Introduction to Japan

Japan is a bow-shaped island country located on the east side of the Eurasian continent and juxtaposed to the northwest of the Pacific. North latitude is approximately 20°-46° (almost the same latitude as from North Africa to Southern Europe). It covers an area of ??372,000km from north to south, and 2,500km is composed of many large and small islands. The main islands of Japan are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Honshu is divided into 5 regions: Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, and Chugoku. About three-quarters of Japan's land is composed of mountains and hills, and there is a lack of flat land, which limits the use of agricultural and urban land. 130 million people live on this narrow flat land. Since Japan is almost in the middle of the temperate zone, the climate is generally mild. The four seasons change very obviously, the climate is very pleasant in spring and autumn, and the summer (June, July, and August) is sultry due to the monsoon blowing from the Pacific Ocean. On the contrary, winter (December, January and February) is quite cold due to the continental monsoon. Because the Japanese archipelago is long and narrow from north to south, the terrain is also very complex, so the climate varies greatly from region to region. On the side of Hokkaido and Honshu facing the Sea of ??Japan, snow accumulates in winter, sometimes paralyzing the air traffic. Taking advantage of such climate conditions, energetic young people enjoy surfing in the sea in the summer and skiing in the mountains in the winter.

National flower and national bird

The Japanese have regarded cherry blossoms as their national flower since ancient times. There are many legends about cherry blossoms in ancient Japanese mythology. The cherry blossoms are neat and tidy when they are rewarded, and people associate it with the samurai's outlook on life. nbsp; There are cherry blossom viewing spots all over Japan. Every spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, family members and company colleagues hold banquets under the cherry blossom trees. Drinking, singing, dancing, admiring flowers, and communicating are a kind of fun for the Japanese. During the flower viewing season, people’s happy scenes have become a charming scenery in Japan. The pheasant, often mentioned in myths and legends, is the national bird of Japan. Pheasant is a bird unique to Japan. There are obvious differences in size and color between the male and female. The male pheasant has a red face, dark green neck, chest and abdomen, a slightly purple back, and a long tail with many black band-like feathers. . The female pheasant is light brown with black markings on her body and a short tail. Pheasants live in grasslands and bushes near farmland. They build their nests on the ground and feed on fruits and insects.

Mount Fuji

Futuyama is the highest peak in Japan, with an altitude of 3776 meters. It is a typical cone-shaped dormant volcano. In winter, more than halfway up the mountain is covered with heavy snow. The snow scenery adds to the beauty of Futusan. A beauty that has become one of the symbols of Japan. Mount Fuji is like a huge, perfect cone. When the weather is clear, you can watch the sunrise and the sea of ??clouds standing on Mount Fuji. The scenery is beautiful and beautiful. It is also a tourist attraction, attracting tourists all year round. All foreign tourists who come to Japan also go here. , a panoramic view of Fuji scenery. Affected by its mountainous terrain, most of Japan's rivers are short and rapid. The longest Shinano River is only 367 kilometers. Although Japan's rivers can be used for hydroelectric power generation due to their large drops, almost none of them can be used for water transportation. There are lakes in the mountains, which are crystal clear and have beautiful scenery, but they are not large in area. The largest lake is Lake Biwa, covering an area of ??674 square kilometers; the deepest lake is Lake Tazawa, with a water depth of 423 meters. In addition, Lake Kasumigaura, a saltwater lake formed by sand dunes and sandbars separated from the open sea, covers an area of ??168 square kilometers.

Climate

The Japanese archipelago is 3,000 kilometers long from north to south, spanning the subtropical to subarctic zones. Due to the great influence of complex terrain and ocean currents, the climate of each region varies significantly. Due to the influence of regular monsoons, cold currents move southward in winter and tropical airflows move northward in summer. Under the influence of these two airflows, winter and summer last for several months each, while spring and autumn, when the monsoons alternate, last about 2 months each. Due to the influence of the warm ocean currents, most areas of the Japanese archipelago have abundant rainfall, with annual rainfall reaching 1,600-1,700 mm. It often rains during the crop growth period from early spring to summer, especially the rainy season from June to July, and every year From August to October, the southwest region is often hit by typhoons. In winter, the cold monsoon from the northwest hits, and there is a lot of snowfall along the Sea of ??Japan, making this area one of the few snowy areas in the world. Every year, the snow in Niigashi County and other places is as deep as 4-5 meters, which is different from that on the Pacific side. The sunny and dry climate is in stark contrast. Southern Honshu has hot summers, almost the same as those in Southeast Asia, and has a typical foliage forest climate. For 3-4 months in summer, the climate is the same as that of Southeast Asia.

Therefore, southern plants such as potatoes and rice have become the basis of Japanese farming culture, which in turn gives Japanese culture typical southern characteristics.

Culture

Japan can be called the fastest-changing country in the world. Because the Japanese nation is very conservative, modern Japanese culture reflects both the long history and the general outlook of Japan. It is traditional and has quite a European tendency. Japanese literary works, film and television art, and even calligraphy all show the characteristics of a combination of old and new, and a blend of east and west. When you visit a Japanese city, you will see simple and elegant temples and shrines adjacent to modern skyscrapers. Folk songs played with silk strings and disco with strong rhythms are also loved by the Japanese people. There are many symphony orchestras in Japan, and their musical standards are recognized as world-class. Tea ceremony and flower arrangement are arts that the Japanese are proud of. The tea ceremony expresses elegant art through a set of exquisite etiquette for serving tea. Ikebana is the practice of inserting cut flowers, plants, branches and leaves into vessels to express beauty and vitality. Tea ceremony and flower arrangement are compulsory courses for Japanese women and have become an aspect of culture and upbringing.

Japanese people love sports. Playing golf is a regular sports activity in Japan. Many people love this sport. Almost 1 in 10 people is a golf enthusiast. Judo and kendo have been included as compulsory subjects in Japanese elementary schools. Baseball is very popular in Japan and is Japan’s national sport. "Sumo" is called Japan's "national quintessence" and has a history of more than 2,000 years. Japan's Go level is very high, and there are frequent exchanges of Go between China and Japan. Go and Shogi (Japanese chess) are loved by the Japanese people.

Food

When it comes to food, it is not only Japanese-style meals with rice as the staple food and vegetables, fish and meat as non-staple food, but also Chinese meals in Western Europe are generally very popular. You can enjoy a wide variety of meals in Japan. Japan is a country with abundant high-quality water resources and complete sanitation facilities, so tap water can be drunk anywhere in Japan. Modern Japanese culture is even more colorful. The girls were learning traditional Japanese culture from ancient times, such as tea ceremony and flower arrangement, while also dancing disco. It is not unusual to see urban areas, ancient monasteries and high-rise buildings built next to each other. Therefore, modern Japanese culture is formed by combining ancient, emerging, Western and Eastern cultures.

Industry

The same goes for industry. Since ancient times, Japan has been an agricultural country. However, in this century, it has rapidly industrialized and become one of the few industrial countries in the world. In universities, there are various academic fields ranging from electronic engineering to international business studies, and almost all academic fields can be studied in Japan. Japan is a country that combines traditional culture from ancient times with the most advanced and cutting-edge technology.

Transportation

The international airports in Japan include New Tokyo International (Narita), Tokyo International (Haneda), Nagoya, Kansai International, Kamioka, Sapporo, Hakodate, Aomori, Sendai, Niigata, Toyama, Komatsu (Ishikawa Prefecture), Okayama, Hiroshima, Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Nagasaki, Oita, Kagoshima, Okinawa, all ***20 airports. The representative entry airports for foreigners coming to Japan are Tokyo International (Narita) and Kansai International Airport. The means of transportation from the airport to the city include trams, buses and taxis. Public Security As we all know, Japan is one of the countries in the world with a low crime rate and a high arrest rate and good public security.

Japan’s currency

Japan’s currency is the yen. There are three types of banknotes: 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen, and six types of coins: 500 yen, 100 yen, 50 yen, 10 yen, 5 yen, and 1 yen. Major currencies can be exchanged at banks that offer currency exchange. The exchange rates of all banks are the same. You can often get the best exchange rates at a bank or U.S. consulate. The currency exchange offices at the airport have the lowest exchange rates. The hotel cashier is somewhere in between. In Japan, cash is generally used for payment, but recently there has been an increase in the number of stores and individuals using credit cards. Cash checks are generally not required.

Entertainment and others

In Tokyo alone, there are tens of thousands of bars, beer halls, nightclubs and other entertainment venues. Among them, those that cater specifically to business people are more expensive. . There are also many that target the general working class and are relatively cheap. After a hard day's work, many working-class people in Japan like to have a drink and rest in places such as bars attached to hotels and summer rooftop beer gardens in department stores. Foreign tourists can also use these places.

In addition, it should be a good choice to watch Japan's time-honored classical dramas, songs and dances, and experience the rich connotations of Japanese culture. Of course, in today's modern Dubry, movies, concerts, and ballets are all available.

Ballet and concerts

Such activities are very active in major cities, and theaters or concert halls are also well equipped. Famous song and dance troupes or symphony troupes have regular performances. World-famous orchestras or soloists often come to Japan to sing.

Kabuki is a more popular dramatic art than Noh drama. Its success is due to the welcome and support of the broad audience, unlike the success of Noh drama, which was sponsored by the shogunate and the court. The distinctive features of Kabuki are: rhyming lines, fantastic dances, sweet music, luxurious costumes, colorful makeup, and other elaborate decorations. The heroines in the drama are always played by men. Large theaters have program notes in English.

Bunraku

This kind of puppet show is another kind of stage entertainment in Japan. It is not only loved by the Japanese public, but also famous internationally. Puppet shows are usually operated by three people, and each puppet has three joysticks to make the puppet perform vivid movements. The accompaniment is traditional music and folk songs, and the puppets' costumes are gorgeous and moving.

Sakura Dance

The Sakura Dance during the cherry blossom season is popular in Kyoto. The dance of people wearing bright kimonos, amidst the sounds of traditional Japanese music, is particularly moving. The most famous ones are Toyun (April 1st to 30th) and Kamogawa Yun (May 1st to 24th and October 15th to November 7th).

Japanese and foreign movies

Like major cities around the world, Japanese cities have many cinemas showing international films. There are also many cinemas that specialize in showing Japanese movies. The content of the film ranges from very new to old versions with historical significance. Japanese films are all in Japanese, while foreign films are in the original foreign language and have brief Japanese explanations.

Musicals

It is very prosperous in Japan. The famous ones include Takarazuka, Shochiku Revue, etc. The actors are all young women who have received strict training.

Japanese Puppet Festival

Plum blossoms in red, pink and white colors bloom with smiles and come to us with spring greetings. In this spring season, families with girls will be busy preparing for the Puppet Festival on March 3. Doll Festival is a traditional festival in Japan, also known as Doll Festival or Peach Blossom Festival, which originated from China. It is said that in early March in the ancient Chinese calendar, people would come to the river to wash their hands and feet to wash away sins, filth, and bad luck and seek peace. In the Han Dynasty, it gradually evolved into chanting poems, drinking wine and enjoying the lake and spring scenery by the river. In the early Heian period (794-1192), there was a long period of absorption and integration. The Taoist color is very strong. After absorbing advanced Chinese culture, Japan gradually formed its own "Japanese culture". At that time, it was very popular for women, especially girls, to enjoy dolls among the nobility. Later, combined with the custom of praying for physical well-being, a doll was used to caress the body, and then the doll and the offerings were placed on a woven straw fabric, and then they were put into the water together and allowed to float away. This custom of "sending away dolls" is said to be able to take away diseases and disasters. This ancient tradition is still preserved in central Japan. At the earliest, puppets were simple standing human figures made of paper or straw. As time went by, lovers were made more and more elaborate, so people were no longer willing to put them into the river and float away with them, but put them away. Place it in your home and watch carefully. Entering the Edo period (1600-1868), a wide variety of dolls appeared, and then imitated the customs of the ancient palace. The dolls of a harmonious and loving royal couple sat on the steps covered with red carpets. On the top floor of the large display rack, three girls and five musicians were arranged in front, along with various props. Later, in the middle of the Edo period, March 3rd every year was officially designated as Doll Festival. Since then, it has become popular among the people as a girls' festival. Through this ceremony, people pray for women's healthy growth and happiness, which also includes the feeling of being blessed and grateful.

Nowadays, dolls are made very sophisticated and gorgeous, and the price is naturally high. These wonderful puppets with different shapes have not only become precious collections in every family, but also rare national art treasures. A brocade with gold threads and flowers, swaying paper-shaded wax lamps on both sides, lined with delicate peach blossoms, and a seasonal feast in spring, symbolizing beauty and abundance.

It is every parent's blessing that their daughter will be as happy as a doll princess in the future. With the changes of the times, the Puppet Festival has also been given more meanings. In Japan, families with girls will buy a set of puppets. Every year in mid-February, people put out the dolls early in the hope that their daughters will find a suitable husband and get married sooner. I will pack things up as soon as Valentine's Day on March 3 is over to prevent my daughter from staying at home too long and not being able to find her husband's family. When a girl becomes a bride, she brings these puppets along with her parents' blessings over the years to the small family, and then passes them on to her daughter, and so on from generation to generation. "Light the lanterns, offer peach blossoms, and the five-member band plays the flute and drums. Today is a happy Puppet Festival." The melodious music sounded, and the cheerful and peaceful atmosphere was filled with people's love and yearning for a better life. .

Japan’s Red Days

Japan’s holidays, reflected on the wall calendar, are all expressed in red, and people like to call them “red days”.

Holidays can be roughly divided into three types. The first one is the holiday specified by the government, such as: New Year's Day, Adult Day, Founding Day, Spring Equinox, Emperor's Birthday, Constitution Day, Children's Day (May 5th), Respect for the Aged Day, Autumnal Equinox, Sports Festival, Cultural Festival, Labor Appreciation Day, etc.; the second type is traditional festivals, such as Beginning of Spring, Dragon Boat Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival. Japan used to celebrate festivals according to Chinese customs. However, after the Meiji Restoration, Japan learned from the West and could not pass some festivals. For example, the Spring Festival was changed to New Year's Day and the Spring Festival was no longer celebrated. There are also some festivals influenced by the West, such as Christmas, May Day, and Women’s Day. There are also Japan's own festivals, such as Doll's Day, Obon Festival, Shichi-go-san, etc. The third type is routine Saturdays and Sundays.

There are many holidays in Japan. If I didn't pay attention, I would call someone to contact work as usual, but I couldn't find anyone. After thinking about it, I suddenly realized that it was another "red day".

When it comes to holidays, the city of Tokyo is indifferent to Kurama. Because most people who work in the city live in the suburbs or other cities far away from Tokyo, no one will stay in the city during holidays. Many shops have simply closed their doors, and buses, buses and trams have also reduced their frequency. So the closer it is to a holiday, the deserted the city becomes.

The advantage of having fewer people. A pedestrian street has been opened in Ginza, Tokyo, known as the "Pedestrian Paradise". It goes directly to Shimbashi in the south and extends to Ueno in the north, stretching for several kilometers. On the wide road, only pedestrians walked freely. The big stores are still open as usual, with people coming and going, without losing the usual bustling atmosphere. Sometimes tables and chairs are set up on the street to entertain customers to drink tea, coffee or snacks. Walking in the pedestrian paradise really feels like "stepping into paradise".

Different festivals have different ways of celebrating them. For example: During the Dragon Boat Festival, in rural areas and small and medium-sized towns, colorful carp streamers are made of cloth and hung on high poles. They are really beautiful. Doll's Day, every year on March 3rd, little girls are asked to put on kimonos, put up a small altar, decorate it with Japanese figures, and offer red, white, and green lozenge-shaped sticky cakes, white wine, and peach blossoms. After worshiping, bring Going to play with my daughter.

During the Obon Festival, the community organizes young people to carry the "yu", which is the sedan chair. Dozens of big men in striped shirts, turbans and straw sandals carried sedans and paraded around the streets. When this kind of procession passed by, people came out in droves and rushed to see each other. Watch, the parade is dancing gracefully, the sound of silk and bamboo music is endless, it is a spectacular sight. Their dance is actually not complicated. They just perform a few movements repeatedly. Most of the dance movements are derived from Japanese dance. They look very coordinated and have Japanese national characteristics.

Japan’s National Day is not the anniversary of the founding of the country but the birthday of the emperor. I can’t remember exactly which day it was, but it was probably the birthday of the Emperor. It was still the period of Emperor Hirohito. I happened to go to the palace to take photos on that day, and saw a long queue at the entrance of the palace. Out of curiosity, I stepped forward and asked, and found out that it was the Emperor's Meeting with Citizens Day, and anyone could enter the palace to see the Emperor. Entering the palace is a rare thing for an ordinary foreigner, so I queued up. You can only enter the palace empty-handed, and the police are very tight. The procession entered the palace from the Second Bridge. Erzhong Bridge is a famous scenic spot, and usually you can only stand and look at it from a distance. After crossing the Niju Bridge, you entered the large stone gate made of large granite during the Edo period. There was a small house inside the gate, which may have been used by the guards. The courtyard is lush with trees and the flowers and plants are neatly trimmed. After not walking far, they arrived in front of a milky-white building, about two or three stories high.

At this time, there was a sea of ??people in front of the building, all looking up. Emperor Hirohito did not always stand there. He came out about once every 15 minutes and stood in the large glass window on the second floor to receive the crowd. It is said that there were no large glass windows in the past. Once, an extreme person came forward to assassinate the emperor. After that, bulletproof glass windows were installed for safety. The emperor appeared, walking slowly and slowly in the glass window with the queen, waving to people, and said "Hello" and "Thank you for your hard work" through the microphone. After waving, he walked back to the inner room. People were there to wave, too. I didn't hear people shouting "Long live the Emperor" or anything like that.