The word Japan means "the country of sunrise". Japan is located on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and is an arc-shaped island country extending from northeast to southwest. Separated by the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Korean Strait, and the Sea of ​​Japan, it faces China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia. The territory consists of the 4 large islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and more than 6,800 other small islands, so Japan is also known as the "country of thousand islands." The land area of ​​Japan is about 377,800 square kilometers. Japan is located in a temperate zone, with a mild climate and four distinct seasons. Sakura is the national flower of Japan. Every spring, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom among the green mountains and green waters. There are many mountains in Japan, and mountainous areas account for about 70% of the total area. Most of the mountains are volcanoes. Among them, the famous active volcano Mount Fuji is 3,776 meters above sea level. It is the highest mountain in Japan and a symbol of Japan. There are frequent earthquakes in Japan, with more than 1,000 earthquakes occurring every year. It is the country with the most earthquakes in the world. 10% of the world's earthquakes occur in Japan and its surrounding areas.

Japan’s capitals, prefectures, prefectures, and counties are parallel first-level administrative regions, directly under the central government, but each city, prefecture, prefecture, and county has autonomy. The country is divided into 1 metropolis (Tokyo: Tokyo), 1 province (Hokkaido: Hokkaido), 2 prefectures (Osaka: Osaka, Kyoto: Kyoto) and 43 counties (provinces) with cities, towns, and villages. Its offices are called "departments", that is, "metropolitan hall", "dao hall", "prefectural hall", "county hall", and the chief executive is called the "governor". Each city, province, prefecture, and county has several cities, towns (equivalent to Chinese towns), and villages. The chief executive is called the "mayor", "town mayor", and "village chief".

The 43 prefectures in Japan are: Aichi, Miyazaki, Akita, Nagano, Aomori, Nagasaki, Chiba, Nara, Fukui, Shinga, Fukuoka, Oita, Fukushima, Okayama, Gifu , Saga, Ehime, Okinawa, Gunma, Saitama, Hiroshima, Shiga, Hyogo, Shimane, Ibaraki, Shizuoka, Ishikawa, Saga, Iwate, Tokushima, Kagawa, Tottori, Kagoshima, Toyama , Kanagawa, Wakayama, Kochi, Yamagata, Kumamoto, Yamaguchi, Mie, Yamanashi, Miyagi.

In the middle of the 4th century, Japan began to become a unified country called Yamato. In 645 AD, the "Dahua Reformation" took place, imitating the Tang Dynasty law system, establishing a centralized state system with the emperor as the absolute monarch. At the end of the 12th century, Japan entered a military feudal country where the samurai class was in charge of real power, which was called the "shogun era" in history. In the middle of the 19th century, Britain, the United States, Russia and other countries forced Japan to sign many unequal treaties. Ethnic and social conflicts intensified. The Tokugawa shogunate, which implemented a feudal lock-up policy, was shaken. The local powers Satsuma and Choshu with capitalist reform ideas The two feudal vassals fell under the slogans of "respect the king and fight against the barbarians" and "enrich the country and strengthen the army." In 1868, the "Meiji Restoration" was implemented, the feudal separatist shogunate system was abolished, a unified centralized state was established, and the emperor's supreme rule was restored.

After the Meiji Restoration, Japanese capitalism developed rapidly and embarked on the road of aggression and expansion. In 1894, Japan launched the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895; provoked the Russo-Japanese War in 1904; and invaded Korea in 1910. During the Second World War, Japan launched a war of aggression. On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender and became a defeated country. In the early postwar period, the U.S. military imposed a separate occupation of Japan. In May 1947, Japan implemented a new constitution, changing from an absolute emperor system to a parliamentary cabinet system with the emperor as the national symbol. The emperor is the overall "symbol" of Japan and Japanese citizens.

National flag: Sun flag, rectangular in shape, the ratio of length to width is 3:2. The flag is white with a red sun in the middle. White symbolizes integrity and purity, and red symbolizes sincerity and enthusiasm. The word Japan means "the country of sunrise." It is said that Japan was created by the sun god, the emperor was the son of the sun god, and the sun flag originated from this.

The total population of Japan is approximately 127.74 million (as of February 2006). The main ethnic group is Yamato, and there are approximately 24,000 Ainu people in Hokkaido. Japanese is spoken, and a small number of people in Hokkaido can speak Ainu. The main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism, and the religious population accounts for 49.6% and 44.8% of the religious population respectively. .

Japan is an extremely economically developed country, and its gross national product is second only to the United States, ranking second in the world. In 2006, Japan's GDP was 4,911.362 billion U.S. dollars, almost twice that of third-place Germany, with an average per capita of 38,533 U.S. dollars. Japan’s industry is highly developed and is the main pillar of the national economy. The gross industrial output value accounts for about 40% of the gross domestic product. It is mainly concentrated in the Pacific coast. Keihama, Hanshin, Chukyo and Kitakyushu are the four traditional industrial areas. New industrial zones such as Kanto, Chiba, Seto Inland Sea and Suruga Bay. Japan's main trading partners are the United States, Asian countries and EU countries. Japan is poor in mineral resources. Except for coal and zinc, which have certain reserves, most of them rely on imports. The forest area is 25.26 million hectares, accounting for 66.6% of the total land area, but 55.1% of timber is dependent on imports, making it the country that imports the most timber in the world. Hydropower resources are abundant, and hydroelectric power generation accounts for about 12% of the total power generation. The offshore fishery resources are rich.

Japan’s unique geographical conditions and long history have nurtured a unique Japanese culture. Sakura, kimono, haiku and samurai, sake, and Shinto constitute two aspects of traditional Japan-chrysanthemum and sword. In Japan, there are the famous "three ways", that is, the Japanese folk tea ceremony, flower ceremony, and calligraphy.

Tea ceremony is also known as tea soup (Ting Ming Hui), and it has been extremely loved by the upper class as an aesthetic ritual since ancient times. Nowadays, the tea ceremony is used to train concentration, or to cultivate etiquette, and is widely accepted by the general public.

Flower path was born as a technique to reproduce flowers blooming in the wild in the tea room. There are more than 20 schools of ikebana due to differences in the rules and methods displayed. There are also many schools in Japan that teach the techniques of each genre.

Sumo comes from the religious rituals of Japanese Shinto. People held competitions for the god of harvest in the temple, hoping to bring a good harvest. During the Nara and Heian periods, sumo was a court watch sport, but during the Kamakura Sengoku period, sumo became a part of samurai training. Professional sumo wrestling emerged in the 18th century, which is very similar to the current sumo competition.

Kimono is the name of Japanese traditional national costume. It is also called "zhewu" in Japan. The kimono is modeled after the restructuring of Sui and Tang dynasties in my country. From the 8th to the 9th century AD, the "Tang style" clothing was once popular in Japan. Although it has changed to form a unique Japanese style in the future, it still contains some characteristics of ancient Chinese clothing. The difference in styles and colors of women's kimonos is a sign of age and marriage. For example, unmarried girls wear tight-sleeved outerwear, married women wear wide-sleeved outerwear; comb "Shimada" hairstyle (one of the Japanese hairstyles, in the shape of a bowl), and red collar shirts are girls with round hair Updo, the housewife is wearing a plain shirt.

There are many places of interest in Japan, including Mount Fuji, Toshodai Temple, Tokyo Tower, etc., all of which are well-known in the world.

Mount Fuji: Mount Fuji (Fuji Mountain) is located in south-central Honshu, with an elevation of 3,776 meters. It is the highest peak in Japan. It is regarded by the Japanese as the "sacred mountain". It is a symbol of the Japanese nation. It is about 80 kilometers away from Tokyo. Shizuoka and Yamanashi counties cover an area of ​​90.76 square kilometers. The whole mountain is cone-shaped, and the top of the mountain is covered with snow all year round. Mount Fuji is surrounded by "Fuji Eight Peaks", such as Kenfeng, Hakusan, Kusushidake, Oriyake, Izu, Jojodake, Komagatake, and Mitake.

Toshodai Temple: Toshodai Temple (Toshodai Temple) Located in Nara City, Toshodai Temple was built by the eminent monk Jianzhen from the Tang Dynasty in China. It is the main temple of the Japanese Buddhist Ryūzong. The buildings in the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty have been identified as Japanese national treasures. After the Tang Dynasty eminent monk Jianzhen (688-763 AD) made his sixth eastward journey to Japan, construction began in the third year of Tianpingbaozi (759 AD) and was completed in 770 AD. The red banner "Toshoti Temple" on the gate of the temple is written by the Japanese Empress Xiaoqian imitating the fonts of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi.

Tokyo Tower: Tokyo Tower is located in Tokyo. It was built in 1958 and has a height of 333 meters. The tallest independent tower in Japan is equipped with 7 TV stations and 21 TV stations in Tokyo. Radio transmitting antennas of relay stations and broadcasting stations. At a height of 100 meters, there is a two-story observatory; at a height of 250 meters, there is also a special observatory. There are large floor-to-ceiling glass windows on all four sides of the observatory, and the windows slope outward. Standing on the observatory, you can overlook the city of Tokyo, and you can have a panoramic view of the city.

Tokyo: Tokyo, the capital of Japan (Tokyo), is a modern international city located at the southern end of the Kanto Plain in Honshu. It has 23 special districts, 27 cities, 5 towns, 8 villages and The Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands, with a total area of ​​2,155 square kilometers and a population of 12.54 million, are among the most populous cities in the world.

Tokyo is the political center of Japan. The administrative, legislative, judicial and other state agencies are concentrated here. The area of ​​"Kasumigaseki", which is known as "Guanting Street", gathers the National Diet Building, the Supreme Court, and the cabinet-affiliated government agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Education. The former Edo Castle has now become the Miyagi where the Emperor lives.

Tokyo is also the economic center of Japan. Major Japanese companies are concentrated here. Most of them are distributed in Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato areas. Tokyo, Yokohama to the south and Chiba area to the east form the well-known Keihinye Industrial Zone in Japan. The main industries are iron and steel, shipbuilding, machine manufacturing, chemicals, electronics, etc. Tokyo's financial industry and commerce are developed, and domestic and foreign business activities are frequent. Known as the "heart of Tokyo", Ginza is the most prosperous business district in the area.

Tokyo is also the cultural and educational center of Japan. Various cultural institutions are densely populated, including 80% of the country’s publishing houses, large-scale and advanced equipment, the National Museum, Western Art Museum, and the National Library. Universities located in Tokyo account for one third of the total number of universities in Japan, and the students enrolled in these universities account for more than half of the total number of university students nationwide.

Tokyo’s traffic is very convenient. The Shinkansen with a speed of 200 kilometers per hour extends from Tokyo to Kyushu and to the northeast. The subway can reach almost all important areas. Railroads, highways, aviation, and shipping form an extensive transportation network that extends to the whole country and the world.

Osaka: Osaka (Osaka) is located on the banks of Osaka Bay in the southwest of Japan's Honshu Island, close to the Seto Inland Sea. It is the capital of Osaka Prefecture and the industrial, commercial, water, land and air transportation center of the Kansai region. The city covers an area of ​​204 square kilometers and has a population of over 2.7 million, making it the second largest city in Japan. The climate here is mild and humid, with evergreen flowers and trees in all seasons, and streams everywhere, but with roads and bridges over the river, it is known as the "water capital" and the "eight hundred and eight bridges" water town, and it is also known as the "city of thousand bridges".

Osaka was called "Naniwa" in ancient times, also called "Namba", and it was called Osaka since the 19th century. From the 2nd to the 6th century AD, it was once the capital of Japan. Due to its proximity to the Seto Inland Sea, Osaka has been the gateway to Nara and Kyoto, the ancient capital for a thousand years, and is one of the earliest areas in Japan for the development of commerce and trade. Since the Tokugawa shogunate period, Osaka has become the economic center of the whole country and is called "the kitchen of the world". Later, Osaka gradually developed into a comprehensive modern industrial and commercial city.

Osaka has a long history of building a city, and there are many places of interest. Among them, the ruins of the ancient imperial palace Namba Palace in the Nara period, the Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine dedicated to the ancient gods of war, singing, and sea patron saints, and the Tai Buddhist Temple in the Heian period famous. Osaka has had close cultural and economic contacts with China since ancient times. The famous envoys sent to the Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty in Japanese history started from Namba at that time. In 608 AD, the envoy Pei Shiqing sent by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty also visited Namba.

Sapporo: Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido, Japan. It is located on the western edge of the Ishikari Plain and its connected hilly area. It covers an area of ​​1118 square kilometers and has a population of approximately 1.8 million. Sapporo is taken from the native Ainu language, meaning "a vast and dry area".

Sapporo is the largest city in Hokkaido, the economic and cultural center of Hokkaido, and its industry is also relatively developed. Mainly include printing, hemp, dairy products, metal products, machinery and lumber manufacturing and other industrial sectors. There are also coal mines in the western mountainous areas, and forest resources are also abundant. Sapporo has beautiful scenery, with many parks and scenic spots in the city, and mountainous areas with peaks and hot springs about one kilometer above sea level.

The capital of Kyoto: Kyoto City (Kyoto) covers an area of ​​827.90 square kilometers and has a total population of 1,469,472 people. It is also the seat of Kyoto Prefecture. It is a city designated by government ordinance, and includes Tokyo as the seventh most populous city in Japan. Together with Osaka and Kobe, it becomes the "Keihanshin Metropolitan Area".

Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794-1869 AD, named "Heiankyo". Heiankyo was built during the Heian Period in Japan and became the capital of the Heian Period and Muromachi Period, and was the center of the Japanese political power; until the 1100 years of Emperor Meiji’s trip to Tokyo, it was generally the city where the Emperor of Japan lived.

The city was established in 1889. The industry is dominated by textiles, followed by food (wine making, etc.), electrical machinery, transportation machinery, publishing and printing, precision machinery, chemistry, copper processing, etc. The Luonan industrial area formed in the southern part of the city is part of the Hanshin Industrial Zone. Kyoto is a land and air transportation hub. Commercial development. There are many colleges and universities such as National Kyoto University. The tourism industry is developed, with many historical sites and ancient relics, such as the Forbidden City and Heian Shrine. In the Guishan Park at the foothills of the Arashiyama in the northwest of the city, a monument to Zhou Enlai's poem was built in 1979.