Japan's Geography Notes

Mt. Fuji

Japan's most famous volcano

Hydroelectric power

(More than any other country in Asia) what Japan uses its rivers for

In feudal Japan, what was the role of the samurai?

*"those who serve" *protected individual families and their land *similar to knights *Bushido code--required service until death

What are the two religions of Japan?

*Buddhism *Shintoism

In Pre-feudal Japan, what was the trade/economy like?

*For the most part--no trade *self-sustainable economy *traded with China, only a little bit

What's Japan's geography like? 6

*Islands *mountains *volcanoes *forests *typhoons *earthquakes

What was Tokugawa Ieyasu known for?

*Isolating Japan from the world for the next 200 years *moves capital to Edo, AKA Tokyo

Where do Japan imperialize?

*Korea *Siberia *China *places in Pacific Ocean

How does the geography impact Japan?

*Lack of resources *isolation *disasters *dense population *most cities on coast

What was the new Japanese government like? M.R.

*a representative government *new leaders *had a legislative body, congress, or parliament

In pre-feudal Japan, what was the Japanese culture?

*adopted a lot of Chinese customs *most important thing was family *patriarchy

What is Shintoism like?

*animistic *only native to Japan *focuses on spirits of nature, ancestors, and Japan's history

What was the economy like in M.R.?

*became industrialized for first time *Japan soon caught up with everyone else in 2nd industrial revolution

What was the Tokugawa period known for/

*domestic peace *Unity *Isolation *Growth(culture, population, economy)

What were the results of the migrations of Daiymo?

*growth in trade, town, arts, and culture due to amount of mandated travel *led to building of roads, new cities, increase in luxury goods

in feudal Japan, what was the role of the daimyo?

*heads of rich families *hired men to fight for them (samurai)

Before 400 CE, what was the government like? 3

*not centralized *no emperor or government *clans ruled separate areas of Japan

before 400 CE, what was the connection's in Japan like?

*very isolated *no connection to outside world

What are two effects that being surrounded by water has had on Japan?

1. It has isolated Japan and discouraged invasions 2. Helped Japan develop a unique culture

What are two major effects of Japan's mountainous terrain on the people of Japan?

1. It is difficult to farm 2. Most of the population lives along the coast

When was Imperialistic Japan?

Late 1800s to 1940s

Hokkaido

Least populated of the 4 major islands

Plains

Most of Japan's population lives on these

What is the name of Japan's highest mountain?

Mount Fuji

What increases due to militarism, imperialism, and government satisfaction?

Nationalism which leads to WWII

Russia

Nearest Asian nation to Japan

What were the major changes during the Meji Restoration?

1. Japan studied foreign ways and governments 2. Modernized the military 3. improved schools 4. began to industrialize

What is made in the Meiji Restoration?

New constitution was made describing a new government

Who helped with Japan's unification? 3

1. Oda Nobunaga 2. Toyotomi Hideyoshi 3. Tokugawa Ieyasu

Mainstreet

Nickname for inland area that links 3 of Japan's major islands

70 miles

No place in Japan is more than this distance from the ocean

About 50%

Percent of Japan that's covered in forests

80-85%

Percent of Japan that's mountainous

70%

Percent of Japan's industry that's located along a 320 mile corridor from Tokyo-Yokohama to Osaka-Kobe

About 90%

Percent of Japan's petroleum that comes from the Middle East

Cotton, wool, iron, and petroleum

Resources they must import

Who did Japan fight in the Russo-Japanese war?

Russia

What is Seppuku

Samurai ritual suicide

Environmental pollution

Serious threat to the high density industrialized Japan

What is the traditional religion of Japan?

Shintoism

What is feudalism in Japan?

Shogun gave land to the Daimyos (nobles) in exchange for their loyalty and service in times of war.

Under 3 acres

Size of the average farm (40% are less than 1.5 acres)

When was Meiji Japan?

Starts in 1868

What were things that stayed the same in government M.R.?

Still an emperor, and government still centralized

What are two ways Japan has obtained natural resources

1. Trading 2. Imperialism

What are some of the Natural Disasters that Japan experiences?

1. Volcanoes 2. Earthquakes 3. Tsunamis 4. Typhoons

Japan has a long jagged coastline so it has:

1. excellent harbors and became a center for trade 2. lots of fishing and seafood

What are Japan's river good for?

1. hydroelectric power 2. irrigation

From China, Japan adopted:

1. system of writing 2. architectural styles (pagoda) 3. tea ceremony 4. Buddhism

When was Feudal Japan?

1100 CE to 1500 CE

When was the unification of Japan?

1500s CE

When did Tokugawa Ieyasu live?

1543-1616

When was Tokugawa Japan?

1603-1868 CE

When was WWII Japan?

1940s

When was post-WWII Japan?

1940s to today

How long was Japan closed to trade?

214 years

How much of Japan's topography is mountains and hills?

85%

What is an archipelago?

A country made up of a group of islands.

7.5

A land reform program forbids ownership of more than this many acres, except on Hokkaido

What is a figurehead?

A ruler without any real power.

1,500 miles

About how long Japan is from its north to southern point

190-200

About how many volcanoes that are on the islands of Japan

128 million

Approximate population of Japan

3000-4000

Approximately the amount of islands that make Japan

When was Pre-feudal Japan?

Before 1100 CE

Farmland

Besides mineral resources, Japan has a scarce amount of this

What culture strongly influenced Japan?

China

Who did Japan fight in the Sino-Japanese war?

China

What European idea did the Japanese dislike?

Christianity

Jan 17, 1995

Date of when the worst earthquake in Japan since 1948 hit Kobe, Japan's most important port

TRUE / FALSE Japan has access to many natural resources

FALSE

TRUE / FALSE Japan's river are good for transportation.

False

80% of Japan's population lives on this island.

Honshu

Georgia

If placed along the western coast of the US, Japan would stretch from Maine to this state

What did the increase in military result in?

Japan becoming imperialistic

High-Value added

Japan has emphasized these products (typical resource short nations, in which human skill represents the value of the finished product)

Shipbuilding and automobile production

Japan ranks #1 in the world in this

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu

Japan's 4 main islands (north to south)

TRUE / FALSE: As a country, Japan has one of the highest population densities in the world.

TRUE

TRUE / FALSE: Japan an archipelago.

TRUE

Plum

Term for the rainfall that occurs in June and July and is needed for Japan's rice cultivation

What is the practice of having step-like areas of flat farm land built on hillsides called?

Terrace Farming

Who was Matthew Perry?

The American general who was sent to Japan and forced them to open their ports to allow American ships to obtain coal and water for their steam ships.

40-100 inches

The amount of rainfall Japan receives yearly

What was the policy that prevented anyone from leaving or entering Japan called? And what did it state?

The closed-country policy 1. Banned Christianity 2. expelled foreigners

Kanto Plain

The largest plain (around Tokyo)

Mongols ; 13th

The only people who threatened to invade Japan prior to WWII in this century

How did the people feel about M.R. government changes?

The people were satisfied with the new government and changes

About 75%

The percent of Japan's population that lives on the main island Honshu

1923

The year the Tokyo-Yomohama area was devastated by an earthquake in which some 143,000 people died

Sub sea earthquakes

These can cause tsunamis, which can reach 600 mph and 100 ft high in height

Natural disasters

These plague Japan as it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire

California

U.S. state the Japan is about the same size as

Sea

Vital to Japan because of climate, commerce/fishing, and trade

Industry

What Japan is the third largest producer of electronics

Nippon

What the Japanese call their nation

Fish/Seafood

What the Japanese eat a lot of in their diet

What is imperialism?

When a strong nation takes over a weaker nation

What are monsoons?

Winds that bring wet or dry seasons

Tokyo

Worlds second largest city/Capital of Japan

What was the Meji Restoration?

a period of time when Japan modernized and industrialized

After 400 CE, what emerges for the first time?

an emperor: 1185-Minamoto Yoritoma

before 400 CE, what was the way of life?

farming

What is abolished in the M.R.?

feudalism and samurais

What was pre-feudal Japan?

first era in history of Japan before 1100 CE

What did Japan increase in the M.R.? Why?

increased its military during the Meiji Restoration in order to protect itself from Western nations

What is a shogun?

military dictators of feudal Japan

What is the main food crop grown in Japan?

rice

What did the Tokugawa period mark?

start of more modern era

What did Oda Nobunaga do?

started the unification of Japan

What was emphasized in the M.R.?

technology, science, and math in schools

Who was Tokugawa Ieyasu?

the Daimyo leader who united all of Japan (Tokugawa Shogunate - ruling dynasty)

What were the migrations of the Daimyo?

the daiymo would be forced to to go edo for months and the shoguns would spoil them. The daiymo served as reps of their section of Japan

What was the code of Bushido?

the samurai code of conduct

What was Emperor Mutsuhito's goal for Japan?

to make Japan stronger by modernizing

What did Toyotomi Hideyoshi do?

tried to expand and unify Japan by force

What is a daimyo?

warlords of feudal Japan

What are samurai?

well trained, highly skilled warriors