1. Explore a Country: Japan NAME: SABRINA BOWMAN 9-19-2013

2. History  People first came to Japan about 30,000 years ago. At the time, the main islands were connected to Siberia and Korea by bridges of dry land, so people crossed on foot.

3. Geography  Japan is an archipelago,or string of islands,on the eastern edge of Asia There are four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. There are also nearly 4,000 smaller islands!

4. Religion Shinto means the way of the gods. Shintoism is an Ancient religion of Japan. It started at least as long ago as 1000 B.C.E. but is still practiced today by at least five million people.

5. Holidays January 1 (national holiday) New Year (shogatsu): This is the most important holiday in Japan. While only January 1 is designated as a national holiday, many businesses remain closed through January 3. More information is available on the New Year page.New Year Second Monday of January (national holiday) Coming of Age (seijin no hi): The coming of age of 20 year old men and women is celebrated on this national holiday. More information is available on the Coming of Age page.Coming of Age February 3 Beginning of spring (setsubun): Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide. More information is available on the Setsubun page.Setsubun

6. Fun Facts  Official Name: Japan Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary government Capital: Tokyo

7. Use this website  http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/fi nd/ http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/fi nd/