What is the origin of Japans name ?

The name for Japan in Japanese is Nippon (sometimes Nihon)

which means Land of the Rising Sun. This name was given
because of Japans location to the east of China, the direction in
which the sun rises.

The English name, Japan might have originated from the Malay
word Jepang, brought to Europe by Portuguese explorers, who
traded all around Asia.

Where is Japan located ?

Japan is located in Asia between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan. Japan does not share any land boundaries with
another country, but is close to North Korea, South Korea, China and
Russia.

How many islands make up Japan ?

The Japanese archipelago, or chain of islands, consists of 6,852
islands, though only about 430 are inhabited.
What is the capital of Japan ? Tokyo is Japans capital. Centrally
located in the Kant region of Japan, the Tokyo metropolitan area is
the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It also boasts the
largest metropolitan area economy in the world.

What is the population of Japan?

Japans population is estimated at 127 million people, making it
the 10th largest population in the world.
The high population combined with uninhabitable conditions in much
of the country means Japan has a very high population density.

What does Japans flag represent ?

Japans flag is all white with a red circle, representing the sun, in
its center. Japans ties to the symbol of the sun probably originated
for the same reasons as Japans name: its relation to the east of its
nearest neighbors on the Asian continent.

What are Japans geographic features ?

Japan is made up of over 3,000 islands, many of which are
covered with mountains and forests. Japan is located within the
Pacific Ring of Fire, meaning it lies along the edge of the Pacific
tectonic plate. As a result, Japan has many volcanoes and
earthquakes from the movement of the plates. Some of Japans
active volcanoes are Unzen, Sakura-jima, and Asama. Mount Fuji is
also a volcano, though it last erupted in 1707.

Who are the political leaders of Japan ?

Japan is still a constitutional monarchy led by an Emperor,
although the Emperor is more a ceremonial position than a political
one. Political decisions are made by the Prime Minister and his
cabinet.

The Emperor of Japan is Akihito, who has held that title since
January 7, 1989.

Prime Minister of Japan is Shinzo Abe.

What are the major religions practiced in Japan ?
Shinto and Japanese Buddhism are the two most common religions in
Japan, though most Japanese do not claim to practice any religion. Shinto is
an indigenous religion of Japan, and has been around since pre-historic
times. Shinto and Buddhism are usually practiced together, as one complex
religion. Other religions, like Christianity and Islam are practiced by a
minority.
What currency is used in Japan ?
The Japanese yen (JPY) has been used in Japan since 1871. The
Japanese yen is the third most traded currency, after the US dollar and the
euro.
How big is Japans economy ?
Japan has a GDP of $5.8 trillion (nominal), making it the third largest
economy in the world, which is surprising after Japans economic struggle
after WWII. Japan specializes in the manufacture of cars and electronics,
and is a world leader in technology.
Because of Japans geography, it is unable to produce much of its own
agriculture, aside from rice, so it imports the majority of its food. Japan has
one of the worlds largest fishing fleets, catching about 15% of all fish
caught in the world.

Architecture
The distinctive feature of a
traditional Japanese building is the way in
which the house is open to
nature. The main materials used are
wood, earth, and paper, and the
construction spreads out sideways
rather than upwards.

Modern housing
With the steady flow of population into the cities, the price of
land went up rapidly, and Japanese-style houses with gardens
became prohibitively expensive for most people. This led to a
great increase in the number of apartment houses and
duplexes.

Ready-built houses.
Standardized housing
has become a common sights. A Danchi, or housing complex.
One of the features of Japanese houses is the tremendous variety of
roof styles, depending on the locality and the occupation of the owner.
These styles can, however, be classified roughly into three styles
called Yosemun, Kirizuma and Irimoya.
 Various materials are used in the
construction of roofs, including
Kaya (a kind of read), wheat
straw,
bamboo,

tiles,
stone, galvanized iron, and aluminium.
Recently, Japanese cities have come to
look like those of Europe
because of the increase in the number
of prefabricated and
ferroconcrete buildings.
However, the style of building that
is best suited to the Japanese
climate and natural conditions is
probably still the traditional
wooden house, and it is
certainly nicer to look at.
Gardens
The Japanese garden is
designed to be a faithful
representation of nature and to impart a sense of simple,
unspoiled beauty. Its style therefore contrasts with that of a
Western garden, which relies on shaping nature into a kind of
geometrical beauty. There are three main styles of Japanese
garden; Tsukiyama, Karesansui, and Chaniwa.
A 'Tsukiyama' - style garden is arranged to show
nature in miniature, with hills, ponds and streams.

The Karesansui style of garden developed in the Muromachi Era as a representation of

Zen spiritualism. In this style, sand or gravel is
used to represent rivers or the sea.
It is charactarized by its force and simplicity.
 The Chaniwa is the garden adjacent to a ceremonial
teahouse. This style of garden avoids any suggestion
of showiness and strives for the utmost simplicity and
naturalness.
CASTLES
Castles in Japan underwent their most
intensive phase of development in the
Sengoku (Warring States) era from the
15th to the 16th century. Built with the object of
keeping the enemy out, they are elaborate
in design and strongly fortified. Their
magnificent architecture also served to
demonstrate the power of the joshu, or lord of
the castle.
 Shinto
Shrines
The
jinja, or
shrine, is
where

believers in
Japan's indigenous
religion, Shint, go
to worship.
Shint
originated in

ancient peoples' fears of demons and supernatural

powers, and their worship of these. It has no written body of doctrine, but it
is Japan's main religion and is practised widely through ceremonies and
festivals.

There are many lucky charms and other

such objects to be seen at a shrine.
Some are used to determine the will
of the gods and some as a way of
communicating with the gods
and asking for their protection.

The chief priest of a shrine is

called the Kannushi. He is responsible
for all the religious observances and
the running of the shrine. The
 young girl assistants in a shrine are
called Miko.

In ancient times, it was

believed that
people died when the soul left the
body. To try and call it back, they
used a form of magic called Kagura,
which involved dancing and playing flutes
and drums. This became formalized and
developed into Noh and Kygen.
Buddhist Temples
These temples, with their images of the
Buddha, were established for the
practice and propagation of the
Buddhist religion, which originally
came from India.

The
layout of the temple buildings differs
depending on the particular Buddhist sect
and the period, and the names of the
buildings themselves are also different.
The picture here shows a typical layout.
The most important buildings in the temple
are the main hall (Hond, Kond or
Butsuden) and the pagoda. Worshippers stand
in the outer chamber facing the inner sanctuary, with its
images of the Buddha, to pray, pressing their palms
together.

Bonsho is the
Buddhist temple
bell. It is struck 108 times on New Year's Eve to ring
in the New Year and drive out the 108 evil
desires that man is heir to. (Joya-no-kane)
 Tea

Ceremony
Cha-no-yu (the tea ceremony) or
Sad (lit. the way of tea) was
introduced to Japan from China and perfected by
Master Sen-no-Rikyu based on the spirit of
Zen in the 16th century.
 For Japanese people,
cha-no-yu is a mental
discipline for pursuing
"wabi" (a state of mind in which a person is calm and
content, with a profound simplicity) and is at
the same time a performance in which
form and grace are paramount.

A ceremonial tea-room
is usually about
three meters square
(a four-and- a-half tatami-mat room) and is
decorated very simply. The spirit of "wabi" is exemplified by this
tea-room.
 Nijiri-guchi: a side door about 60 cm square
through which guests enter the tea-room.
Since they are forced to bow when passing
through this door, they naturally lose their
sense of self-importance and become
humble.
The style of cha-no-yu depends on the
school, such as Ura-Senk, Omot-Senk,
etc. The style described above is primarily
that of Ura-Senk.

Floral Art
Japanese floral art (ikebana) was brought
to its peak of refinement in the latter half of the sixteenth century by its
founder, Sen-no-Riky. At present, there are about three thousand schools
of ikebana, two of the better-known ones being the Ikenob school and the
Ohara school.
 Ikebana can be
divided
into
two main
styles, nageirebana and moribana,
depending on the type of vase used.

Bonsai
Bonsai are miniature trees or plants potted as they appear in nature. A
unique aesthetic sense is expressed through the vigor, shape and structure
of the plant.
For cultivating bonsai, various techniques are required.
Pottery
Pottery (Yakimono) provides useful
articles and objects of art at the same time.
The pottery made in various periods and districts in Japan has distinctive
features. The aesthetic sense and life of the period and district where it was
made can be seen in the pottery itself.
Calligraphy
Sho, or calligraphy, is one of the unique arts of the East. In it, beauty
is sought through the shape and
position of the characters
drawn, the gradation of the ink,
and the force of the
brushstrokes.

Folk Art
Crafts
The articles shown here are rarely
used today. However, they
include some fine examples of the
craftsman's skill, and many of them
are considered objects of art.

These are some of the things that travelers used to take

with them on their journeys in the Edo era. As well as being extremely practical,
they include some beautiful examples of folk art. They can be seen in
historical films of this period.
Netsuk were originally intended to keep tobacco holders or medicine cases on the belt, but
they have become prized by collectors abroad because of their unique, detailed designs.
Traditional Costumes
The kimono is the traditional dress of Japan, and it is worn nowadays
on formal occasions. It is sometimes accused of being an impractical
form of dress, but it has the advantage of giving the wearer a graceful
and elegant deportment.
There are various different types of kimono for use at different times
and on different occasions. Women's kimono include the furisod and
tomesod for formal wear, the hmongi for paying calls, the
tsukesag, and the komon. Men's kimono include the montsuki
hakama for ceremonial occasions and the haori for going out visiting.
There is also the yukata, worn by both men and women as informal
dress at home, in ryokan or for attending local festivals.
The shape of kimono is
fixed, and individuality is
achieved by careful selection
of the material, the style of
weaving and dyeing, the color,
and the pattern, as well as by
the choice of obi.
Footwear
Zri and geta are the well- loved
traditional footwear of
Japan. They both have a Y-
shaped thong which is
gripped between the big
toe and the second toe and
passes over the top of the foot.

Musical Instruments
 Ancient Japanese music has
several styles, such as gagaku
(ancient court music), ngaku
(the music played in Noh
dramas), and skyoku (koto
music). Some of the
instruments used in these styles
are introduced here.
Classic Dancing
Buy, Japanese dances, were developed based on incantations
such as invocations of the spirits of the dead and prayers for the
repose of souls. Buy consists of the following three elements:
Mai means to turn the body round.
Odori means to jump.
Furi means to impersonate movements reflecting
everyday and social conditions. Mai, odori, and furi are
described in their original meanings above, but they all mean
dancing now.
Tanka & Haiku
Tanka is a type of a short poem with
lines of five, seven, five, seven and
seven syllables, unique to Japan.
The tanka is regarded as one
of Japan's principal literary
forms and has been read
through the ages. The card
game hyakunin isshu is
also an anthology of tanka. Haiku
are shorter than tanka, having
lines of five, seven and five syllables. In haiku, the
poet attempts to express his deepest emotions by describing
nature in simple but beautiful language.

-

 Internationa
l Year of
Pulses
Facts About Japan

Quick Facts

Flag:

Government: Parliamentary with constitutional monarchy

Prime Minister: Shinz Abe (elected Dec 2012)

Capital: Tokyo

Population: 127,368,088 (July 2012 est.)

Population Growth Rate: -0.077% (2012 est.), World Rank: 198th

Birth Rate: 8.39 births/1,000 population (2012 est.), Worl Rank: 217th

GDP: 4.34 Trillion (2008)

Electric Power Generation: Conventional thermal (coal, oil, natural gas) 60%, Nuclear 29%, Hydroelectric 9%, Renewables 2%

Industries: Consumer electronics, motor vehicles, machine tools, steel, and nonferrous metals

Exports: Motor vehicles, semiconductors, and office machinery

Agriculture: Rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, fish

Currency: Yen

Life Expectancy: Average: 82, Male: 78.8, Female: 85.6

GDP per Capita: $33,800

Literacy Rate: 99%

Unemployment Rate: 4%

Oil imports: 5.425 million bbl/day

Internet Users: 87.5 million

Environmental Issues: Acid rain; Japan is the largest consumer of Amazon rainforest timber
Geography

Japan is located in the North Pacific off the coast of Russia and the Korean peninsula. The area of Japan is 377,873km, which makes it slightly smaller in land mass
than California. Japan consists of four main larger islands and over 4000 smaller islands. The main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Honshu is
the largest with an area of 231,000km. A modern railroad system connects the major islands and Japan's high-speed Shinkansen runs between major urban areas.

Japan is over 70% mountainous terrain with approximately 18% land mass suitable for human settlement. Japanese cities are typically sprawling and densely
populated. Tokyo, a megalopolis and the capital of Japan, is located on Honshu island. Central Tokyo has a population of 12 million people, with the population of
the Greater Tokyo Area estimated at over 35 million people.

The islands of Japan are located in an area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. This area is where most of the world's earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Japan
is very seismically active with over 1,500 earthquakes per year. In 1923 the Great Kanto Earthquake killed more than 143,000 people in the Tokyo area. Tsunamis
and volcanic eruptions are other natural destructive forces in Japan. In 2011 the Thoku Earthquake, also known as 3-11 (three-eleven) in Japan, was the most
powerful earthquake known to have struck Japan.

Population

There are over 127,078,679 (July 2009 est.) people living in Japan. For most of Japan's history its borders were closed to foreigners. As a result, Japan's society is
very homogeneous, composed of 98.5% ethnic Japanese. The remaining 1.5 percent are mostly Korean, who number around 1 million. There are also considerable
numbers of Brazilians, Chinese, and Filipinos residing in Japan. There is also an ethnic minority of indigenous people, called Ainu, who live mostly in northern
Hokkaido.

Language

Japanese is the official language of Japan. Many Japanese also have some ability in writing and speaking English as it is a mandatory part of the curriculum in the
Japanese educational system. Japanese uses four different writing systems; Kanji (Chinese characters), Hiragana (phonetic alphabet for native words), Katakana
(phonetic alphabet for foreign words), and Romaji (western alphabet used to write Japanese). Japanese vocabulary has been strongly influenced by loanwords from
other languages, with most loanwords coming from Chinese and English.

Climate

The climate of Japan varies considerably depending on the region and season. Summer is usually very hot and humid, known to the Japanese as "mushiatsui". From
mid June there is a rainy season which lasts around one month. Winters are usually mild, with the northern areas of Japan receiving more snow. Spring and autumn
are usually sunny with mild temperatures.
Religion

The two major religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. While religion does not play a major role in the life of the average Japanese, religious ceremonies are
usually held at births, weddings, and funerals. On New Year's Day visiting a temple or shrine is also a common custom. About 1% of the population follow
Christianity, which was heavily persecuted in Japan prior to the Meiji Restoration in 1873.

World Heritage Sites

As of June, 2012 Japan has 12 cultural and 4 natural sites designated as World Heritage sites. You can find our top picks here: Best Sightseeing in Japan.

How to Celebrate the

International Year of Pulses
Celebrating the International Year of Pulses is as simple as exploring
the diverse nature of this delicious food crop. Pinto beans are the
primary ingredient in Mexican food, being the crop used to produce
refried beans. Chickpeas are the foundation of Hummus, a food with
great cultural importance in many international cuisines.
Get together with your friends and families to try out new dishes that
include the legume, and you may find some pleasant surprises in with
the mix. When most people think of beans they think of a savory
addition to a meal, primarily as part of the dinner course. But Red
Beans and Red Bean Paste have served as a source of some
delicious sweet treats in Japanese culture.
The International Year Of Pulses is a great opportunity to expand your
cultural and culinary palette by exploring this amazing crop.

History of the International Year

of Pulses
The International Year of Pulses was established as 2016 by the
UN in 2015. Legumes play a vital role in crop rotation, as they
all share the trait of fixing nitrogen into the soil. The UN
established 2016 as the International Year of Pulses to help
spread awareness of this vital role in agriculture.
Pulses are also important for their ability to be stored indefinitely.
Once dried, pulses will remain viable so long as they remain that
way, at which point they can be cooked into an important source
of non-meat protein. A tribute to the importance of pulses in
cultures around the world can be shown by the fact that theyve
been in production since 3300BC, the earliest found example of
legume agriculture being found near the Ravi River in Punjab.

Mount Fuji

The Atsuta Shrine,

Nagoya
Imperial Palace

Historic Kyoto

Osaka Castle
 The Island Shrine of
Itsukushima

Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park

Fukuokas Castle and Ancient

Festivals