Geography of Japan

The Japanese islands are the high peaks of a large underwater mountain range. These islands are a narrow strip located several hundred kilometers off the northeast coast of Asia and they form an arc. Because the islands are narrow, there is no part that is far from the sea. The Pacific Ocean lies to the east and the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea separate Japan from Asia.

Climate
Japan enjoys four distinct seasons and has four different climate patterns. The climate of Japan varies strongly, however, between regions. The south islands are mild and tropical while the north islands can be cold and snowy in the winters and have hot summers. There is a rainy season in early summer and typhoons hit part of the country every year during late summer.

Topography
Plains – Less than 15% of Japan’s land is flat. These plains are very crowded as nearly 90% of the farming is done on the plains, and about 90% of the people live on the coastal plains.
Hills – Steep hills cover 11% of Japan’s land area. Because there is so little flat land in Japan, even the hillsides are used for farming. On the hills the farming is done in small fields called terraces that look like steps. These terraces are used to grow rice, grains and vegetables.
Mountains – 74% of the land in Japan is taken up with Mountains. The Japanese Alps occupy over 3000 meters and skiing is popular, especially on the northern island of Hokkaido. 200 of Japan’s mountains are volcanic and at least 70 of these are active volcanoes. Japan’s highest mountain, Mt. Fuji is a popular tourist spot and is a symbol of Japan. Mt. Fuji last erupted in 1707.

Lakes and Rivers
Japan has many small lakes. The rivers of Japan are short with many waterfalls and rapids and therefore are not good for transportation. They are used for hydroelectric power, though. There are also over 1000 natural hot springs in Japan.

Earthquakes
Japan has more earthquakes than any other country. If earthquakes occur below or close to the ocean, they may trigger huge waves (tsunami) and many coastal towns hold a tsunami drill once a year. Because of frequent earthquakes, most homes in Japan keep a survival kit consisting of water and food for a few days, a flashlight, a radio and a first aid kit. The Great Kanto Earthquake took place in 1923 and was considered the worst earthquake in the world. This earthquake hit the Kanto plain and destroyed Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding areas. Over 140,000 people died due to the earthquake and the fires that were caused by it. Check our current events section for more information on earthquakes.