Honshu | island, Japan | Britannica.com Honshu Alcatraz Island Honshu, largest of the four main islands of Japan , lying between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It forms a northeast–southwest arc extending about 800 miles (1,287 km) and varies greatly in width. The coastline extends 6,266 miles (10,084 km). Honshu has an area of 87,992 square miles (227,898 square km) and contains almost three-fourths of the total number of ken (prefectures) of Japan. Beach at Shirahama, Wakayama prefecture, west-central Honshu, Japan. David Turner Honshu is regarded as the Japanese mainland. Much of the country’s early history took place in its southern region. The Pacific coast is the country’s main economic centre, lined with the metropolitan areas of Tokyo–Yokohama and Ōsaka–Kōbe. Honshu contains Japan’s largest mountain, Mount Fuji , and its largest lake, Lake Biwa .

Ukimi Temple in Lake Biwa, Katada, Shiga prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. Philbert Ono Mount Fuji highest mountain in Japan. It rises to 12,388 feet (3,776 metres) near the Pacific Ocean coast in Yamanashi and Shizuoka ken (prefectures) of central Honshu, about 60 miles (100 km) west of the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area. It is a volcano that has been dormant since its last eruption, in 1707,... Lake Biwa largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga ken (prefecture), west-central Honshu. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) long from north to south, the lake covers an area of 259 square miles (672 square km). Its name refers to the biwa, a Japanese musical instrument that the lake resembles in... in Japan ...1,500 miles (2,400 km) through the western North Pacific Ocean.

Nearly the entire land area is taken up by the country’s four main islands; from north to south these are Hokkaido (Hokkaidō), Honshu (Honshū), Shikoku, and Kyushu (Kyūshū). Honshu is the largest of the four, followed in size by Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. In addition, there are numerous smaller islands,... 3 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources.

At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: July 09, 2009 URL: Access Date: January 09, 2017 Share Overview of the Four Islands of Japan • Honshu Honshu is the largest island of Japan and it is where the majority of the country's cities are located ( maps ). The Tokyo Osaka-Kyoto area is the core Honshu and Japan and 25% of the island's population lives in the Tokyo region.

Honshu has a total area of 88,017 square miles (227,962 sq km) and it is the world's seventh largest island. The island is 810 miles (1,300 km) long and it has a varied topography that includes many different mountain ranges, some of which are volcanic. The highest of these is the volcanic Mount Fuji at 12,388 feet (3,776 m). Like many areas of Japan, earthquakes are also common on Honshu. Honshu is divided into five regions and 34 prefectures . The regions are Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai and Chugoku. More » continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know • Hokkaido Hokkaido is the second largest island of Japan with a total area of 32,221 square miles (83,453 sq km).

The population of Hokkaido is 5,507,456 (October 2010 estimate) and the main city on the island is Sapporo, which is also the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture. Hokkaido is located to the north of Honshu and the two islands are separated by the Tsugaru Strait ( map ). The topography of Hokkaido consists of a mountainous volcanic plateau in its center that is surrounded by coastal plains. There are a number of active volcanoes on Hokkaido, the tallest of which is Asahidake at 7,510 feet (2,290 m). Since Hokkaido is located in northern Japan, it is known for its cold climate. Summers on the island are cool, while winters are snowy and icy. More » • Kyushu Kyushu is the third largest island of Japan and it is located to the south of Honshu ( map ). It has a total area of 13,761 square miles (35,640 sq km) and a 2006 population of 13,231,995 people.

The largest city on Kyushu is Fukuoka and it is divided into seven prefectures. Kyushu's topography consists mainly of mountains and the most active volcano in Japan, Mt. Aso, is located on the island. In addition to Mt. Aso, there are also hot springs on Kyushu and the highest point on the island, Kuju-san at 5,866 feet (1,788 m) is also a volcano. Since it is in southern Japan, Kyushu has a subtropical climate and its inhabitants produce a variety of agricultural products. These include rice, tea, tobacco, sweet potatoes and soy. More » • Shikoku Shikoku is the smallest of Japan's main islands with a total area of 7,260 square miles (18,800 sq km). This area is made up of main island as well as the small islets surrounding it. It is located to the south of Honshu and to the east of Kyushu and has a population of 4,414,955 (2005 estimate) ( map ).

The largest city of Shikoku is Matsuyama and the island is divided into four prefectures. Shikoku has a varied topography that consists of a mountainous south, while there are small lowland plains on the Pacific coast near Kochi. The highest point on Shikoku is Mount Ishizuchi at 6,503 feet (1,982 m). Like Kyushu, Shikoku has a subtropical climate and agriculture is practiced in its fertile coastal plains, while fruit is grown in the north. More » Japan Facts, Japan Flag -- National Geographic Japan Facts Flag Map Japan, a country of islands, extends along the Pacific coast of Asia. The main island is Honshu, and the country has three other large islands—Hokkaido to the north and Shikoku and Kyushu to the south. More than 4,000 smaller islands surround the four largest. A modern transportation system connects the main islands, including the Seikan Tunnel linking Honshu to Hokkaido—the world's longest railroad tunnel at 54 kilometers (33 miles). Japan's high-speed trains (known as shinkansen, or bullet trains) connect major urban areas.

About 73 percent of Japan is mountainous, and all its major cities, except the ancient capital of Kyoto, cling to narrow coastal plains. Only an estimated 18 percent of Japan's territory is suitable for settlement—so Japan's cities are large and densely populated. Tokyo, the capital, is the planet's largest urbanized area at 36 million. However, Tokyo has a worrisome environmental history of destructive earthquakes and tsunamis (seismic sea waves). A major earthquake in 1923 killed an estimated 143,000 people. One of the most traditional and isolated societies on Earth when Commodore Matthew C. Perry sailed an American fleet into Tokyo Bay in 1853, Japan is democratic and outward-looking today. Among the top three exporters of manufactured goods, the nation has the second largest economy after that of the U.S. Aggressive expansion across the Pacific led to war with the U.S. in 1941. Defeat ended Japan's dream of ruling Asia, and the U.S. occupation imposed a parliamentary constitution, free labor unions, and stringent land reform. Despite a lack of raw materials, the economy was revived with the help of U.S.

grants, high rates of labor productivity, personal savings, and capital investment. Emperor Hirohito's death in 1989 marked the start of an era in which Japan faces the challenges of an aging population, rising inequality of wealth, the changing role of women in society, and growing concern about security and the environment. However, Japan's economy has been experiencing continued growth after the financial crisis of the 1990s. A global powerhouse, Japan takes its place as the world's second largest economy. Relations with North Korea are tense because of that country's nuclear weapons program and its abduction of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s. Japan's ties with Russia are hampered because of some small islands east of Hokkaido known as the Northern Territories—the Habomai Islands, Shikotan, Kunishiri, and Etorofu (called Iturup by Russia). Japan still claims these Russian-held islands that were taken at the end of World War II.

ECONOMY Industry: Motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals Agriculture: Rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork; fish Exports: Motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals —Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition Japan Landforms, Geography, Volcanoes, Mt. Fuji - World Atlas Print this map The archipelago of Japan contains over 4,000 islands stretching along the Pacific coast of East Asia , with four major islands (sometimes referred to as the "Home Islands"): Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku. Honshu is the main island of Japan, and largest at 810 miles (1,300 km) in length. Dominated by mountains and volcanoes, the massive earthquake of March 2011 moved Honshu 7.9 ft (2.4 m). The second largest, Hokkaido, is also the northernmost of Japan's islands; while on the other end, Kyushu is the most southwesterly. Shikoku is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands.

A long ridge of rugged mountains runs through the heart of Japan, punctuated by steep tree-lined slopes, and deep valleys on the Pacific Ocean side, and lower hills and mountains along the Sea of Japan side. The main interior mountain ranges include the Akaishi, Hido and Kiso, where elevations typically exceed 9,800 ft. (3,000 m). The country's highest point, Mt. Fuji, southwest of Tokyo, is a dormant volcano that rises 12,388 ft. (3,776 m). The islands of Japan are located on the Ring of Fire , and as a result suffer from frequent, violent earthquakes and some serious volcanic activity. There are a total of 108 active volcanoes within Japan's archipelago, most of which provoke devastating earthquakes and tsunamis several times every century. A small series of plains are situated along the coastal areas. A notable number of (very short) rivers flow briskly down the mountains into the coastal areas. The largest river in Japan is the Shinano.

HONSHU - Go Japan Go HONSHU JAPAN Honshu (本州) is the largest island of Japan, called the Mainland; it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait. Honshu is the seventh largest island, and the second most populous island in the world after Java. Honshu is roughly 1300 km long and ranges from 50 to 230 km wide, and its total area is 230,500 km², around 60% of the total area of Japan. It is larger than the island of Great Britain, and ranks between the states of Minnesota and Michigan in area. Honshu has 5450 km of coastline. Mountainous and volcanic, Honshu has frequent earthquakes (the Great Kanto Earthquake heavily damaged Tokyo in September 1923); the highest peak is the active volcano Mount Fuji at 3,776 m. There are many rivers, including the Shinano River, Japan's longest.

The climate is highly variable from the cool north to the subtropical south. HONSHU POPULATION The population is 98,352,000 (as of 1990, in 1975 it was 89,101,702), concentrated in the available lowlands, notably in the Kanto plain where 25% of the total population reside in and around Tokyo and Yokohama . Other cities include Kyoto , Osaka , Kobe , Hiroshima , Sendai , and Nagoya . The island is nominally divided into five regions and contains 34 prefectures, including metropolitan Tokyo. HONSHU ISLANDS Honshu - definition of Honshu by The Free Dictionary Honshu - definition of Honshu by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Hon·shu (hŏn′sho͞o) The largest island of Japan, in the central part of the country between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.

Honshu (ˈhɒnʃuː) n (Placename) the largest of the four main islands of Japan, between the Pacific and the Sea of Japan; regarded as the Japanese mainland; includes a number of offshore islands and contains most of the main cities. Pop: 102 324 961 (2000). Area: 230 448 sq km (88 976 sq miles). Also called: Hondo Hon•shu (ˈhɒn ʃu) n. an island in central Japan: chief island of the country. 88,851 sq. mi. (230,124 sq. km). ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

Honshu - the central and largest of the four main islands of Japan; between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean; regarded as the Japanese mainland Hondo Japan , Japanese Archipelago , Japanese Islands - a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean Japanese capital , Tokio , Tokyo , Yeddo , Yedo , capital of Japan , Edo - the capital and largest city of Japan; the economic and cultural center of Japan Nagano - a city in central Honshu to the northwest of Tokyo; site of a Buddhist shrine Nagoya - an industrial city in southern Honshu Omiya - a city of east central Honshu; a suburb of Tokyo Osaka - port city on southern Honshu on Osaka Bay; a commercial and industrial center of Japan Yokohama - port city on southeastern Honshu in central Japan Kobe - a port city in Japan on Osaka Bay in southern Honshu; was damaged by an earthquake in 1995 Kyoto - a city in central Japan on southern Honshu; a famous cultural center that was once the capital of Japan Hiroshima - a port city on

 the southwestern coast of Honshu in Japan; on August 6, 1945 Hiroshima was almost completely destroyed by the first atomic bomb dropped on a populated area Toyohashi - a Japanese city in southern Honshu on the Pacific shore Toyonaki - a Japanese city in southern Honshu; main residential suburb of Osaka Toyota - an industrial city of Japan in southern Honshu Asama , Mount Asama - a volcano in central Honshu near Nagano; one of the largest volcanoes in Japan (8,340 feet) Translations Islands - Japan's Geography Japan's Geography Islands Japan has four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Hokkaido: Hokkaido is divided into three main parts. It is the Northern most island. There are mountains all over Hokkaido, but there is a slight difference. The northern mountains are more gentler slopes, and the mountains that are in the southern part of this island are more steep and sharper slopes. Honshu: It is in the Central Arc of Japan. Honshu has three main parts, Northeastern, Central, and Southern Honshu. Honshu Northeastern Region is characterized by three lines of mountain ranges and depression zones. The Kita Kami and Abukuma Mountain Range is the first line, Ou Mountain Range is the second line, and The Dewa Mountain Range is the third line. The Northeastern part has a distinct volcanic front too. Honshu Central Region: The Central Region is the widest part of the island. It is where all three island arcs meet together; The Northeast Japan, The Southwest Japan, and The Izu-Bonin Arcs. Shikoku: Shikoku Mountains and Kii Mountains cover the outer part of Shikoku. Antecedent rivers have dissected the mountains.

The Shikoku Mountains have two areas in the eastern and western parts.the are ridges and valleys that hit east-west, reflecting the geological structure. Kyushu: Kyushu can be divided into three different parts, Northern Kyushu, Central Kyushu, and Southern Kyushu. Almost every part of Kyushu is covered in mountains. Create a free website Japan - Country Profile, Key Facts and Original Articles Japan Select Page Japan – Country Profile, Facts, News and Original Articles Japan is a fascinating country of economic and business prowess, rich culture, technical wizardry, spatial conundrums and contradictions. Japan held onto the title of the world’s second largest economy for more than 40 years from 1968 to 2010. Tokyo , Japan’s capital city, is the world’s largest metropolitan area, with a population of 32.5 million people. Despite having an area slightly bigger than Germany and smaller than California, Japan is the world’s tenth largest country by population, with 127.3 million people.

Japan Map (Click on the image below to view the full-size map in a separate browser tab or window.) Japan Facts, Statistics and Information Population: 127 million people (2010, 10th largest country in the world by population) Total area: 145,920 sq. miles (377,930 sq. km, 61st largest country by total land area, one ahead of Germany (137,882 sq. miles) and slightly smaller than California (163,696 sq. miles)) Capital city: Tokyo (population: 13 million (city), 32.5 million people (metro area); The Tokyo metropolitan area is roughly 50 percent larger than Seoul, South Korea, the world’s second largest metropolitan area with a population of 20.5 million people.) Largest Japanese cities (by population, from most to fewest people): Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kobe, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima, Sendai, Kitakyushu, Chiba Ethnic groups: Japanese (approx.

98.5% of population), Koreans (0.5%), Chinese (0.4%), Other (0.6%) Language: Japanese (prominent dialects include Kansai, Osaka, Kyoto, Tohoku, other) Climate and weather: Japan’s climate ranges from humid continental on the northern island of Hokkaido to humid subtropical on parts of Honshu south to Okinawa Prefecture on the Ryukyu islands. UNDP Human Development Index (HDI): 0.884 (2010, 11th in the world) GDP per capita (International $, PPP): $32,554 (2009) Life expectancy at birth: 83.2 years (world’s longest life expectancy) Geography of Japan Japan is an archipelago of some 6,852 islands located in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. A nearly continuous series of ocean trenches, volcanic arcs and shifting tectonic plates, the Pacific Ring of Fire accounts for more than 75 percent of the world’s active volcanoes and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes.

Japan’s four main islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, make up 97 percent of the country’s total land area. Honshu is home to Tokyo and many of Japan’s other largest cities, including Yokahama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, Kyoto, Kawasaki, Saitama, Hiroshima and Sendai. Hokkaido, the second largest Japanese island and northernmost prefecture, accounts for nearly a quarter of Japan’s arable land. Hokkaido leads Japan’s other 46 prefectures in the production of seafood and a host of agricultural products, including soybeans (the key ingredient for tofu and all things miso), wheat, corn, beef and raw milk. Sapporo, Hokkaido’s capital and largest city, hosts the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which regularly draws more than 2 million visitors to the spectacular exhibition of some 400 snow and ice sculptures. Kyushu, the third largest and most southern of Japan’s four main islands, is the site of Japan’s most active volcano, Mt.

Aso, and several cities with important historical, political and commercial significance, including Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Fukuoka. Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami Few are likely to ever forget the shocking images of the massive wall of Pacific Ocean water that engulfed embankments and effortlessly swept away everything in its path in Japan’s Tohoku region in March, 2011. The most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan, and the world’s fifth most powerful quake in modern history, unleashed waves that reached heights up to 40.5 meters or 133 feet in the city of Miyako. The devastation wrought by Japan’s Tohoku earthquake and tsunami accounted for 57 percent of total economic damages from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2011. Japan’s Economy, Business and Development Japan is the world’s third largest economy, having ceded the second spot to China in 2010. Since the collapse of the property bubble in 1989, Japan has faced extended periods of economic stagnation, deflation and relatively high unemployment, at least compared to the nearly full employment Japanese companies managed to sustain for much of the post-WWII era.

Among other issues, Japan’s economic performance has been constrained by weak domestic demand and a rigid labor market that has limited risk taking and entrepreneurial activity. Despite Japan’s challenging domestic economic environment, many Japanese companies have continued to perform well on the world stage. As of 2011, Japan counted 68 companies in the Fortune/CNN Money Global 500 ranking of the world’s largest corporations. Japanese companies in the top 100 of the Fortune ranking include: Toyota Motor, Hitachi, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor, Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba. Japan’s corporate sector has continued to push the technology envelope in fields such as robotics, medical devices, clean energy, satellite communications and spacecraft, water processing and other high tech industries. Toyota became the world’s largest car company in 2009, before losing a bit of ground to unprecedented product recalls. Nintendo’s innovative Wii marked a virtual revolution in the large, global market for gaming and family entertainment products. Japanese Society, Language and Culture Japanese society is strikingly homogenous. Ethnic Japanese account for 98.5 percent of the country’s sizeable population.

While different areas of Japan, particularly the central Kansai region encompassing Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, are known for having distinctive, colorful local dialects, the whole country essentially speaks the same language. Traditional Japanese society and culture stress the values of harmony, consensus decision-making and social conformity. “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is a common Japanese saying and guideline of social behavior. Japan’s Aging, Shrinking Population Japan’s population has been aging and shrinking at an alarming rate due to the combination of a disproportionately large elderly population, one of the lowest fertility rates of any developed, OECD country and minimal net immigration. Japan’s fertility rate of roughly 1.2 children born for every Japanese woman is well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman that is needed to maintain the existing population level. By 2050, the population of Japan has been forecasted to contract by more than 25 percent to about 95 million people. International Relations and Foreign Policy Japan has deliberately elected to take a largely passive stance toward involvement in international conflicts and disputes for most of its post-WWII history.

Article 9 of The Constitution of Japan, adopted on November 3, 1946, renounces going to war or “the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.” In lieu of a conventional military, Japan established the Japan Self-Defense Forces (also known as the SDF, JSDF or Jietai) as an extension of the Japanese police force and a strictly defensive mechanism to provide for the country’s national security and assist with national emergencies. Japan first deployed the SDF abroad in 1991 when it dispatched minesweepers to the Persian Gulf after fighting ceased in the 1991 Gulf War. Since Japan enacted the International Peace Cooperation Law in 1992, the Japanese government has deployed the SDF on certain overseas missions to support the U.N.’s international peacekeeping operations. Japan largely relies on the U.S. for protection against external threats. Under the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the U.S., the U.S. has agreed to defend Japan if the country or any of its territories come under attack. Roughly 40,000 U.S. military personnel and civilians in defense roles are stationed or employed on U.S.

military bases located across Japan. The majority of U.S. military personnel in Japan are stationed on the main island of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan’s Ryukyu Islands, where U.S. military bases occupy about 18 percent of the territory. Japan pays roughly $2 billion as annual host-nation support to cover the costs and defense services of the U.S. military presence in Japan. Geography: Japan's Geography Japan's Geography (1) A country's geography influences the development of its society and culture in many ways. Its location in relation to other nations has an effect on intercultural influences; its size affects demography, the development of social structures, and its position in the international community. Its topography dictates to a large extent where and how its people earn their livings, and its climate influences its agriculture and styles of living. The following maps will demonstrate these and other aspects of the influence of geography on national development.

Composition, Position, and Relative Size Japan is a shimaguni (island country): The Japanese archipelago (island chain) consists of four main islands--Honshï¿½, Shikoku, Kyï¿½shï¿½ and Hokkaidï¿½--and thousands of smaller surrounding ones (see map 1 ). It lies off the Pacific coast of the Asian mainland; at the closest point, the main Japanese islands are 120 miles away from the mainland. (See map 2 ). Compare this with another shimaguni, Great Britain, which is, at the narrowest point of the English Channel, only 21 miles from Europe. The total land space of the Japanese islands is about 142,000 square miles. As you can see from map 2 and map 3 , it is a very small country when compared with the vast Asian mainland, or with the United States, where it is smaller than the single, although large, state of California. It seems even smaller when you realize how little of its land is useful for agriculture or housing, as we will discuss below. China, the United States, and a few other giants of the world are the unusual ones, however.

Japan does not seem so small when compared with some of the nations of Western Europe. It is, for example, larger than Italy. (See map 4 ). Topography The Japanese islands are covered by mountains, most of them heavily forested, and crisscrossed by short, swift rivers. Only a few of the rivers are navigable. Relatively little of Japan's land mass is suitable for agriculture -- only about 15 percent, the same land that is also most suitable for living (see map 5 ). The population and areas of agriculture are therefore concentrated together, as you will see if you superimpose map 5 on map 6 . Japan's islands are very beautiful and varied, but they can be treacherous. Earthquakes are common and result from a fault that circles the Pacific Ocean, causing earthquakes on the west coast of North and South America as well. They are frequent in Japan, occurring more often than they are felt. Even so, one big enough to be noticed by scientists occurs every three days in Tï¿½kyï¿½. Occasionally they do serious damage. The mountains of Japan contain 10 per-cent of the world's most active volcanoes. Mt.

Fuji, Japan's most famous mountain and one of its most beautiful and revered, is a dormant volcano, which last erupted in 1707. Tidal waves occasionally result from undersea earthquakes, and typhoons sometimes hit Japan as they move north from the South Pacific. The Japanese are more impressed, however, by the beauty and richness of their land than by its dangers. Although its topography creates difficulties, its climate is more benevolent. Climate The Japanese islands are for the most part in the temperate zone; as you can see from map 7 , they stretch from north to south in latitudes similar to those of the eastern United States, from about 45 degrees in the north to about 20 in the south. The capital, Tï¿½kyï¿½, is in a similar position to Los Angeles or Washington in the United States (see map 7 ). But latitude and longitude are not the only things that influence climate.

Ocean currents, such as the Kuroshio and Tsushima currents from the south, warm the Pacific side of the islands and those near the Korean straits, especially toward the south, while the cold Kurile current, coming southward toward Hokkaidï¿½, brings plentiful nourishment to the coastal waters and improves the fishing (see map 8 ). On the other hand, cold winds from the northern Asian continent blow east over the Sea of Japan, dumping deep, heavy snow on the northwestern coasts of Japan. There is a marked contrast between winters on the coast facing the Sea of Japan, called Japan's "snow country," where people often have to tunnel under the snow to move from house to house, and the clear, crisp winters on the eastern shore, with little snow at all, leaving dry winters on the more heavily populated side of the main islands. Even on the eastern shores, however, Japan has abundant rainfall, since seasonal winds carry moisture into the country from its surrounding waters. In fact, in addition to the four seasons similar to those of our U.S. temperate zone climate, there is a rainy season, lasting about a month in June, followed by a hot summer.

This is important for the cultivation of rice, Japan's traditional staple food. Area: 377,708 square kilometers 9. Japan: A quiz 1) Look at map 2 . Given the relative nearness of Japan to China and Korea, what can you imagine about Japan's traditional relations with these two countries? 2) In premodern times, when travel and communications were difficult because of Japan's mountainous terrain, the Japanese did not think of their country as small. Look again at a href="map2.jpeg" onClick="return popitup('map2.jpeg')" >map 2, map 3 , and map 4 . What modern developments and requirements make it seem small today? 3) Examine and compare map 7 and map 8 . From what you can see of relative latitudes in Japan and the eastern United States, and from what you have read about the warm and cold sea and wind currents affecting Japan, discuss the climates you would expect to find in the areas marked A, B, and C.

4) On map 9 , insert the names of: a) the four major islands (indicated by ====) b) the six major cities (marked by ï¿½ ); c) the major ocean and wind currents (shown by-----) and d) the surrounding oceans and seas (shown by ^^^^^). Try to do this exercise without consulting the other maps. 5) Imagine that you are a tourist in Japan: It is January. First you travel to Tï¿½kyï¿½ and Kyï¿½to to spend a week. Then you go to the northwest coast of the island of Honshï¿½ for a week. Write one postcard to your family at home describing the weather during your week in Tï¿½kyï¿½ and Kyï¿½to. Write another postcard during your second week, describing the weather on the northwest coast of Honshï¿½ . 6) In land area Japan is about the size of California, but in population it ranks sixth in the world (behind China, India, the United States, Indonesia and Brazil). How would you describe Japan's size? Why is it important to know both the land area and the population of a country?

7) Use the following information to compare Japan and the United States: Japan Honshu the main island of Japan Posted By: mykp 0 Comment honshu Honshu is the main island of Japan and is home to the majority of the population of Japan. Honshu is also home to the main cities of Japan, these being Tokyo , Osaka, Hiroshima , Kyoto , Nagoya and Yokohama. Honshu island is separated into several regions; these are Tohuku, of which Sendai is the main city, Kanto, home to Tokyo and Yokohama. Chubu region is home to Mt Fuji, Nagoya and Kanazawa. Kinki region contains Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe and the final Honshu region is Chugoku, which is home to Okayama and Hiroshima. Also on the island of Honshu is Mt Fuji, who´s beauty has to be seen to be believed. Its fairly difficult to get to the mountain itself but the views from there are superb. The surrounding area is also stunningly beautiful as it is a very undeveloped region of Japan.

If you have to walk to the top I would recommend a sturdy but comfortable pair of shoes or boots and lots of layers of clothing which you can add one by one on the way up as it is cold at the top. Even in summer there is snow on top as its 3,776 meters high, Japan´s highest point. Also take one of the guided tours as well as its a mountain and easy to get lost. If you visit the Mt Fuji area then you must go to the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum. I can heartly recommend this. Itchiku Kubota is an artist and he puts his art on to Kimonos. In a kind of tie dye called “Itchiku Tsujigahana” Truly amazing. Have a look at his web site, its in Japanese but you don´t need to read Japanese to look at the pictures! If you want to visit, take the bus route which passes round Lake Kawaguchi. Tokyo Tokyo is the capital of Japan and perhaps the most western city in Japan. For me Tokyo is not a true representation of Japan, more like a big neon sign lit playground.

This city doesn´t seem to sleep and there is always something going on and the shops never seem to shut. You can find more information on Tokyo here >> Osaka Osaka is perhaps Japanese second largest city. If viewed from the top of Roku Mountain the view of the city is immence, especially at night. As with Tokyo, Osaka is a modern city but unlike Toyko is not as westernised. You can find more information on Osaka here >> Kyoto Another place to visit on Honshu is Kyoto which was the old capital of Japan and is the cultural home land of the Japanese temple, many of which are centuries old, having escaped the bombing of Japan during the war. You can find more information on Kyoto here >> Hiroshima Yet another place of note to visit on Honshu is Hiroshima, the place where the Americans dropped the first Atomic Bomb at the end of the second world war. Although completely rebuilt now the city does still bare some scars of this event and if you´re visiting Hiroshima you must visit the peace museum which is close to the center of the A-Bomb site. Just follow the signs for Peace memorial and the museum is close by.

Question: What country's main island is Honshu?
Answer: Japan