Transcript Slide 1
JAPAN Presentation by the Consulate-General of Japan at Houston Where is Japan? World Map (US) Map of Japan • Japan consists of four main islands – Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu Japan stretches approximately 3, 800 miles from north to south. Therefore, there are a variety of climates ranging from subartic to subtropical. Seasons •The Japanese people enjoy the signs of the changing seasons and track their progress with weather reports. • Japan has four well defined seasons Cherry Blossom Report Geography of Japan • 3/4ths of Japan is mountainous. • Japan has very few natural resources. • Most major cities are concentrated in the plains that account for less that 30% of the land. Population of Japan • Japan has a total population of 127 million. • It is the ninth highest populated country in the world. Problem of Over Population • The land area of Japan is 145,783 square miles, which is one twenty-firth of that of the United States • The population density is 849 persons per square mile (compared to the US at 70 persons per square mile). Housing Japanese homes • Shoes are taken off when entering the house. People tend to put on slippers when walking around the house. • There tends to be a Japanese style room with tatami mats in most homes. • Most homes are not centrally heated/cooled. • Many children will have their own rooms, but often sleep with their parents. Transportation The Bullet Train travels at 400-475 miles per hour. Japanese trains are very punctual. Education in Japan • The school year begins in April. School Uniforms • Most high schools require students to wear uniforms. •Each school has a different uniform so that you can recognize which school a student attends. School Rules • School rules pertaining to appearance are much more strict in Japan. In a lot of Japanese schools, students are not allowed to pierce their ears, dye their hair, wear makeup or paint their nails. •Discipline in Japanese schools is very different from the U.S.—no detention or suspension. Teachers often ignore students bad behavior. Classroom Procedure • Students do not change classes. They stay in the same classrooms and the teachers come to them. • Students bow to their teacher before the start of every class. They call their teachers “Sensei” instead of by their names. Teachers are also more involved in their students life because they are held accountable for their students’ actions even outside of the classroom. A typical school schedule • Most students walk or ride their bikes to school and arrive at school by 8:30. • Students cannot choose their own classes, but many public schools offer the choice between a science path and a literature path. • Classes are approximately 50 minutes long and include the following subjects: Japanese, math, science, social studies, PE and English. Japanese Language There are three systems of writing in Japanese. Hiragana – (phonetic) 46 characters Katakana – used to write foreign words Kanji – (Chinese characters) By the end of high school, students must know approximately 2,000 characters. 昨日、マクドナルドに行きました。 Club Activities • A majority of high school students participate in extracurricular activities through their schools. In addition to sports, music and art clubs, there are also options such as tea ceremony clubs, manga (comic book) clubs, Go (Japanese chess) clubs, etc. • Clubs teach students that the fundamental relationship of senpai (senior) and kohai (junior). Cram Schools • Competition to get into a good university is very difficult. Many students attend “cram schools” after school. • Application to a university consists of just one exam. • People often refer to this as “exam hell.” • Students are not allowed to have part-time jobs. Karaoke Hobbies Print Club Arcade Video Games Manga Music Cell Phones For every 10 people, 6.2 own a cell phone in Japan compared to 4.9 in the U.S. American Culture in Japan Actors in advertisements Fast Food Restaurants Amusement Parks TV Shows •West Wing – “The White House” •Dharma and Greg – “These Two are the Best” Food Traditional Culture Performing Arts Flower Arranging Traditional Instruments Tea Ceremony Calligraphy Kendo Sports Sumo Martial Arts Baseball Soccer Want more information about Japan? Check out the following websites: Bye Bye Japan Information Network http://web-japan.org/ Embassy of Japan http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/ Consulate-General of Japan at Houston http://www.cgjhouston.org/