JAPAN

Asia is Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the Eastern and
Northern Hemispheres. It shares the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe, and
the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa and Europe.

Japan is an island country comprising a stratovolcanic archipelago over 3,000 km (1,900 mi) along
East Asia's Pacific coast. It consists of 6,852 islands. The five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu,
Shikoku and Okinawa.

 Total Land Area - 377,975 km²

 Total Population - 125,836,585

 Capital City – Tokyo

 Five Other Major Cities – Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka
 Form of Government - Parliamentary Government with a Constitutional Monarchy
 Religion – Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and the New Religions
 Official Language – Japanese
 Currency – Japanese Yen
 Demonyms – Japanese
 Ethnic Groups – Yamato, Ainu, Burakumin (Buraku People), Koreans, Ryukyuans (Okinawans)
 Time Zone - GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) + 9 hours

 Short History
 Prehistoric and Ancient Period (35,000 BC – 538 AD)
The prehistoric and ancient era of Japan covers the time up until 538 AD, including the
Paleolithic (from 35,000 BC to 14,000 BC), Jomon (from 14,000 BC to 300 BC), Yayoi (from
300 BC to 250 AD), and Kofun (from 250 to 538) periods. The earliest human beings to live in
the Japanese archipelago existed during the Stone Age, specifically in the Paleolithic period.
They are believed to have developed skills that enabled them to make tools from stone.
Eventually, they built the foundation of the Jomon culture, which is one of the world’s
oldest societies, known for their hunting and gathering practices. In addition to tool-making,
they also started shaping pottery with a rope pattern design using wet clay and creating
jewelry from shells, stones, bones, antlers, and other materials. By the start of 300 BC, rice
farming and metallurgy of iron and bronze arose. This period, which lasted until 250 AD, is
referred to as Yayoi (meaning “new life”) in reference to an area in Tokyo where artifacts
from this era were unearthed. The years 250 to 538 witnessed the earliest documented
history of Japan. This period is known as Kofun, and it saw the introduction of Shintoism and
the rise of the Imperial House of Japan.
 Classical Period (538 – 1185)
The Classical Period opened with a big leap in the political, social, and artistic aspects of the
Japanese society, including the fruition of the Yamato rule and the beginnings of Buddhism in
Japan. This formative stage is known as the Asuka period. When the Nara period started in
710, the number of Japanese villages that practiced agriculture and followed Shintoism
started to increase. Meanwhile, the nobles and elite adopted much of the Chinese culture,
specifically fashion, writing and Buddhism. Closing out the Classical Japanese era is the Heian
period, which started in 794 and ended in 1185, and saw the peak of Taoism, Buddhism,
poetry, literature, and art in Japanese society.
 Medieval Period (1185 – 1600)
The Medieval era in Japanese history lasted for more than four centuries. It consisted of the:
o Kamakura period, the initial years of which saw the governance of Minamoto no
Yoritomo, Kamakura’s first shogun, along with the rise of the samurai warriors, caste
system and feudalism;
o Muromachi or Ashikaga period, which covered the time of the Ashikaga or
Muromachi rule (headed by their first shogun, Ashikaga Takauji) up until the early
years of the Sengoku or Warring States period from 1465 to 1573, when the last
shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaka was cast out of Kyoto by daimyo Oda Nobunaga; and
o Azuchi-Momoyama period, which covered the ruling years of Oda Nobunaga and
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1573 to 1600) and laid the foundations to the formation of the
Tokugawa shogunate.
 Modern Period (1600 – current)
The establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate signified the commencement of Japan’s
modern period, which featured improvements in the overall social, political, and economic
stability of the country. With Tokugawa Ieyasu holding the reins, Japan became self-
sustaining, utilizing its resources to the maximum. In 1868, during the Boshin War, the
Tokugawa shogunate fell and was replaced by the Meiji Empire, led by Emperor Meiji. During
this time, Japan switched from a society that was isolated and under feudal rule into a
modern one that was characterized by significant transformations in its economic, political,
military, social and international affairs. It ended when Emperor Meiji died in 1912. Emperor
Taisho took over the throne and was in power for 14 years, a time that was dubbed the
“Taisho democracy” because of the ascent of the democratic parties into political power.
Emperor Taisho’s death from a heart attack in 1926 brought in the Showa period, which
shifted the Japanese political system into ultra-nationalism, fascism, and totalitarianism. Japan
was among the many nations badly impacted by the Great Depression in the 1930s. Led by
Emperor Showa, the country became a presence on the global scene, taking part in the
Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and the Second World War (1939-1945). After it was
defeated in World War II, Japan was occupied by foreign rule for seven years. It underwent
major restructuring in its economy and politics, particularly from being governed by an
Emperor to being a democratic, constitutional monarchy. From 1989 up to the present, Japan
is in the Heisei period, with Emperor Akihito on the throne. Through the years, the country
has experienced huge leaps in economic progress and has gained much international
recognition of its popular culture (manga, anime, video games), tourist landmarks, culture,
food, and history.
  National Carrier - Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.

 Physical and Cultural Features

 Shinto and Buddhism
 Cherry Blossom Season
 The Meiji Period
 Sumo Wrestling
 Japanese Cuisine
 Shrines and Temples
 Geisha
 Onsen: Japanese Hot Spring
 Ryokan: Traditional Inns
 Tokyo’s Literary Heritage

 Brief History of the Country -

The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times
around 30,000 BCE. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the
Yayoi people in the first millennium BCE when new inventions were introduced from Asia. During this
period, the first known written reference to Japan was recorded in the Chinese Book of Han in the first
century CE.

 Major tourist destination

 The Hiroshima Peace Memorial is a haunting tribute to the lives lost when the atomic
bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Set in a park, the memorial
features Genbaku Dome, the only building left standing in the vicinity after the bomb
dropped. This harsh reminder of a world at war reminds visitors of the importance of
human life and honors the victims so they will never be forgotten.
 Jigokudani Monkey Park is a famous hot spring area near Nagano. The name Jigokudani
(meaning “Hell’s Valley”), is due to steam and boiling water that bubbles out the frozen
ground, surrounded by steep cliffs and formidably cold forests
 The Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple is located in Eastern Kyoto and can be traced back
as far as the year 798. An indoor waterfall fed from the outside river keeps the temple in
harmony with nature and not one nail was used in construction.

 Recreational Activities (max 10)

 Floating through Takachiho Gorge
 Climbing Mt. Fuji
 Swimming with manta rays off Ishigaki
 Summitting Mt. Rishiri
 Ice fishing and camping in Hokkaido
 Hiking Mt. Misen
  Paddleboarding and canyoning in Okutama
 Exploring Mt. Koya and the Kumano Kodo Trail

 Major Gateway/ Airport - The most globally known airports in Japan are Narita International
Airport and Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport), two major airports serving Tokyo
and eastern Japan, and Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, a gateway to Kyoto and
western Japan.

 Travel Document needed to Filipino in Japan

 Transit visa
 Passport

 Best time to visit - Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November)

 Accommodation Sector – Japan has more than 2,600 hotel establishments that are distributed
across the country, of which, the luxury hotels segment constitutes around 50 hotels only.
Whereas the budget and economy hotels segment cover around 110 hotels and became the
second-largest segment of Japan's hospitality industry

 Gastronomy – Sushi and Sashimi, Ramen, Tempura, Kare-Raisu, Okonomiyaki, Shabu Shabu,
Miso Soup, Yakitori, Onigiri, Udon, Soba, Gyudon, Match and Sweets, Gyoza

 Climate - Northern Japan has warm summers and very cold winters with heavy snow on the
Sea of Japan side and in mountainous areas. Eastern Japan has hot and humid summers and
cold winters with very heavy snow on the Sea of Japan side and in mountainous areas.