JASO is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting business and developing
community by strengthening the US-Japan relationship in our community. We work inOregon and Southwest Washington.

Japan on the Road is an education program designed to introduce elementary school
students to Japan, stimulate their interest, and help them to connect with a unique culture
and country, with a view to creating a lifelong positive relationship.

Journey with JOR to Japan
Lesson 1: An Adventure to Remember!
Teachers’ Guide
Journey with JOR to Japan Lesson 1: An Adventure to Remember is the first in a series of onlinevideos with support documents and resources, available free of charge to elementary schools
around Oregon, Southwest Washington, and beyond!

Included in this Teachers’ Guide are:1.

Program Notes for Teachers

2. Introduction to Japan
3. Japan Travel Map
4. Japan Map Icon Key
5. Comprehension Questions
6. Student Discussion Questions
7. Answer Key
8. Further Resources and Teacher Survey

1. Program Notes for Teachers
Before the video
Help students find Japan on a map of the world, and if desired, introduce Japan ina more general way using the Introduction to Japan information included.
Explain that today you are going to take a special trip to Japan, and the Japan on
the Road volunteers are going to come along as tour guides!
Hand out copies of the Japan Travel Map and Map Icon Key. Let the students
examine the icons on the map and imagine what each icon might represent, and what thetrip may involve. They can use the map to see where they are as they watch the video.
Preparing to watch
The video starts in Sapporo and ends on the main island of Honshu, so the first halfof the Honshu icons are covered before traveling down to the lower islands, and theremaining half are covered after coming back. The order on the Map Icon Key is the same as
the order each appears on the video. This should make following along easier for thestudents.
During the video
There are three places in the video where we recommend you consider pausing
and give the students more time. You might even have them guess the answer before it isgiven on the following slide.
Students often enjoy more time to think about these answers than can be allowedin the presentation, and are pleased to have their guess confirmed.

These spots are:Toyama Bay
Question: What is the bioluminescence in the water?
Answer: Firefly squid!
Nara Park
Question: What is the deer looking so expectantly at us for?
Answer: They want a snack! Special deer rice crackers (senbei) are sold at the park fortourists to buy and give to the deer.
Mount Fuji
Question: What is being grown in these green fields in front of Mt Fuji?
Answer: Green tea! You can pick your own here!
After the video
Please use the enclosed Comprehension Questions either as a quiz, or as furthertalking points with your class. Then, expand thinking and the conversation with theDiscussion Questions.

What is Japan?
Japan is part of a chain of over 5,000 islands off the east coast of Asia. Most ofthe population lives on the four largest islands of Honshu (the longest),
Hokkaido (in the north), Shikoku (smallest of the four) and Kyushu (thesouthernmost). About 30% of the population lives on Honshu in the capital cityof Tokyo, one of the largest cities in the world.
Where is Japan?
Japan is located 5,000 miles west of Oregon across the Pacific Ocean, which takes about ten hours
in an airplane.
How Big is Japan?
Japan is 1,100 miles long from north to south, and 126 million people live there. Japan’s population isabout 40 percent of the United States’ population, but Japan is a lot smaller than the USA.
About 70% of Japan is mountainous, which means everyone lives on 30% of the total land mass,
about 50,000 square miles. Oregon is 98,000 square miles, and we have only 4 million people here!
Space is very precious in Japan. The Japanese have learned to live comfortably in a much smallerarea. Japanese homes are efficient, with one room often having more than one function. One room
may be the breakfast room in the morning, the family room in the evening, and a bedroom at night.
The Weather in JapanThe weather in Japan is similar to the weather in the Pacific Northwest. Japan experiences all fourseasons. On Hokkaido and in northern Honshu, winters are very cold and it snows heavily. On thesouthernmost island of Kyushu, the weather is mild during the winter and hot and humid in thesummer. The southern islands of Okinawa are tropical, like Hawaii. Japan has forests, mountains,and ample access to the ocean. No matter where you are in Japan, you’re never far from the sea! Inthe fall, Japan is prone to typhoons, and earthquakes are a constant worry. Japan also has many
dormant and a few active volcanoes. In fact, 10% of the world’s most active volcanoes are in Japan.
The Land of the Rising Sun
Just west of Japan lies China. Many years ago, as Chinese people saw the sun rising above theislands to their east, they called them “the source of the sun”. Today one of Japan’s nicknames is“Land of the Rising Sun”. When you see the Japanese flag, you will notice the big red circle in thecenter of a white field; the circle represents the sun.
Beginning over 2,000 years ago, Japan has had a line of emperors that continues to the present.
From the 12th century until the 19th century, feudal lords or shoguns held political control. Theseshoguns kicked out all foreigners in the 17th century on suspicion that they were spies for European
rulers. In 1854, the US Navy, led by Commodore Matthew Perry, sailed into port, and forced theJapanese to restart contact with the West. From that time, Japan started modernizing very quickly.
What do the Japanese Eat?
With a mild climate and plenty of rain, the Japanese grow and eat lots of rice, fresh vegetables andfruit. With so much sea surrounding them, seafood is also a major component of their diet. Riceand Japanese tea are part of almost every meal, although Western-style food has also become
popular. In fact, there are many American-style restaurants in Japan including McDonald’s, Wendy’s,
Denny’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken!

JapanHokkaido

TRAVEL MAP

HonshuShikoku
KyushuOkinawaJapan Map Icon Key
Hokkaido ..................................
Sapporo Snow Festival
Jozankei Ryokan

Honshu .....................................
Minamisoma
Toyama Bay
Kinkakuji Temple
Nara Park
Himeji Castle
Tokyo Airport
Mount Fuji
Asakusa Market
DisneySea

Shikoku .......................................
Muroto Dolphin Center

Kyushu ........................................
Kawachi Wisteria Garden
Ibusuki Beach
Sakurajima

Okinawa .....................................
Churaumi Aquarium
Chura Sun BeachStar BeachTransportation ............................
Shinkansen
Great Seto BridgeFerry
Airplane5. Comprehension Questions
1.

What did they use to make sculptures out of in the beginning of the video?

2.

What do the deer eat in Nara Park?

3.

What was the long purple tunnel at Kawachi Park made out of?

4.

What metal are the upper two floors in the Kinkakuji Temple covered with?

5.

Where do wild monkeys in Japan like to hang out when it’s cold?

6.

What animal can you swim with in Japan?

7.

What animals did samurai ride as part of their festival in Minamisoma?

8.

What are you supposed to do with the noodles in your soup in order to eat politelyin Japan?

6. Student Discussion Questions
1.

What surprised you the most about Japan, or did you think was the mostinteresting?

2. What new food would you most like to try?

3. What part of Japanese culture do you want to know more about?

4. What things did you notice that are similar in America? What things did you noticethat are different?

7. Comprehension Questions Answer Key
1.

ice and snow

2. special rice crackers
3. wisteria blossoms
4. gold
5. in the hot springs
6. dolphins
7. horses
8. slurp!

8. Further Resources
Invite our Volunteer to Participate in Your Class!
If you have your lesson scheduled, our volunteers are ready and want to join with youvirtually! Some examples of how the volunteer can help:Self-introduction

Introduce Japan section



Explain today’s adventure section



Ask the comprehension questions and listen or comment on the answer



Ask the discussion questions and listen or comment on the answer



Answer any other questions students may have

Thank them for visiting Japan today!

Please contact JOR Program Manager Sarah Saito at ssaito@jaso.org about a virtual visit toyour class! We would love 4-6 weeks of advance notice so that we can more easily arrange
and manage these visits.

Discover Japan in Oregon and Southwest Washington
There are Japan-related resources all over the state. If you are looking for field trip ideas or
additional connections in your community, just ask and we’ll offer examples based on yourlocation and needs. Contact JOR Program Manager Sarah Saito at ssaito@jaso.org

Connect Direct to Japan
Oregon has 23 sister city relationships with Japan! In addition, we have especially close
relationships with Toyama Prefecture (State), the city of Sapporo, and Setagaya-ku, which isa ward (small city) in Tokyo. We’d love to connect your students to students of a similar age
in Japan. Class video letter? Pen pals? Ask us for more details, and we’ll work on connecting
you! Contact JOR Program Manager Sarah Saito at ssaito@jaso.org

Feedback Request for these Materials
Please give us your feedback on our materials! Please use this survey if you invited
volunteers into your virtual classroom, and this one for independent use. Thank you!