1. Nippon: Land of the Rising Sun
Japan
Nippon: Land of the Rising Sun
Mrs. White

2. Geography Archipelago- with over 3000 islands.
4 main islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu & Shikoku
9 regions & 47 prefectures
Only 20% of the land is suitable for farming.

3. Misawa gets about 12 feet of snow yearly. Low temperatures: Nov- March
January 2010
Misawa gets about 12 feet of snow yearly.
Low temperatures: Nov- March
Mild temperatures: April-June
Hot/humid: July-October

4. Exports & Imports -Biggest export: cars & electronics
-Import: food, oil, & wood
-Resources: zinc, copper, & coal,
-Rice farmers use trench farming
-My prefecture’s main export:
Apples!

5. JAPANESE CULTURE Respect for elders
Value teamwork & unity
Family/tradition comes first
Anti-confrontational
They ALL recycle!
Very financially responsible
Respect for elders

6. RELIGION: Main religions are Buddhism and Shinto.
Shinto: Ancient religion based on ancestral worship, 2 deities, & animism
Buddhism: 18 deities, follow Eightfold Path

7. Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)❀
*Hamani- Cherry Blossom Viewings
*Symbol of life, death, and rebirth.
*Animism- part of Shinto belief; idea that ALL living things have a spirit

8. Hirosaki Castle- built in 1611 by the Tsugaru Clan.
Protection: moat, walls, and fences

9. Below is the “juku” school where I taught English.
Education
Learn to write Japanese characters.
Attend school Monday-Friday & some Saturdays.
Wear Uniforms & a strict schedule
More academically competitive than other countries
198 days of school- 6 weeks of summer break
Below is the “juku” school where I taught English.

10. Restrooms- Western-style on the left & the traditional Japanese toilet on the right

11. Vending Machines

12. Japanese Food… not like I expected!

13. Bullet Train- The Shinkansen
-Travels approx. 122 MPH
-Each train carries over
1500 people.
-Trains are never LATE.

14. Earthquakes/Tsunamis
Average of 1500 quakes yearly.
Occur often because Japan is located on the Ring of Fire
Earthquakes/Tsunamis

15. Tohoku Earthquake- 3/11/11
9.0 quake- caused flooding, landslides, fires, infrastructure damage, & nuclear incidents. Shifted the main island of Japan eight feet. Largest recorded quake in Japanese history & 7th biggest quake ever in the world. Tsunami waves that followed: 6-23 feet
Over 15,000 dead Over 6,000 injured Over 3,000 missing (probably dead)

16. Our home in Misawa was 190 miles away from epicenter of quake
Our home in Misawa was 190 miles away from epicenter of quake. After the initial quake: 31 earthquakes > 6.0 in 3 days. On 4/7- a 7.1 earthquake hit in almost the same spot.

17. Resilient people- emotionally prepared for quake damage. http://www