Location

Japan is located in Eastern Asia, but Japan is an island so it is in the North Pacific Ocean. It is also located east of the Korean peninsula.

Four Main Islands

Japan has more than 1000 islands, but there are 4 main islands. Honshu is the largest island in Japan. It holds 80 percent of the population. The island also has the capital of Japan, Tokyo. Tokyo is also the largest city in Japan. Honshu also has the famous peak, Mount Fuji.

Hokkaido is the northernmost island in Japan. It holds 5 percent of the population. This island has the coldest weather since it is in the north. The island also has the lowest land in Japan called the Ishikari Plain. Hokkaido is known for its rolling hills.

Kyushu is the southernmost island in Japan. Even though it is a small island it is heavily populated. It holds 11 percent of the population. Kyushu is the most rugged island in Japan. Kyushu also has many volcanoes.

Shikoku is the smallest island in Japan. It holds 1 percent of the population. The island is best for its farming regions. It has many woodlands and beautiful bodies of water.

Size

The island is slightly smaller than the size of California. The coastline is about 29,751 km. The total area of Japan is 377,835 sq km. The land area of Japan is 374,744 sq km.

Pollution

Industrial areas affect the water because the factories cause acid rain. The acid rain hits the water making it polluted. Fish die because of the acid rain. People fish a lot in Japan. It also affects the water quality of Japan.

Mount Fuji

It is the biggest peak in Japan. One thousand people visit it everyday. It is located in the town Fuji, which is near Tokyo. Mount Fuji is 12,388 ft, and it is a inactive volcano. The last time it erupted was a very long time ago.

Water

Japan has many lakes, but small rivers having lots of lakes make the country more beautiful. Japan is surround by the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.

Japanese Alps

The Japanese Alps are the highest mountain range in Japan. It is located on the island Honshu. Forests surround the mountains, and there is some forests up in the mountains too. A lot of Japanese people climb on the mountains each year.

Ishikari Plain

The Ishikari plain is the lowest land in Japan. Surrounded by rolling hills, Ishikari is the best farming region in Japan. It is located on Hokkaido. The Ishikari River goes through the plain and the river brings water for the crops.

Climate

The Climate of Japan varies like in the south it feels like tropical, but in the north it feels cold and breezy.

There are a lot of earthquake that occur in Japan. Japan has lots of earthquakes because it Japan lies on an unstable part of the crust. When the crust moves it causes an earthquake. About 1000 earthquakes occur each year.

Earthquakes also cause tsunamis. A tsunami is a huge wave, kind of a tidal wave. Typhoons are also a big factor in Japan. Since Japan is an island a lot of typhoons and hurricanes occur. They both occur in the summer. The heavy rains and winds usually destroy the crops.

Massive rains occur in Japan occur a lot of times. The rain usually causes huge year totals. Some places have 40 inches of rain per year. The rainy season is fall. Monsoons also affect Japan’s climate. Monsoons are seasonal winds that come from the Sea of Japan. In winter many monsoons bring cold weather. They also occur in summer it brings warm, moist air, and that is why the southern islands are hot.

Mountains

There are a lot of mountains in Japan. Seventy percent of Japan is mountains and hills. Most of the mountains are volcanoes. The reason there is a lot of mountains is because of the earthquakes.

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