Overview of and topical guide to Japan
An enlargeable map of Japan The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Japan:
Japan – an island nation in East Asia , located in the Pacific Ocean . It lies to the east of the Sea of Japan , 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 that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin" (because it lies to the east of nearby countries), which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun ". Japan is an archipelago of 14,125 islands . The four largest islands are Honshu , Hokkaido , Kyushu , and Shikoku , which together comprise about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area.
An enlargeable topographic/hydrographic map of Japan An enlargeable map of the extreme points of Japan Environment of Japan [ edit ] An enlargeable satellite image of Japan Mount Ontake seen from Kurakake PassGeographic features of Japan [ edit ] An enlargeable map of the World Heritage Sites of Japan Tsunami wall at Tsu, Mie The four main islands of Japan are:
Major regions of Japan include:
Hokkaido (the island of Hokkaido and nearby islands, largest city Sapporo )
Tōhoku region (northern Honshu , largest city Sendai )
Kantō region (eastern Honshu, largest cities Tokyo and Yokohama )
Chūbu region (central Honshu, including Mount Fuji ), sometimes divided into:
Kansai or Kinki region (west-central Honshu, largest cities Osaka , Kobe , and Kyoto )
Chūgoku region (western Honshu, largest city Hiroshima , and Okayama )
Shikoku (island, largest city Matsuyama , and Takamatsu )
Kyushu (island, largest city Fukuoka ) which includes:
Ecoregions of Japan [ edit ] Administrative divisions of Japan [ edit ] Administrative division types
Prefectures of Japan [ edit ] Map of the prefectures of Japan in ISO 3166-2:JP order and the regions of Japan From north to south (numbering in ISO 3166-2:JP order), the prefectures of Japan and their commonly associated regions are:
Karafuto , a portion of the island of Sakhalin north of Hokkaido (not shown on the map), was part of Japan from 1907 until World War II. The entire island is now governed by Russia .
Municipalities of Japan [ edit ] Cities of JapanDemography of Japan [ edit ] Government and politics of Japan [ edit ] Naruhito , 126th Emperor of Japan Branches of the government of Japan [ edit ] Executive branch of the government of Japan [ edit ] Present-day Kantei , office and residence of the Prime Minister Legislative branch of the government of Japan [ edit ] National Diet Building Judicial branch of the government of Japan [ edit ] Foreign relations of Japan [ edit ] Dish of whale meat International organization membership of Japan [ edit ] Japan is a member of:[ 3]
Law and order of Japan [ edit ] Motorcycle policeman questioning driver Japanese bushi in armour History of Japan by period [ edit ] Japanese tea ceremony Woman in kimono at Fukuoka City Hall Architecture of Japan [ edit ] Himeji Castle (UNESCO World Heritage Site)Kyoto geiko playing shamisen Bugaku theatreBankei Yōtaku calligraphyNoh mask, Bern Historical MuseumA traditional Japanese breakfast Kuzumochi , a dessert traditionally served chilledCultural icons of Japan [ edit ] Sōraku-en rhododendron gardenSakura at Tsu CastleA woman wearing kimono Holidays and festivals of Japan [ edit ] Momijigari at Ryōan-ji in KyotoByōbu , an eight-panel folding screen from the 19th centurySōgetsu-ryū ikebana arrangementShōji Stereotypes in Japan [ edit ] A geisha and a maiko dancing Sports and gaming in Japan [ edit ] Aikido , a modern Japanese martial artEconomy and infrastructure of Japan [ edit ] Lexus LF-LC concept, a two-door coupé produced by Lexus Tokyo Skytree , the tallest structure in Japan Economy of Japan
Zaō Quasi-National Park Shinkansen Japanese junior high school students in sailor outfit-style school uniforms Structure of education in Japan [ edit ] Science and technology of Japan [ edit ] JAXA Kibo , the largest module for the International Space Station
^ The Emperor has no executive authority, but is treated as a head of state under diplomatic protocol
^ While the Yamato period (250–710 CE) is considered to include both the Kofun and Asuka periods, as it spans both an archaeological period (Kofun) and a historical period (Asuka), it is held by many to be an outdated period of division in Japan's history, and no longer applicable in discussions of period division.
Wikimedia Atlas of Japan