Japan

The Edo period, also recognized as the commencement of modern Japan, takes place amid 1603 and 1868. This period is an imperative part of the history of Japan. The governing of this period began with the first Edo in 1603, shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and concluded during the Meiji Restoration, which is the reestablishment of the imperial rule, by the 15th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.

In Japan New Year’s Day is called Shogatsu. It is the most important national holiday in Japan. During this time, businesses remain closed through January 3. On the first day, people gather their valuable things and put them beside their pillow as to have good dreams the first day of the year. They also write their first poem, sing the first song, and play the first note on an instrument. Another holiday celebrated in Japan is Hinamatsuri. It is a festival dedicated to girls’, celebrated on March 3 rd . The families of the girls’ wish them a successful and happy life. This festival originated in China, where it was a custom to pass the bad fortune to the dolls and the abandon them in the river.

Japan’s biggest city, Tokyo, has an estimated population of 8,535,792. In all the cities combined there are a total of 127.4 million people living in Japan. The life expectancy is of 81.25 years as of 2006. This was a post-war effect followed by a decrease of births in the late twentieth century and the population is expected to drop to 100 million by 2050. Many Japanese prefer not to marry or have families as adults.

Many Japanese do not believe in a particular religion. Instead, they incorporate religions in their lives in a process known as syncretism. Shinto and Buddhism are part of the everyday life, even though they aren’t aware of it.

Nihongo means Japanese language. Japanese is predominantly spoken in Japan. Other countries also have communities of Japanese speaking people. Among those are Brazil, United States, Peru, and Australia. There is an estimated 130 million people who speak Japanese. The Kanji characters, in Japanese, are borrowed from Chinese kanji.

Japanese currency is called yen. It was introduced by the Meiji government in 1870, to resemble currency in Europe. The yen replace the complicated monetary system of the Edo period based on the mon. 100-140 yen is worth 1 dollar American.

The Japanese economy is one of the strongest in the world. America has a higher GNP than Japan. Japan’s main exports are cars and electronics. Imports include oil, food, and wood which are supplied from the United States, China, Indonesia, South Korea, and Australia. Also, their industries include real estate and communication. Agriculture also takes part of the industries but only makes about 2% of the GNP.

This nation covers an area of 377,727km. There are 4 main islands of Japan, they are: Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu but there are more than 3,000 small islands. Since it is located on the ring of fire, Japan is predominantly mountains. Also, volcano eruptions and earthquakes are common.

For the most part of the year there is heavy precipitation on Japan. This country is often hit by typhoons from the southern Pacific. Because of this, natural disasters claim 1,000 or more victims each year.

Even though Japan may be tightly packed with people or frequently stricken with disaster, it is a great country to visit. There are many places to visit in Japan, among those, many beautiful natural land marks. This is a country of history and adventure. It is also very romantic to visit when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.