We learned that as we explore communities around the world, we will find that people live in many different types of environments.  An environment is the land, water, air, and living things that surround us.  We may also call these things physical features.  Let's go exploring and visit the islands of Japan, to see what type of environment they have there. 

The Location of Japan

Japan is located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, over 5,400 miles off the coast of California, in the United States.  Japan lies east of the continent of Asia.  It is a country made up of thousands of big and little islands.  The land area covers 145,000 square miles, a little smaller than the state of California.

The Landforms of Japan

Coastline

We know that Japan is made up of a many islands of all different sizes, so the coastline is a very important part of the landscape.  Japan's coast has many different physical features such as sandy beaches, and rocky shoreline.

Mountains

If we travel inland from the coastline of Japan, we find a very different environment. In fact, three-fourths of Japan is made up of mountains.  A range of tall mountains runs down the center of the chain of islands that make up the country of Japan.  The tallest of these mountains is Mt. Fuji, which stands 12,390 feet above sea level.  Mt. Fuji is more than twice the height of Mt. Marcy, the tallest mountain in New York State!

Mt. Fuji is an active volcano! The Japanese sometimes experience volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.  

The Climate of Japan

Japan experiences changing seasons, much the same as we do here in the United States.  However, the average temperature and climate in Japan changes greatly from north to south.  The chain of islands that make up the country of Japan stretch 1800 miles, from the north to the south.  This is similar to the distance between northern New York State, and the southern tip of Florida.

Imagine that it is March.  You could go skiing in New York State, while at the same time, your friend could be sunbathing in Florida.  The same variation in temperature occurs in Japan.  One person could be skiing in Hokkaido, while another person could be sunbathing in Okinawa, during the month of March.

Hokkaido is the big northern island of Japan, where the average temperature during the coldest part of the year is only 21 degrees Fahrenheit.  In Okinawa, one of the islands furthest south, summers are very hot and humid.

Typhoons

The islands that make up Japan are prone to a number of serious natural disasters, such as typhoons. A typhoon is a strong storm that occurs in the Pacific Ocean, similar to a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.  Typhoons bring large amounts of rain, strong winds, and flooding to the islands of Japan.

 The Natural Resources of Japan

Japan has very few natural resources.  Therefore, the Japanese need to import, or bring in, raw materials in order to produce the goods they need to support their communities. For example, oil is brought in from the Middle East to use for heating, and to make gasoline.

Rice is the main crop produced by farmers in Japan.  However, there is not enough farmland in Japan to grow enough wheat or other important crops to feed all of the people, so the Japanese must import food products as well. Japan does have a very large fishing industry.  Fish make up a very important part of the Japanese diet. 

The people of Japan enjoy the beauty of their island country.  They would agree that it is a wonderful place to explore.