Sun Japan ( 日本 Nihon or Nippon?, officially 日本国 Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku) is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters which make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes identified as the "Land of the Rising Sun". Japan comprises 6,852 islands making it an archipelago. The four largest islands are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku, together accounting for 97% of Japan's land area. Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, is a volcano. Japan has the world's tenth largest population, with about 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents. Government and politics Japan is a constitutional monarchy where the power of the Emperor is very limited. As a ceremonial figurehead, he is defined by the constitution as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". Power is held chiefly by the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected members of the Diet, while sovereignty is vested in the Japanese people The Emperor effectively acts as the head of state on diplomatic occasions. Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan. Naruhito , Crown Prince of Japan, stands as next in line to the throne. Geography About 70% to 80% of the The climate of Japan is
country is forested, predominantly temperate, but
mountainous, and unsuitable varies greatly from north to for agricultural, industrial, or south. residential use. This is because of the generally Japan is home to nine forest steep elevations, climate ecoregions which reflect the and risk of landslides caused climate and geography of the by earthquakes, soft ground islands. They range from and heavy rain. This has subtropical moist broadleaf forests resulted in an extremely in the Ryūkyū and Bonin high population density in islands, to the habitable zones that are temperate broadleaf and mixed for mainly located in coastal in the mild climate regions of areas. Japan is one of the the main islands, to most densely populated countries temperate coniferous forests in the world. in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands Japan's geographical features divide it into six principal climatic zones: Hokkaidō: The northernmost zone has a temperate climate with long, cold winters and cool summers. Precipitation is not heavy, but the islands usually develop deep snow banks in the winter. Sea of Japan: On Honshū's west coast, the northwest wind in the wintertime brings heavy snowfall. In the summer, the region is cooler than the Pacific area, though it sometimes experiences extremely hot temperatures, because of the foehn wind phenomenon. Central Highland: A typical inland climate, with large temperature differences between summer and winter, and between day and night. Precipitation is light. Seto Inland Sea: The mountains of the Chūgoku and Shikoku regions shelter the region from the seasonal winds, bringing mild weather throughout the year. Pacific Ocean: The east coast experiences cold winters with little snowfall and hot, humid summers because of the southeast seasonal wind. Ryukyu Islands: The Ryukyu Islands have a subtropical climate, with warm winters and hot summers. Precipitation is very heavy, especially during the rainy season. Typhoons are common. Trivia The highest temperature ever measured in Japan — 40.9 °C (105.6 °F) — was recorded on August 16, 2007 Mt. Fuji Economy Japan is the second largest economy in the world, after the United States, at around US$5 trillion in terms of nominal GDPand third after the United States and China in terms of purchasing power parity. Banking, insurance, real estate, retailing, transportation, telecommunications and construction are all major industries.Japan has a large industrial capacity and is home to some of the largest, leading and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles and processed foods. The service sector accounts for three quarters of the gross domestic product. Trivia The Tokyo Stock Exchange is the world's second largest stock exchange. From 1868, the Meiji period launched economic expansion. Meiji rulers embraced the concept of a free market economy and adopted British and North American forms of free enterprise capitalism. Japanese went to study overseas and Western scholars were hired to teach in Japan. Many of today's enterprises were founded at the time. Japan emerged as the most developed nation in Asia. The Yasuda Auditorium of University of Tokyo Japan’s prestigious University Education Primary, secondary schools and universities were introduced into Japan in 1872 as a result of the Meiji Restoration.Since 1947, compulsory education in Japan consists of elementary school and middle school, which lasts for nine years (from age 6 to age 15). Almost all children continue their education at a three-year senior high school, and, according to the MEXT, about 75.9% of high school graduates attend a university, junior college, trade school, or other post-secondary institution in 2005.Japan's education is very competitive, especially for entrance to institutions of higher education. The two top-ranking universities in Japan are the University of Tokyo and Keio University.The Programme for International Student Assessment coordinated by the OECD, currently ranks Japanese knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds as the 6th best in the world. Culture and recreation Japanese culture has evolved greatly over the years, from the country's original Jōmon culture to its contemporary culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America. Traditional Japanese arts include crafts ( ikebana, origami, ukiyo-e, dolls, lacquerware, pottery), performances (bunraku, dance, kabuki, noh, rakugo), traditions (games, tea ceremony, Budō, architecture, gardens, swords) and cuisine. The fusion of traditional woodblock printing and Western art led to the creation of manga, a typically Japanese comic book format that is now popular within and outside Japan. Manga-influenced animation for television and film is called anime. Japanese- made video game consoles have prospered since the 1980s. Japan’s Music
This is the second album
of music by Michio Miyagi (1894-1956), presented by the Yamato Ensemble. The instruments are shakuhachi, koto and jushichigen (‘bass koto’) with occasional vocals. Intricate and evocative Japanese music. Sports in Japan Traditionally, sumo is The world's strongest considered Japan's sumo-man - Emanuel national sport and it is a Yarbrough popular spectator sport in Japan. Martial arts such as judo, karate and modern kendō are also widely practiced and enjoyed by spectators in the country. After the Meiji Restoration, many Western sports were introduced in Japan and began to spread through the education system. Japanese Language Hiragana Japanese Art Ikebana ( 生け花 ?) is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It has gained widespread international fame for its focus on harmony, color use, rhythm, and elegantly simple design. It is an art centered greatly on expressing the seasons, and is meant to act as a symbol to something greater than the flower itself. Japanese Clothing The Japanese word kimono means "something one wears" and they are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally, the word kimono was used for all types of clothing, but eventually, it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment also known as the naga-gi, meaning "long-wear", that is still worn today on special occasions by women, men, and children. Kimono in this meaning plus all other items of traditional Japanese clothing are known collectively as wafuku which means "Japanese clothes" as opposed to yofuku (Western-style clothing). Kimono come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Japanese Cuisine Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated and refined cuisine. In recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular in the U.S., Europe and many other areas. Dishes such as sushi, tempura, and teriyaki chicken are some of the foods that are commonly known. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be related to the longevity of Japanese people. Anime and Manga Many anime and manga are becoming very popular around the world, as well as Japanese video games, music, and game shows; this has made Japan an "entertainment superpower" along with the United States and European Union. L-O-V-E Rukawa Geisha Samurai Samurai ( 侍 or sometimes 士 ) is a common term for a warrior in pre-industrial Japan. A more appropriate term is bushi ( 武士 ) (lit. "war-man") which came into use during the Edo period. However, the term samurai now usually refers to warrior nobility, not, for example, ashigaru or foot soldiers. The samurai with no attachment to a clan or daimyo was called a ronin Japanese Marriage The main guideline in the choice of a suitable partner in Japan is the social status of a person, which comes from his/her professional activities, education level, financial position. It matters, first of all, because marriage and the ceremonies concerned are exceptionally expensive. For reasons of prestige, the Japanese sacrifice lots of money to conduct the wedding ceremony up to standard. Marriage is preceded by an engagement agreement, which is accompanied with mutual exchange of presents in the presence of parents and witnesses. The bride and the groom exchange lists of their relatives with a detailed comment on the relation degree. There is national Japanese etiquette, which sets the value of the present and even the way it should be packed. As well as the bride and the groom, some of the main characters of a wedding ceremony are the sinoit priest (kannusi) and his assistants (miko). In the beginning of the ceremony the priest conducts the ritual of purification, reading the ancient prayers. The bride and the groom accept from each other little cups of Japanese vodka sake, drinking three sips from each. After that, they exchange wedding rings. The ritual ends with the pledge of the bride to be faithful to the husband and the family.
A characteristic feature of Japanese
wedding feasts is the strict regulation of the way the guests are placed at the table, the rules of their interaction with each other and the sequence of toasting. The order of the wedding is very much respected. Health Japanese tea usually indicates Green Tea. Fresh green tea leaves are steamed, dried, rolled, and blended. There are many kinds of green tea: gyokuro, sencha, macha, genmaicha, bancha, and more. JAPANESE TRADITIONAL HEALING PRACTICES Traditional Japanese believe that an individual's health is dependent on maintaining a harmonious relationship with the universe. Hari (acupuncture) and kyu (moxibustion) were used to restore the balance in the body. Small needles are used in acupuncture and applied to specific points on the skin surface. Moxibustion was used to help ailments of the muscles, joints, bones and back. Another common treatment methodology used is massage. Massage is thought to restore proper balances and stimulate the body's natural ability to fight off illness. Traditional Japanese Childbirth Customs Customarily, a month before birth, a woman would leave her husband return to her parents home and give birth. Her family would care for her one month then she'd return to her husband with child. After the fifth month of pregnancy, a woman wears a cotton abdomen band called a Iwata-obi. It is given by her family for protection, good luck and an easy birth. After birth, a practice widely held is "seventh night", or the celebration of naming. On this day the child is named and introduced to the world, although the baby does not leave the house for one month. On the baby's first birthday, various tools are placed in the path of the crawling child.. Items like a sickle, an abacus or a writing brush can tell the future profession of the infant by which one it chooses to play with. Shiatsu Shiatsu is an ancient art of health that originally came from China. In Japan, the word "shiatsu" means finger pressure: shi (finger) atsu (pressure). Shiatsu improves the bosy's own natural powers of recuperation and prevents illness. It relies on the mental attitude of the person undergoing treatment. Shiatsu is used to relax the body, guard against colds, relieve fatigue and relax aching sholders & backs. The most common reason people get shiatsu is to treat backaches. The shiatsu practioners that I interviewed entered this field because of previous exposure to the positive health benefits experienced by family members who were treated with shiatsu. In practicing shiatsu, a pressure is applied to the surface of the body in a gradual manner that penetrates and limbers the muscles beneath. The bulb of the thumbs and fingers are used to apply sufficient pressure. The Role of Traditional Herbal Medicine in Modern Japan Japanese kampo is an important feature of modern medical practice in Japan. Almost all Japanese pharmacies carry the traditional herbal formulas and have a pharmacist on staff trained in the traditional methods of prescription. The word kampo in Japanese is a generic term for Chinese medicine. The literal meaning of kampo is "Han method," the treatment system of the "Hans," as the Chinese were referred to. Until 1875, when Western medicine became the official medicine, the dominant form of medical practice in Japan was kampo and acupuncture. After legislation was passed in 1875 sanctifying Western medicine as the sole orthodox system of practice, kampo was relegated to an insignificant role. International Energy Medicine Practitioners and Students in Training Japan Catrien Ross Professional Practitioner Fujikawaguchiko Town, Yamanashi, Japan At the foot of Mount Fuji, overlooking Lake Kawaguchi, Energy Medicine Japan integrates therapy within a stunning setting of ancient, sacred sites. Catrien's nature- based practice incorporates Eden Energy Medicine, Oriental Energy Medicine, and her training in ecopsychology and practical metaphysics. She also uses healing art and dance to reconnect mind, body and spirit with the web of life's natural wisdom. Catrien facilitates an Energy Medicine study group and classes, as well as international workshops. Thank you Madz,Nachez,Donz,Badz, Ericz, Franz,Orpz,Jiz,Cez