JAPAN
Welcome
Located in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the continent of East Asia. Japan has four main islands, Hokkaidō, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyūshu.
THE CAN DO QUIZ
1. How many main islands make up Japan?
A
5
B
7
2. What colour is at the centre of the Japanese flag?
A
Red
B
Blue
Did you Know?
Japan is surrounded by the Sea of Japan, the Pacific Ocean, the East China Sea, the Philippine Sea and the Korean Strait.
Neighbouring Countries
Click or hover over a country name below to see it on the map.
Japan
Ocean
DID YOU KNOW?
Japan is separated from its closest neighbours, the countries of China,
North and South Korea and Russia by the Sea of Japan.
REGIONS
DID YOU KNOW?
Tokyo is the official capital of Japan and also the largest and most populated city. The National Diet Building, located in Chiyoda, central Tokyo is home to both houses of the Diet,
CLIMATE
DID YOU KNOW?
Japan’s climate is mostly temperate with four distinct seasons. In the north, winters are cold with snowfall. Heavy rains and typhoons occur in the south between the months of May to October.
Japan has four seasons. Select from the boxes below to see Tokyo in each season
Summer
June to August
Autumn
September to November
Winter
December to February
Spring
March to May
FAMOUS LANDMARKS OF JAPAN
Mount Fuji
Located on the island of Honshu, Mt Fuji is an active volcano which last erupted in 1707. It is considered a sacred site to the Japanese people with its name meaning everlasting life. It is a massive 3,776 metres (12,388 feet) high.
Itsukushima Shrine
Located on the island of Miyajima, close to the city of Hiroshima. The red gates or torii of this Shinto shrine built in the 12th century appear to float on water. A theatre stage called a Noh, a prayer hall and a main hall are also located inside the shrine complex.
Himeji Castle
Located in the Hyōgo Prefecture, and also know as White Heron Castle, this UNESCO World Heritage site is Japan’s most visited castle. It stands as a monument to the feudal period in Japanese history. Over the years, several movies have been filmed within the castle buildings and grounds.
Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
This suspension bridge, also known as Pearl Bridge, links the cities of Kobe and Iwaya, in west central Japan. It is famous for its strength, having being built to withstand earthquakes. The bridge spans a distance of 3.9 kilometres (12,831 feet) and is one of the longest in Japan.
NATIVE JAPANESE ANIMALS
Red-Crowned Crane
Tanuki
Macaque
Name the animal
Drag and drop the correct name onto the correct animal image
Sika Deer
Koi Fish
Serow
Macaque
Tanuki
Spider Crab
Red-Crowned Crane
Spider Crab
Sika Deer
Koi Fish
Serow
NATIONAL ANTHEM, FLAG AND CURRENCY
‘Kimigayo’ is the official national anthem of Japan.
Play Anthem
Play Anthem
The Japanese flag is made up of a red circle on a white background. It symbolizes the sun rising over the ocean. The color red representing passion and sincerity and the white, honesty and purity.
The Japanese flag is called the Nisshōki (⽇章旗), which when translated to English means ‘flag of sun’. Although, it is more commonly referred to as Hinomaru (⽇の丸), meaning ‘circle of the sun’ in English.
The Japanese Parliament formally adopted the Nisshōki as its official.
DID YOU KNOW?
The currency of Japan is known as the Yen (¥). In Japanese it is written with the kanji 円 symbol.
Notes come in denominations of ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000
There are six different denominations of coins ranging in value from ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, and ¥500.
CAN DO KIDS BAND HIGHLIGHTS
Click on one of the Can Do Kids
to hear more about their experience in Japan.
I finally got the chance to see a live Sumo wrestling match, one of Japan’s national sports which originated in ancient times. It was also great to watch a baseball match, which is Japan’s most popular team sport.
It was incredible that we were able to visit Japan during Hanami, their cherry blossom season. Taking part in a Japanese tea ceremony was fun. I loved the beautiful detail on the traditional silk kimonos worn by Japanese girls.
Visiting Himeji Castle and imagining how the Samurai Warriors of the ancient world would have lived was fascinating. Despite being feared warriors they lived by a code using strength to maintain peace.
My favourite city to visit in Japan was Tokyo, one of the busiest cities in the world. The local food is delicious and a large amount of raw food is eaten. In fact you might be surprised that the fish served with Sushi is raw. One of my favourites!
Shopping in Akihabara one of the worlds leading tech towns and learning about modern Japanese culture was very interesting. Seeing the famed snow capped Mount Fuji while on the Shinkansen bullet train was incredible.
DEPARTURE
We’ve had an exciting adventure on our tour of Japan.
Click on the game links below to test your knowledge.
Best of luck from me, Amy, Ace, Lin, Oz and Ravi.
Amazing People Trust ©