Cultural Differences in The Regions of Japan Essay -- Geography Cultur

Cultural Differences in The Regions of Japan Japan is a country made from four major islands. Though its area is small, each region has different tastes. The country has the population of 123.6 millions according to the 1990 census, or 2.5 % of the world total, and it is the seventh most populated nation according to The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Japan.(5, p.25). Japanese political and economical world power has been one of the success stories of the twentieth century. Though small in geographic area, its popularity is the seventh greatest; its inhabitants crowd themselves into an area the size of the state of Montana or California in the United States. Its natural resources are almost non-existent; however, today it ranks only second after the much larger United States as the most affluent and economically productive nation in the world. Japan was traditionally more self-sustained and semi-isolated in its islands, and it pursued its own historic path on the periphery of a great Chinese civilisation. The Japanese borrowed some cultural ideas from China. (4,p.1-2). Although the population is largely homogeneous, there is considerable regional diversity. This diversity is reflected in life-styles, dialects and speech differing patterns of historic and economical development. The four largest islands are Hokkaido(2), Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Honshu, the largest island, is usually divided into five regions; Tohoku (3), Kanto (4),Chubu (5), Kinki(6), and Chugoku (7). According to Cultural Atlas of Japan, Hokkaido is Japan’s northern frontier.(1,p.23 ). Dominated by the daisetsu mountain range and national park, Hokkaido is an island of forests, rivers, sheer cliffs and rolling pastures. It's located at roughly... ...beautiful species of flora and fauna.(8). Bibliography 1. Cultural Atlas of Japan. 1988, pages 12-32. ` 2. "Hokkaido Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/hokkaido.html (2-24-1998). 3. "Tohoku Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/tohoku.html (2-24-1998). 4. "Kanto Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/kanto.html (2-24-1998). 5. "Chubu & Hokuriku Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/chubuhokuriku.html (2-24-1998) 6 "Kansai Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/kansai.html (2-24-1998) 7. "Chugoku & Shikoku Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/chugokushikoku.html (2-24-1998) 8. "Kyushu & Okinawa Map" 1994. http://www.jnto.go.jp/02map/kyushuokinawa.html (2-24-1998) 9. Japan A Concise History. Milton W. Meyer, 1993, pages 1-14, 245. 10. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Japan. University of Cambridge, 1993, pages 25-43.