ in addition to ʻkey processes in human geography: population and urbanisation,international development, use of natural resources. ʻThey will also ʻunderstand how human and physical processes interact to influence, andchange landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systemsʼ.
Geographical skills and fieldwork Students will gain knowledge of maps including ʻtopographical and other thematic mappingʼ.
Source:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment̲data/file/239087/SECONDARY̲national̲
curriculum̲-̲Geography.pdf Department for Education (2013).

RESOURCES
Each lesson has an accompanying lesson plan. See individual lesson plans for external resources and optional additional resources.
Lesson 1 ‒ Location and Resources Presentation, Opportunities and Challenges Worksheet.
Lesson 2 ‒ Climate Presentation, Calendar worksheet, Climate Information Sheets.
Lesson 3 ‒ Animals of Japan Presentation, Map Worksheet, Wildlife Information Cards.
Lesson 4 ‒ Japanʼs Population Presentation, Japanese Prefectures Map, Population Data Sheet, Population Density Map Worksheet(Choropleth Map Template).
Lesson 5 ‒ Volcanoes of Japan Presentation, Sakurajima Fact File Worksheet
Lesson 6 ‒ The Tohoku Tsunami Presentation (Part 1 and Part 2) Printable Timeline, Comic Strip Worksheet (Blank or Pre-illustrated), Fumio
Obataʼs ʻComic Reportageʼ, Anne Kanekoʼs Blog ʻMessage from Fukushimaʼ.
Lesson 7 ‒ Japanese Buildings Presentation, Building design worksheet.

1©Katie Holmberg with the Japan Society

Keywords
location, resources, hazards, opportunities, challenges, archipelago, tectonic plate, ring of fire, typhoon, monsoon, hot springs, earthquake,volcano, climate, variations, temperature, rainfall, seasons, rainy season, zodiac calendar, wildlife, species, endangered, population,distribution, density, rural, urban, tourism, economy, choropleth map, eruption, crater, steep, base, lava, ash, composite, destructive plate boundary,social, economic, environmental, anime, manga, tsunami, plate boundary, Tohoku (Northeast region), impacts, radiation, nuclear power, katana,iron, shrine, building, construction, earthquake-proof, materials, cross-bracing, base isolation, shock absorbers, critique.
Lesson1

2

3

Learning Objective
Location and Resources
Learning objectives:• Describe the location of Japan.
• Investigate the hazards andother challenges of living inJapan.
• Analyse the opportunities ofliving in Japan.
ClimateLearning objectives:• Describe the climate of Japan.
• Investigate the climatic
variations across the countryand throughout the year.
• Evaluate when would be thebest time to visit Japan.
Animals of Japan
Learning objectives:• Identify animals found in Japan.
• Locate where each animal canbe found.

Suggested Activities
Warm up and starter Students guess the country they will be studying from a series of images,
then write their ideas of what they can learn solely from looking at a map of Japan.
Task 1 Using compass directions and lines of latitude, students describe the location of Japan.
Task 2 Students learn about tectonic plates and the ring of fire before answering the question
ʻwhat makes Japan a hazardous place to live?
Task 3 Assess the challenges and opportunities of living in Japan by categorising thestatements.
Plenary Ask for opinions on whether the opportunities outweigh the risks of living in Japanand discuss as a class.
Warm up and starter From looking at several images, students come up with ideas of whatJapanʼs climate is like, then suggest how the climate may vary from North to South.
Task 1 Look at a climate graph showing the average rainfall and temperature in Tokyo.
Students answer a series of questions based on the data.
Task 2 Students complete a carousel task, collecting and adding information from the climate
information sheets to their own climate calendars.
Plenary Discuss seasonal festivals in the UK.
Warm up and starter Students learn about the zodiac calendar then play higher or lower anddiscuss why so many animal species are found in Japan.
Task 1 Using wildlife information cards students create an annotated map of wildlife in Japan.
Task 2 Students use their maps to answer a series of questions about the animals and think
about threats to Japanʼs wildlife in the future.

2©Katie Holmberg with the Japan Society•45Explain why there are so manyanimal species found in Japan.

Plenary Look at traditional Japanese patterns and guess the animals they represent. Potential
to design a pattern to represent UK wildlife.

Japanʼs Population
Learning objectives:• Describe the population change
and distribution in Japan.
• Demonstrate the population
distribution of Japan.
• Suggest reasons for thepopulation distribution ofJapan.
Volcanoes of Japan
Learning objectives:• Describe a volcano and itslocation.
• Categorise the effects andresponses of an eruption.
• Evaluate the advantages anddisadvantages of living near avolcano.

Warm up and starter Students guess how the pumpkin artwork helped Naoshima, then match
key population terms to their definitions.
Task 1 Students study a population graph and describe how the population has changed
using TEA (trend, evidence, anomaly).
Task 2 Students use data to make a choropleth map showing population density.
Task 3 Practice the exam-style question ʻDescribe the population distribution of Japanʼ.
Plenary Encourage students to make connections between the areas with high/low
population density and the climate.
Warm up and starter Introduce hatsu-yume, (the first dream of the new year) and ʻluckydreamsʼ including My. Fuji. Then students match the lessonʼs key terms to their definitions.
Task 1 Students learn the location of Sakurajima and compare it to Mt. Fuji before writing adescription using key terms.
Task 2 Students consider the effects of living near a volcano and categorise statements intosocial/economic/ environmental impacts.
Task 3 Assess learning with a short true/false quiz.
Plenary Introduce Yuru-chara (local mascots) to students and task them to come up with onefor their school/town or an alternative for Sakurajima.

3©Katie Holmberg with the Japan Society

67

The Tohoku Tsunami
Learning objectives:• Outline how an earthquake cancause a tsunami.
• Illustrate the sequence ofevents on the day of theTohoku Tsunami.
• Describe the effects of theTohoku tsunami.

Japanese Buildings
Learning objectives:• Identify building materials anddesign aspects suitable forearthquake prone areas.
• Explain some aspects ofearthquake proof design.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of anearthquake proof building
design.

Part 1 Warm up and starter Explain what manga is and ask students which manga/anime theyknow of. Students then complete the description of how tsunamis are formed.
Task 1 Think, pair, share activity ‒ students consider how manga can be used to educate
people and look at the work of Fumio Obata as an example.
Task 2 Students start to create their own manga about the tsunami, including data in theirwork from a timeline.
Plenary Discuss what hazards we are at risk from in the UK.
Part 2 (optional) Warm up and starter Students learn about Kintsugi. Play the clip of ʻMusicfrom Fukushimaʼ and consider how survivors of the tsunami have been affected.
Task 1 Continue the manga task from the previous lesson. Information about long-term
impacts can be added as an extension using the ʻMessage from Fukushimaʼ blog.
Plenary Display studentsʼ work. Opportunity for self-assessment after viewing peers.
Warm up and starter Students guess how the images could be related. Then show the oldtemple versus the modern building for students to consider.
Task 1 Show information about building design and materials. Students select what they
think is most appropriate for an earthquake-proof design.
Task 2 Students produce their own building designs (either by drawing or with playdoh etc.)
Plenary In pairs, students offer feedback to their peers.

4