An Overview of Japan for Visistors

« « Discover the perfect South Dakota vacation and escape for the moment | Egyptian Holidays » »

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

For such a small total landmass, Japan has left a certain stamp on human history. If you are considering Japan as a destination, here is an helicopter view of the country.

An outline of Japan for Travelers

Extending along the eastern coast of East Asia, Japan is a country composed from a collection of a collection of islands. The mainland, as we consider it, is the island of Honshu. There are 3 other enormous islands, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and roughly 3,000 much smaller islands comprising what we call Japan. Put together, the total land mass is rather smaller than California. The geography throughout the islands is mountainous, best exemplified by Mt. Fuji at 12,385 feet. As you might expect, the island country is intrinsically recognition of a volcanic are and Japan experiences earthquakes fairly frequently, some on a massive scale.

Japan is an highly urbanized country with the majority living in major cities. The 2 distinguished faiths are Shintoism and Buddhism. The belief systems are harmonious and often share identical churches.

Per legend, Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu around six hundred BC. The present emperor is a descendent of the first.

The first interaction with the West was in 1542 when a lost Portuguese ship landed in Japan. Over the next century more Westerns came, but they weren’t trusted. The Japan shoguns eventually banned all foreigners and the country was isolated for over 2 hundred years. Not until 1854 did Japan open its doors to the world under the Convention of Kanagawa with the U. S. Once this occurred, Japan quickly developed from a feudal state to a more modern approach.

World War I was a boon for Japan. Fighting on the side of the victorious Allies, Japan repeated new respect as an economic and military power following the defeat of the Axis. Alas, the emperor of Japan went in a different direction after the war, seeking dominance of China and Far East often.

In 1937, Japan became an ally of Fascist German. This at last led to its call to follow an attack on Pearl Bay on December seven, 1941. Following four years of war, the loss of 3,000,000 Japanese lives and 2 atomic bombings, Japan surrendered to the US on September 2, 1945. It was stripped of almost all of its territorial holdings and was ruled de facto by General Douglas MacArthur, appointed the Ultimate Chief .

Following World War II, Japan turned to a democratic system thru reforms. The U.S. and allies returned total control to Japan on April 28, 1952 through the Treaty of Peace. Although its days as a military power were over, Japan once more became an economic giant. Notwithstanding its comparatively little land mass, Japan has the 2nd largest economy in the world.

Modern day Japan covers 145,902 square miles. The capital is Tokyo. The terrain is most fittingly described as rugged, mountainous islands with varying temperatures.

The people of Japan are called “Japanese.” The total population is just over 127.4 million folk, but the population is decreasing a touch in size. Eastern is the primarily language spoken and literacy rates are 99 percent. Japanese males have a life outlook of 77 years while women live to 84 usually.

With its mountainous island landscape, Japan is a hot destination spot for travelers. It is costly, but a visit to Mount Fuji alone makes a trip worthwhile.

If you find this article useful, you may also visit famouswonders.com to read more about some of the best places to visit and have a look at places to see in Japan.

Get Social, Bookmark Us!!:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.