Tokyo is the capital city. The cherry with its spring blossom is a particular favourite, although the national flower is the chrysanthemum. Japan's other flowering plants include wisteria, azaleas, peony and the lotus. Birds native to Japan include cranes, storks, swallows and sparrows. These are among the birds of Japan which can be seen in prints by artists such as Hokusai.
Wildlife includes deer, bears, mink, otters, squirrels and other small animals.
The macaque monkeys of Honshu are famous as a tourist attraction. The Environment Agency was established in 1971 to tackle these problems. Japan has a framework to deal with all environmental and conservation issues. Houses, temples and castles and other traditional buildings were made from wood. The Horyuji Buddhist Temple near Nara is said to be the world's oldest wooden building.