Gography

Japan is an island country in the Far East located between the largest continent of Eurasia and the largest Ocean of the Pacific which also has pretensions of the so-called Northern territories (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai) that are part of the Russian Federation. Japan’s closest neighbors are Russia, Korea, China and Taiwan. The Japanese themselves call their country Nihon (Nippon) which can be translated as “sun-origin”. There are numerous other poeticized old names of Japan, such as “The Land of the Rising Sun”, “The Land of Cane Valleys”, “The Land of Young Rice Sprouts”, “The Land of Rich Autumn Harvest”. The narrow Japanese archipelago which stretches from the north-east to the south-west and whose outlines remind the Japanese of a sea dragon, is washed with the warm (Tsushima and Kuroshio) and cold (Liman and Kuril) ocean currents. In combination with west winds which blow on high altitudes they create a humid monsoon climate with clear division into four seasons.

In Japan one can face weather conditions of almost all latitudes: near the coast of Hokkaido the sea is covered with floe, while in the subtropical climate of Okinawa there grow palm trees and coral reefs sparkle in the sun. Japan is a mountainous country. Plains and lowlands occupy only one fifth of its territory and this is where most of the country’s population lives. The flora of Japan is one of the worlds richest and most diverse. Many coastal regions and incomparable landscapes of the islands have the status of national parks.

Throughout the country one can find curative hot springs (onsen) and volcanoes; disruptive earthquakes, typhoons and tsunamis are common here. Often natural disasters have influenced the everyday life of the Japanese and led to the formation of peculiar forms of culture.

Coast of Tarama island. N. Maykova. Japan, Tarama. 2006		Views of Hokkaido. N. Maykova. Japan, Hokkaido. 2006		Banana plantation.  N. Maykova. Japan, Iriomote. 2006