1.
Japan
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Japan is a sovereign island nation in Eastern Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asia Mainland and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea, the kanji that make up Japans name mean sun origin. 日 can be read as ni and means sun while 本 can be read as hon, or pon, Japan is often referred to by the famous epithet Land of the Rising Sun in reference to its Japanese name. Japan is an archipelago consisting of about 6,852 islands. The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, the country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions. Hokkaido being the northernmost prefecture and Okinawa being the southernmost one, the population of 127 million is the worlds tenth largest. Japanese people make up 98. 5% of Japans total population, approximately 9.1 million people live in the city of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period, the first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other regions, mainly China, followed by periods of isolation, from the 12th century until 1868, Japan was ruled by successive feudal military shoguns who ruled in the name of the Emperor. Japan entered into a period of isolation in the early 17th century. The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941, which came to an end in 1945 following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan is a member of the UN, the OECD, the G7, the G8, the country has the worlds third-largest economy by nominal GDP and the worlds fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It is also the worlds fourth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer, although Japan has officially renounced its right to declare war, it maintains a modern military with the worlds eighth-largest military budget, used for self-defense and peacekeeping roles. Japan is a country with a very high standard of living. Its population enjoys the highest life expectancy and the third lowest infant mortality rate in the world, in ancient China, Japan was called Wo 倭. It was mentioned in the third century Chinese historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms in the section for the Wei kingdom, Wa became disliked because it has the connotation of the character 矮, meaning dwarf. The 倭 kanji has been replaced with the homophone Wa, meaning harmony, the Japanese word for Japan is 日本, which is pronounced Nippon or Nihon and literally means the origin of the sun. The earliest record of the name Nihon appears in the Chinese historical records of the Tang dynasty, at the start of the seventh century, a delegation from Japan introduced their country as Nihon
2.
Hirohito
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Emperor Shōwa was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from December 25,1926, until his death on January 7,1989. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Akihito, upon his death, although better known outside Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan, he is now referred to primarily by his posthumous name Emperor Shōwa. The word Shōwa is the name of the era that corresponded with the Emperors reign, the name Hirohito means abundant benevolence. He was the head of state under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan during Japans imperial expansion, militarization, born in Tokyos Aoyama Palace, Hirohito was the first son of Crown Prince Yoshihito and Crown Princess Sadako. He was the grandson of Emperor Meiji and Yanagihara Naruko and his childhood title was Prince Michi. At the age of 3, Hirohito and his brother Chichibu were returned to court when Kawamura died – first to the mansion in Numazu, Shizuoka. In 1908, he began studies at the Gakushūin. When his grandfather, Emperor Meiji, died on July 30,1912, Hirohitos father, Yoshihito, assumed the throne, in 1914, he was promoted to the ranks of lieutenant in the army and sub-lieutenant in the navy, then to captain and lieutenant in 1916. He was formally proclaimed Crown Prince and heir apparent on November 2,1916, Hirohito attended Gakushūin Peers School from 1908 to 1914 and then a special institute for the crown prince from 1914 to 1921. In 1920, Hirohito was promoted to the rank of Major in the army, in 1921, Hirohito took a six-month tour of Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. After his return to Japan, he became Regent of Japan on November 29,1921, in 1923, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the army and Commander in the navy, and to army Colonel and Navy Captain in 1925. The Washington Naval Treaty was signed on February 6,1922, Japan withdrew troops from the Siberian Intervention on August 28,1922. The Great Kantō earthquake devastated Tokyo on September 1,1923, on December 27,1923, Daisuke Namba attempted to assassinate Hirohito in the Toranomon Incident but his attempt failed. During interrogation, he claimed to be a communist and was executed, the General Election Law was passed on May 5,1925, giving all men above age 25 the right to vote. Prince Hirohito married his distant cousin Princess Nagako Kuni, the eldest daughter of Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni and they had two sons and five daughters. On December 25,1926, Hirohito assumed the throne upon his father, Yoshihitos, the Crown Prince was said to have received the succession. The Taishō eras end and the Shōwa eras beginning were proclaimed, the deceased Emperor was posthumously renamed Emperor Taishō within days. Following Japanese custom, the new Emperor was never referred to by his name, but rather was referred to simply as His Majesty the Emperor
3.
Emperor of Japan
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The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family and is the ceremonial head of state of Japans system of constitutional monarchy. According to the 1947 constitution, he is the symbol of the State, in Japanese, the Emperor is called Tennō, which means heavenly sovereign. In English, the use of the term Mikado for the Emperor was once common, currently, the Emperor of Japan is the only remaining monarch in the world reigning under the title of Emperor. The Imperial House of Japan is the oldest continuing hereditary monarchy in the world, in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, it is said that Japan was founded in 660 BC by Emperor Jimmu. He acceded the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father, Emperor Shōwa, the role of the Emperor of Japan has historically alternated between a largely ceremonial symbolic role and that of an actual imperial ruler. Since the establishment of the first shogunate in 1192, the Emperors of Japan have rarely taken on a role as supreme battlefield commander, Japanese Emperors have nearly always been controlled by external political forces, to varying degrees. In fact, between 1192 and 1867, the shoguns, or their shikken regents in Kamakura, were the de facto rulers of Japan, although they were nominally appointed by the Emperor. After the Meiji Restoration in 1867, the Emperor was the embodiment of all power in the realm. His current status as a figurehead dates from the 1947 Constitution, since the mid-nineteenth century, the Imperial Palace has been called Kyūjō, later Kōkyo, and is located on the former site of Edo Castle in the heart of Tokyo. Earlier, Emperors resided in Kyoto for nearly eleven centuries, the Emperors Birthday is a national holiday. Unlike most constitutional monarchies, the Emperor is not the nominal Chief Executive, article 65 of the Constitution explicitly vests executive power in the Cabinet, of which the Prime Minister is the leader. The Emperor is also not the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Self-Defense Forces Act of 1954 also explicitly vests this role with the Prime Minister. The Emperors powers are limited only to important ceremonial functions, article 4 of the Constitution stipulates that the Emperor shall perform only such acts in matters of state as are provided for in the Constitution and he shall not have powers related to government. It also stipulates that the advice and approval of the Cabinet shall be required for all acts of the Emperor in matters of state, article 4 also states that these duties can be delegated by the Emperor as provided for by law. Article 6 of the Constitution delegates the Emperor the following ceremonial roles, Appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as designated by the Cabinet. Dissolution of the House of Representatives, proclamation of general election of members of the Diet. Attestation of the appointment and dismissal of Ministers of State and other officials as provided for by law, attestation of general and special amnesty, commutation of punishment, reprieve, and restoration of rights. Attestation of instruments of ratification and other documents as provided for by law
4.
Taste (sociology)
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In sociology, taste is an individuals personal and cultural patterns of choice and preference. Taste is drawing distinctions between things such as styles, manners, consumer goods and works of art and relating to these, social inquiry of taste is about the human ability to judge what is beautiful, good, and proper. Social and cultural phenomena concerning taste are closely associated to social relations, the concept of social taste is therefore rarely separated from its accompanying sociological concepts. An understanding of taste as something that is expressed in actions between people helps to perceive many social phenomena that would otherwise be inconceivable, aesthetic preferences and attendance to various cultural events are associated with education and social origin. Different socioeconomic groups are likely to have different tastes, social class is one of the prominent factors structuring taste. Metaphysical or spiritual interpretations of common aesthetical values have shifted towards locating social groups that form the contemporary artistic taste or fashion, in his aesthetic philosophy, Kant denies any standard of a good taste, which would be the taste of the majority or any social group. For Kant, beauty is not a property of any object and he claims that a genuine good taste does exist, though it could not be empirically identified. Good taste cannot be found in any standards or generalizations, taste is both personal and beyond reasoning, and therefore disputing over matters of taste never reaches any universality. Kant stresses that our preferences, even on generally liked things, every judgement of taste, according to Kant, presumes the existence of a sensus communis, a consensus of taste. This non-existent consensus is an idea that both enables judgements of taste and is constituted by a somewhat conceptual common spiritual humanity, a judgement does not take for granted that everyone agrees with it, but it proposes the community to share the experience. If the statement would not be addressed to this community, it is not a subjective judgement. Kants idea of good taste excludes fashion, which can be only in its empirical form. There is a proposition of a universal communal voice in judgements of taste, Bourdieu argued against Kantian view of pure aesthetics, stating that the legitimate taste of the society is the taste of the ruling class. This position also rejects the idea of good taste, as the legitimate taste is merely a class taste. This idea was proposed by Simmel, who noted that the upper classes abandon fashions as they are adopted by lower ones. Fashion in a Kantian sense is a phenomenon and source of pleasure. For Kant, the function of fashion was merely a means of social distinction, Simmel, following Kantian thought, recognises the usefulness of fashionable objects in its social context. For him, the lies in the whole fashion pattern
5.
Mainichi Shimbun
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The Mainichi Shimbun is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by The Mainichi Newspapers Co. Ltd. It also publishes paperbacks, books and other magazines, including a news magazine. The history of the Mainichi Shimbun began with the founding of two papers during the Meiji period, the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper with its 136-year history, the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun was founded four years later, in 1876. The two papers merged in 1911, but the two continued to print their newspapers independently until 1943, when both editions were placed under a Mainichi Shimbun masthead. In 1966, the Tokyo office was moved from Yurakucho to Takebashi, and in 1992, the Mainichi has 3,200 employees working in 364 offices in Japan and 26 bureaus overseas. The Mainichi is the only Japanese newspaper company to have won a Pulitzer Prize, on 15 January 2004, Mainichi Shimbun and MSN Japan announced they were to merge their websites. The partnership has been known as MSN-Mainichi Interactive, effective since 1 April 2004. On 18 September 2007, Mainichi announced the launch of their new website, mainichi. jp, the new website began operations on 1 October 2007, marking the end of MSN-Mainichi Interactive, being replaced by mainichi. jp. The English-language Mainichi Daily News also moved to the new website, the Mainichi Daily News column WaiWai, by Australian journalist Ryann Connell, featured often-sensationalist stories, principally translated from and based on articles appearing in Japanese tabloids. The column carried a disclaimer since September 19,2002, WaiWai stories are transcriptions of articles originally appeared in Japanese language publications. The Mainichi Daily News cannot be responsible for the content of the original articles. Views expressed in the WaiWai column are not necessarily held by the Mainichi Daily News or the Mainichi Newspapers Co. Nevertheless, WaiWai content was reported as fact in blogs and reputable foreign media sources, in April and May 2008, an aggressive anti-WaiWai campaign appeared on internet forums including 2channel. Criticism included contents are too vulgar and the stories could cause Japanese people to be misunderstood abroad, on June 20, a news site J-CAST reported on this issue. The Mainichi editorial board responded by deleting controversial WaiWai articles and limiting archive access, citing continuing criticism, Mainichis Digital Media Division shut down WaiWai on June 21. On June 25, Mainichi apologized to MDN readers, some advertisers responded to the campaign by pulling ads from Mainichis Japanese site. On June 28,2008, Mainichi announced punitive measures, Connell, who remained anonymous in the announcement, was suspended for three months
6.
Karikachi Pass
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Karikachi Pass is a mountain pass at the north end of the Hidaka Mountains of Hokkaidō, Japan. The pass traverses the mountains at 644 metres and is 21 kilometres long, the road is 5.5 metres wide with a maximum grade of 5. 3%. The minimum curve radius is 90 metres, snow is possible on the pass from October to May. Japan National Route 38 crosses the pass between Minamifurano and Shintoku
7.
Hokkaido
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Hokkaido, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is the second largest island of Japan, and the largest and northernmost prefecture. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaido is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city, about 43 km north of Hokkaido lies Sakhalin island, Russia, whereas to its east and north-east are the disputed Kuril Islands. Hokkaido was settled by the Ainu, Nivkh, and Orok before recorded history, the Nihon Shoki, finished in 720 AD, is often said to be the first mention of Hokkaido in recorded history. According to the text, Abe no Hirafu led a navy and army to northern areas from 658 to 660 and came into contact with the Mishihase. One of the places Hirafu went to was called Watarishima, which is believed to be present-day Hokkaido. During the Nara and Heian periods, people in Hokkaido conducted trade with Dewa Province, from the Middle Ages, the people in Hokkaido began to be called Ezo. Hokkaido, formerly known as Ezochi Ezochi or Ezogashima, the Ezo mainly relied upon hunting and fishing and obtained rice and iron through trade with the Japanese. During the Muromachi period, the Japanese created a settlement at the south of the Oshima Peninsula, as more people moved to the settlement to avoid battles, disputes arose between the Japanese and the Ainu. The disputes eventually developed into a war, takeda Nobuhiro killed the Ainu leader, Koshamain, and defeated the opposition in 1457. Nobuhiros descendants became the rulers of the Matsumae-han, which was granted trading rights with the Ainu in the Azuchi-Momoyama. The Matsumae familys economy relied upon trade with the Ainu and they held authority over the south of Ezochi until the end of the Edo period in 1868. The Matsumae clan rule over the Ainu must be understood in the context of the expansion of the Japanese feudal state, medieval military leaders in northern Honshū maintained only tenuous political and cultural ties to the imperial court and its proxies, the Kamakura Shogunate and Ashikaga Shogunate. Feudal strongmen sometimes located themselves within medieval institutional order, taking shogunal titles, in fact many of the feudal strongmen were descended from Emishi military leaders who had been assimilated into Japanese society. The Matsumae clan were of Yamato descent like other ethnic Japanese people, the Emishi were conquered and integrated into the Japanese state dating back as far as the 8th century, and as result began to lose their distinctive culture and ethnicity as they became minorities. By the time the Matsumae clan ruled over the Ainu most of the Emishi were ethnically mixed, there were numerous revolts by the Ainu against feudal rule. The last large-scale resistance was Shakushains Revolt in 1669–1672, in 1789, a smaller movement, the Menashi-Kunashir Rebellion, was also crushed. After that rebellion the terms Japanese and Ainu referred to clearly distinguished groups, in 1799–1821 and 1855–1858 the Edo Shogunate took direct control over Hokkaido in response to a perceived threat from Russia
8.
Plain
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In geography, a plain is a flat, sweeping landmass that generally does not change much in elevation. Plains occur as lowlands along the bottoms of valleys or on the doorsteps of mountains, as coastal plains, and as plateaus or uplands. In a valley, a plain is enclosed on two sides but in other cases a plain may be delineated by a complete or partial ring of hills, where a geological region contains more than one plain, they may be connected by a pass. Coastal plains would mostly rise from sea level until they run into elevated features such as mountains or plateaus, plains are one of the major landforms on earth, where they are present on all continents, and would cover more than one-third of the world’s land area. Plains may have formed from flowing lava, deposited by water, ice, wind, or formed by erosion by these agents from hills. Plains would generally be under the grassland, steppe, savannah or tundra biomes, in a few instances, deserts and rainforests can also be plains. Structural plains are relatively undisturbed horizontal surfaces of the Earth and they are structurally depressed areas of the world that make up some of the most extensive natural lowlands on the Earths surface. Erosional plains have been leveled by various agents of such as running water, rivers, wind and glacier which wear out the rugged surface. Plain resulting from the action of these agents of denudation are called peneplains while plains formed from wind action are called pediplains, depositional plains formed by the deposition of materials brought by various agents of transportation such as rivers, wind, waves, and glaciers. Their fertility and economic relevance depend greatly on the types of sediments that are laid down, flood plain, adjacent to a stream, river, lake or wetland that experiences occasional or periodic flooding. Scroll plain, a plain through which a river meanders with a low gradient. Lacustrine plain, a plain that originally formed in a lacustrine environment, lava plain, formed by sheets of flowing lava. Glacial plains, formed by the movement of glaciers under the force of gravity, Sandur, sandar consist mainly of stratified gravel and sand. Till plain, a plain of glacial till that forms when a sheet of ice becomes detached from the body of a glacier. Till plains are composed of unsorted material of all sizes, abyssal plain, a flat or very gently sloping area of the deep ocean basin. Planitia, the Latin word for plain, is used in the naming of plains on extraterrestrial objects, such as Hellas Planitia on Mars or Sedna Planitia on Venus
9.
Lake Towada
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Lake Towada is the largest crater lake in Honshū island, Japan. Located on the border between Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters above sea level and is 327 m deep, with a surface area of 61.1 km², Towada is Japans 12th largest lake, its bright blue color is due to its great depth. The lake is circular, with two peninsulas extending from its southern shore approximately one-third into the center of the lake. The lake is a popular tourist destination, Lake Towada occupies the caldera of an active volcano, with large scale volcanic eruptions occurring approximately 55,000,25,000 and 13,000 years ago. The most recent eruption left traces of pyroclastic flows as far away as the city of Aomori. The lake is a caldera in that the inlet between its two peninsulas is the remnant of a secondary caldera which erupted and collapsed approximately 5400 years ago. In 1903, largely through the efforts of Wainai Sadayuki, princess trout were introduced into Lake Towada, the lake now also has rainbow trout, cherry salmon, carp, Carassius, Japanese eel. The surrounding forests are deciduous, and are primarily Erman’s birch. The lake was selected by the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun and Osaka Mainichi Shimbun as one of the Eight Scenic Views of Japan in 1927, in 1936, the lake and surrounding areas became part of Towada National Park. It was the last work by noted sculptor. A wartime Tachikawa Ki-54 aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force which crashed in 1943 was found at the bottom of Lake Towada on 13 August 2010 and it was recovered on September 5,2012 and has been placed on display. List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments Tourism in Japan Southerland, Mary and Britton, ISBN 4-7700-1971-8 Towada - Japan Meteorological Agency Towada, National catalogue of the active volcanoes in Japan. - Japan Meteorological Agency Towada - Geological Survey of Japan Towada, Global Volcanism Program - Smithsonian Institut
10.
Aomori Prefecture
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Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region. The capital is the city of Aomori, until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as the northern part of Mutsu Province. During the Edo period the Hirosaki clan began building a seaport at the current city of Aomori, there were green woods near the city which were used as landmarks for the ships that came into port. These green woods called aoi-mori is where Aomori got its name, the prefecture came into existence in 1871. The town of Aomori was established in 1889, the town was incorporated as a city in 1898 with a population of 28,000. On May 3,1910 a fire out in the Yasukata district. Fanned by strong winds, the fire devastated the whole city. The conflagration claimed 26 lives and injured a further 160 residents and it destroyed 5,246 houses and burnt 19 storage sheds and 157 warehouses. At 10,30 p. m. on July 28,1945 a squadron of American B29 bombers bombed over 90% of the city, radio Aomori made its first broadcast in 1951. Four years later, the first fish auctions were held,1958 saw the completion of the Municipal Fish Market as well as the opening of the Citizens Hospital. In the same year, the Tsugaru Line established a connection with Minmaya Village at the tip of the peninsula. Various outlying towns and villages were incorporated into the city and with the absorption of Nonai Village in 1962. Almost exactly three years later, on March 13, railroad service was inaugurated on the Tsugaru Kaikyo Line and that same day saw the end of the Seikan Ferry service. During their 80 years of service, the ferries of the Seikan line sailed between Aomori and Hakodate some 720,000 times, carrying 160 million passengers. In April 1993, Aomori Public College opened, in August 1994, Aomori City made an Education, Culture and Friendship Exchange Pact with Kecskemét in Hungary. One year later a treaty was signed with Pyongtaek in South Korea. In April 1995, Aomori Airport began offering regular international air service to Seoul, South Korea, and Khabarovsk, Russia. In June 2007, four North Korean defectors reached Aomori Prefecture, after having been at sea for six days, in March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Japan on the east coast
11.
Akita Prefecture
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Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita, the area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu. Akita was a region of hunter-gatherers and principally nomadic tribes, the first historical record of what is now Akita Prefecture dates to 658, when the Abe no Hirafu conquered the native Ezo tribes at what are now the cities of Akita and Noshiro. Hirafu, then governor of Koshi Province, established a fort on the Mogami River, in 733, a new military settlement—later renamed Akita Castle—was built in modern-day Akita city at Takashimizu, and more permanent roads and structures were developed. The region was used as a base of operations for the Japanese empire as it drove the native Ezo people from northern Honshū. During the Tokugawa shogunate it was appropriated to the Satake clan, throughout this period, it was classified as part of Dewa Province. In 1871, during the Meiji Restoration, Dewa Province was reshaped, the famous Heian period waka poet, Ono no Komachi, is said to have been born in Yuzawa City, Ogachi Town, located in the southeast of the prefecture. Akita Prefecture is rectangular in shape, roughly 181 km from north to south and 111 km from west to east, the Ōu Mountains mark the eastern border of the prefecture, and the higher Dewa Mountains run parallel through the center of the prefecture. Like much of northern Japan, the prefecture has cold winters, the Oga Peninsula is a prominent feature of the coastline. This has led many people to migrate to Tokyo and other large cities. Akita Prefecture is where declines in population are most severe in Japan and it also has the lowest number of children as a percentage of the population, at 11. 2%. As of 2010, it has a population of just over 1 million people, Akita is famous for rice farming and its sake breweries. It is well known for having the highest consumption of sake in Japan, the women of the region, referred to as Akita bijin, have also gained widespread renown for their white skin, rounded faces and high voices, all of which are considered highly desirable. Ono no Komachi is an example of an Akita bijin. Kiritanpo Nabe Gakko Rice – Akita komachi Sake Near Lake Tazawa and these are popular with tourists from all over Japan. In addition, its numerous seasonal festivals offer a glimpse of rural or traditional Japan, some famous examples are the Akita Kantō, the Omagari Fireworks, Namahage Festival, and the Yokote Kamakura Festivals. Kakunodate is a charming old town, known as the little Kyoto. The Aoyagi house is the residence of Odano Naotake, the man who illustrated Japans first modern guide to the human anatomy
12.
Kegon Falls
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Kegon Falls is located at Lake Chūzenji in Nikkō National Park near the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The falls were formed when the Daiya River was rerouted by lava flows, in the autumn, the traffic on the road from Nikko to Chūzenji can sometimes slow to a crawl as visitors come to see the fall colors. In 1927, the Kegon Falls was recognized as one of the Eight Views which best showed Japan and it is also listed as one of the Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls, in a listing published by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 1990. The Kegon Falls are infamous for suicides, especially among Japanese youth, the story was soon sensationalized in contemporary newspapers and was commented upon by the famed writer Natsume Sōseki. This led the famed scenic falls to become a spot for lovetorn or otherwise desperate youngsters to take their lives. A trip to Kegon Falls with fall colours A short video taken from the bottom of Kegon Falls Tourism website for Kegon Falls
13.
Tochigi Prefecture
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Tochigi Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshu, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya, Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture. Other famous parts of Tochigi include a region called Nasu known for onsen and local sake, the Imperial Family has a villa in Nasu. Nasu-Shiobara is a major Shinkansen station, situated among the inland prefectures of the northern part of the Kantō region, Tochigi is contiguous with Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, and Fukushima Prefectures. The climate of Tochigi may be classified as a temperate zone with broad variations in temperature. Winters are arid with dry winds, while summers are humid with frequent thunderstorms, the population of Tochigi as of November 2010 is approximately 2,005,096. Located in the center of the prefecture is the largest open plain in the Kantō region, shirane, Nantai and Nasudake mountain are in the northern part of the area. Kinugawa, Nakagawa, and Watarase River originate in this region, Tochigi is the 20th largest prefecture in Japan with a total area of 6,408 square km. As of 1 April 2012, 21% of the land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Nikkō National Park, Oze National Park. Before the Meiji Restoration, Tochigi was known as Shimotsuke Province, in the early 15th century, Ashikaga Gakko, Japans oldest school of higher education, was re-established, holding over 3,000 students by the 16th century. Saint Francis Xavier introduced Ashikaga to the world as the best university in Japan, in the early 17th century, Japan was unified by the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. After his death, Tōshō-gū shrine was built in Nikko on what the thought of as holy ground to protect. The establishment of the Nikkō Tōshō-gū in 1617 brought Nikkō to national attention, the Tokugawa shogunate developed the Nikkō Kaidō and required lavish processions to worship Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa line of shoguns. In the late 19th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate fell and the new government established the prefectures, the prefectural capital was established in the city of Tochigi after the unification of Utsunomiya Prefecture and Tochigi Prefecture in 1873. By 1884, however, the capital was transferred to Utsunomiya, in March 2011, following the Fukushima I nuclear accidents, levels of radioactivity in Utsunomiya were 33 times higher than normal. The chief city of Utsunomiya is famous for its many gyoza specialist shops, also located in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture has one of the largest shopping malls in the North Kantō region, Bell Mall. Industrial manufacturing accounts for 36. 6% of the total output. Vehicle parts and accessories are the products, followed by vehicles, radios and televisions, pharmaceuticals
14.
Nagano Prefecture
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Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Nagano, due to the abundance of mountain ranges in this area, the land available for inhabitance is relatively limited. Nagano has impressive highland areas, including most of the Kita-Alps, Chūō-Alps, and Minami-Alps, Nagano is an inland prefecture and it borders more prefectures than any other in Japan. Nagano contains the point furthest from the sea in the whole of Japan - this point lies within the city of Saku, the provinces mountains have made it relatively isolated, and many visitors come to Nagano for its mountain resorts and hot springs. One of the worlds highest geysers in Suwa, zenkō-ji temple in Nagano city There are two local J. League clubs, AC Nagano Parceiro and Matsumoto Yamaga FC. Tanaka was voted out from office on August 6,2006 and was replaced by Jin Murai, sasuke competitor Shinji Kobayashi, who works as a garbage man, is from Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture. Tatsumi Yoda, former chairman of Avex, is from Chikuma-shi, matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters Chūō Shinkansen Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC58053128 Official Nagano Prefecture tourism website and blog
15.
Canyon
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A canyon or gorge is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from the erosive activity of a river over geologic timescales. A canyon may also refer to a rift between two peaks, such as those in ranges including the Rocky Mountains, the Alps. Usually a river or stream and erosion carve out such splits between mountains, examples of mountain-type canyons are Provo Canyon in Utah or Yosemite National Park in Californias Sierra Nevada. Canyons within mountains, or gorges that have an opening on one side are called box canyons. Slot canyons are very narrow canyons, often with smooth walls, steep-sided valleys in the seabed of the continental slope underwater are referred to as submarine canyons. Unlike canyons on land, submarine canyons are thought to be formed by turbidity currents, the word canyon is Spanish in origin, with the same meaning. The word canyon is used in North America while the words gorge and ravine are used in Europe and Oceania, though gorge. In the United States, place names generally use canyon in the southwest and gorge in the northeast, in Canada, a gorge is usually narrow while a ravine is more open and often wooded. The military-derived word defile is occasionally used in the United Kingdom, most canyons were formed by a process of long-time erosion from a plateau or table-land level. The cliffs form because harder rock strata that are resistant to erosion, Canyons are much more common in arid than in wet areas because physical weathering has a more localized effect in arid zones. The wind and water from the combine to erode and cut away less resistant materials such as shales. The freezing and expansion of water also serves to help form canyons, water seeps into cracks between the rocks and freezes, pushing the rocks apart and eventually causing large chunks to break off the canyon walls, in a process known as frost wedging. Canyon walls are formed of resistant sandstones or granite. Sometimes large rivers run through canyons as the result of geological uplift. These are called entrenched rivers, because they are unable to alter their course. In the United States, the Colorado River in the Southwest, Canyons often form in areas of limestone rock. As limestone is soluble to an extent, cave systems form in the rock. When these collapse, a canyon is left, as in the Mendip Hills in Somerset and Yorkshire Dales in Yorkshire, England
16.
Kiso River
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The Kiso River is a river in Japan roughly 229 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the river of the Kiso Three Rivers and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain. The valley around the portion of the river forms the Kiso Valley. Parts of the Kiso River are sometimes referred to as the Japan Rhine because of its similarities to the Rhine in Europe, japanese cruiser Kiso Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC48943301 Kisogawa River Sand Data — a Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology−JAMSTEC]] website 35°02′04″N 136°44′43″E
17.
Aichi Prefecture
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Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region and it is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area. Originally, the region was divided into the two provinces of Owari and Mikawa, after the Meiji Restoration, Owari and Mikawa were united into a single entity. Nagoya Prefecture was renamed to Aichi Prefecture in April 1872, and was united with Nukata Prefecture on November 27 of the same year, the government of Aichi Prefecture is located in the Aichi Prefectural Government Office in Nagoya, which is the old capital of Owari. The Expo 2005 World Exposition was held in Seto and Nagakute, ayuchi is the original form of the name Aichi, and the Fujimae tidal flat is all that remains of the earlier Ayuchi-gata. It is now a protected area and it measures 106 km east to west and 94 km south to north and forms a major portion of the Nōbi Plain. With an area of 5,153.81 km2 it accounts for approximately 1. 36% of the surface area of Japan. The highest spot is Chausuyama at 1,415 m above sea level, due to its robust economy, for the period from October 2005 to October 2006, Aichi was the fastest growing prefecture in terms of population, beating Tokyo, at 7.4 per cent. Thirty-eight cities are located in Aichi Prefecture and these are the towns and villages in each district, Companies headquartered in Aichi include the following. Companies such as Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors, Pfizer, Sony, Suzuki, Bodycote, as of 2001, Aichi Prefectures population was 50. 03% male and 49. 97% female. 139,540 residents are of foreign nationality, the sports teams listed below are based in Aichi. Other popular sites in Aichi include the tour of the Toyota car factory in the city by the name, the monkey park in Inuyama, and the castles in Nagoya, Okazaki, Toyohashi. Most attractions are man-made destinations, dealing with the history or modern marvels. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC58053128 Aichi travel guide from Wikivoyage Official website Aichi Now-Official Site for Tourism Aichi Aichi, HOME of the Samurai Spirit Oda, Nobunaga Tokugawa, Ieyasu
18.
Hida-Kisogawa Quasi-National Park
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The Hida-Kisogawa Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in Japan. The park covers the Hida River from Gero to Minokamo in Gifu Prefecture, it covers the middle reaches of the Kiso River from Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture, to Inuyama. It was designated a park in March 1964. The park covers the below communities, the bulk of the parks area is within Gifu Prefecture. Gifu Prefecture Kakamigahara, Mizunami, Minokamo, Ena, Sakahogi, Yaotsu, Kawabe, Hichisō, Shirakawa, Mitake Aichi Prefecture Inuyama List of national parks of Japan
19.
Coast
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A coastline or a seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean, or a line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the Coastline paradox, the term coastal zone is a region where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs. Both the terms coast and coastal are often used to describe a location or region, for example, New Zealands West Coast. Edinburgh for example is a city on the coast of Scotland, a pelagic coast refers to a coast which fronts the open ocean, as opposed to a more sheltered coast in a gulf or bay. A shore, on the hand, can refer to parts of the land which adjoin any large body of water, including oceans. Similarly, the related term refers to the land alongside or sloping down to a river or to a body of water smaller than a lake. Bank is also used in parts of the world to refer to an artificial ridge of earth intended to retain the water of a river or pond. According to the UN atlas, 44% of people live within 150 kilometres of the sea, tides often determine the range over which sediment is deposited or eroded. Areas with high tidal ranges allow waves to reach farther up the shore, the tidal range is influenced by the size and shape of the coastline. Tides do not typically cause erosion by themselves, however, tidal bores can erode as the waves surge up river estuaries from the ocean. Waves erode coastline as they break on shore releasing their energy, the larger the wave the more energy it releases and the more sediment it moves. Coastlines with longer shores have more room for the waves to disperse their energy, while coasts with cliffs and short shore faces give little room for the wave energy to be dispersed. In these areas the wave energy breaking against the cliffs is higher, sediment deposited by waves comes from eroded cliff faces and is moved along the coastline by the waves. This forms an abrasion or cliffed coast, sediment deposited by rivers is the dominant influence on the amount of sediment located on a coastline. Today riverine deposition at the coast is often blocked by dams and other human regulatory devices, like the ocean which shapes them, coasts are a dynamic environment with constant change. The coast and its adjacent areas on and off shore are an important part of a local ecosystem, Salt marshes and beaches also support a diversity of plants, animals and insects crucial to the food chain. The high level of biodiversity creates a level of biological activity. More and more of the people live in coastal regions
20.
Mount Unzen
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Mount Unzen is an active volcanic group of several overlapping stratovolcanoes, near the city of Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū, Japans southernmost main island. In 1792, the collapse of one of its several lava domes triggered a megatsunami that killed 14,524 people in Japans worst-ever volcanic-related disaster. The volcano was most recently active from 1990 to 1995, currently its highest peaks are Fugen-dake at 1,359 metres and Heisei-shinzan at 1,486 metres. The latter emerged during the eruptions of the early, eponymous Heisei era, Mount Unzen is part of Shimabara Peninsula, which has seen extensive volcanism over millions of years. The oldest volcanic deposits in the date from over 6 million years ago. The origins of the Unzen complex are traced to the formation of a graben through crustal faulting and this caused parts of the peninsula to subside by up to 1,000 metres below sea level and may have caused eruptive activity to localize at one site inside the graben. Eruptions of dacitic lava began from a site slightly to the south of todays Mount Unzen, the volcano rapidly grew during its first 200,000 years, forming a large cone. Later eruptions over the following 150,000 years filled in much of the graben, initially, activity was dominated by blocky andesitic lava and ash flows, changing to dacitic pumice flows and airfall deposits from 500,000 to 400,000 years ago. The period from 400,000 to 300,000 years ago saw the emplacement of large areas of flow and lahar deposits. Beginning 300,000 to 150,000 years ago, thick phreatomagmatic deposits were laid down, Fugen-dake has been the site of most eruptions during the past 20,000 years and lies about 6 kilometres from the center of Shimabara. Unzens deadliest eruption occurred in 1792, with a large lava flow coming from Fugen-dake. The east flank of the Mayu-yama dome collapsed unexpectedly following a post-eruption earthquake and this caused a megatsunami that reached a height of 100 metres, and killed an estimated 15,000 people. As of 2011 it is the worst volcanic related eruption in Japan, after 1792, the volcano remained dormant until November 1989 when an earthquake swarm began about 20 kilometres underneath and 10 kilometres west of Fugendake. Over the following year, earthquakes continued, their hypocentres gradually migrating towards the summit, the first phreatic eruptions began in November 1990, and after inflation of the summit area, fresh lava began to emerge on May 20,1991. The threat of further disastrous events prompted authorities to evacuate 12,000 local residents from their homes, on June 3,1991, the volcano erupted violently, possibly as a result of depressurisation of the magma column after a landslide in the crater. Between 1991 and 1994 the volcano generated at least 10,000 small pyroclastic flows, from 1993 onward, the rate of lava effusion gradually decreased, and eruptions came to an end in 1995. Since then heavy rains have frequently remobilised pyroclastic material, generating lahars, dikes have been constructed in several river valleys to channel lahar flows away from vulnerable areas, and warning systems and evacuation plans have been developed and deployed. In 1999, a project began at Mount Unzen to drill deep inside the volcano
21.
Nagasaki Prefecture
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Nagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki. Facing China and Korea, the region around Hirado was a center for both traders and pirates. During the 16th century, Catholic missionaries and traders from Portugal arrived and became active in Hirado and Nagasaki and these Kakure Kirishitan were tried at every step, forced to step on fumi-e to prove that they were non-Christian. With the banishment of all Catholic missionaries, traders from Catholic countries were forced out of the country. Along with them, their children, half Japanese and half European, were forced to leave the country. The majority was sent to Jagatara and are remembered by the locals as the people who wrote the poignant letters which were smuggled across the sea to their homeland. Today, Nagasaki has a prominent Catholic churches, and the Churches, on August 9,1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, which destroyed all buildings in a one-mile radius from the point of impact and extensively damaged other parts of the city. Roughly 39,000 people were killed, including 27,778 Japanese munitions workers,2,000 Korean forced workers, about 68-80% of the industrial production was destroyed to the point it would not recover for months or at least a year. Nagasaki Prefecture contains many areas prone to rain and landslide damage. In July 1957, mainly in the Isahaya area, damage from rains, flooding and landslides lead to a death toll of 586. Also, in July 1982, typhoon damage in the Nagasaki area lead to 299 fatalities, Nagasaki borders Saga Prefecture on the east, and is otherwise surrounded by water, including Ariake Bay, the Tsushima Straits, and the East China Sea. It also includes a number of islands such as Tsushima. Most of the prefecture is near the coast and there are a number of such as Nagasaki. Thirteen cities are located in Nagasaki Prefecture, These are the towns and villages of each district, shusaku Endos novel Silence draws from the oral history of the local Christian communities, both Kakure Kirishitan and Hanare Kirishitan. As of 2002, there are 68,617 Catholics in Nagasaki Prefecture, the Nagasaki Saints of the Shikoku-Kyūshū Island League make Nagasaki Prefecture their home. First elected in 2010 to succeed Genjirō Kaneko, he was reelected for a term in 2014. The prefectural assembly of Nagasaki has a membership of 46
22.
Beppu
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Beppu is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan, at the west end of Beppu Bay. In November 2013 the city had a population of 122,085, the total area is 125.13 km2. Beppu is famous for its hot springs, Beppu is situated between the sea and the mountains. The city was founded on April 1,1924, and is famous for its onsen and it has eight major geothermal hot spots, sometimes referred to as the eight hells of Beppu. Six of these are located in the Kannawa district, and two in the more remote Shibaseki district, Beppu is also divided into eight major hot spring areas known as Beppu Hattō. Beppu is part of the course of the annual Beppu-Ōita Marathon, the competition has been held every year since 1952 and is classed as an IAAF Silver Label road race. Shidaka Lake is located 600 metres above sea level, otobaru Waterfall is a local natural attraction, located in the mountain area of Beppu city,20 minutes walk from Wonder Rakutenchi, a traditional amusement park. Takasakiyama Monkey Park is located 10 minutes from the centre of Beppu by bus, the park is home to more than 1500 Japanese macaques. Kijima Kogen is a resort includes an 18-hole golf course. It is located on a plateau en route to Yufuin, Beppu has not only usual hot springs but some sand and foot baths as well. One famous spot is Beppu Kaihin Sunayu, Ashiyu and it is 15 minutes by bus from Beppu station, on Route 10. Beppu Park is located in the center of the city, a 15-minute walk from Beppu Station, Beppu Fireworks Festival, held in late July, is one of the biggest fireworks displays in Oita. Five thousand fireworks are set off from boats floating on Beppu Bay, Beppu Contemporary Art Festival Mixed Bathing World is an art festival held every three years in Beppu. Beppu University, a university first chartered in 1954, also has a campus in Oita City. Beppu Mizobe Gakuen College, established in 1986, is a junior college located in the north of Beppu. Beppu is home to the Oita Heat Devils basketball team, the teams season was cancelled in 2011 due to the earthquake that struck Japan on March 11. The city of Beppu has sister city relationships with the following locations
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Onsen
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An onsen is a Japanese hot spring and the bathing facilities and inns frequently situated around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands, onsens were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in Japanese domestic tourism. Onsens come in types and shapes, including outdoor and indoor baths. Baths may be either publicly run by a municipality or privately, often as part of a hotel, ryokan, or bed and breakfast. Onsens are a feature of Japanese tourism, typically found in the countryside. They are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families, Japanese often talk of the virtues of naked communion for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed atmosphere of a ryokan with an attached onsen. Japanese television channels often feature special programs about local onsens, the presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the kanji 湯. Sometimes the simpler hiragana character ゆ, understandable to younger children, is used, traditionally, onsens were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsens by definition use naturally hot water from geothermally heated springs, onsens are different from sentō, indoor public bath houses where the baths are filled with heated tap water. Stratifications exist for waters of different temperatures, major onsen resort hotels often feature a wide variety of themed spa baths and artificial waterfalls in the bathing area utaseyu. Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content, a particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water of a different mineral composition. The outdoor bath tubs are often made from Japanese cypress, marble, or granite, while indoor tubs may be made from tile, acrylic glass, particular onsens may also promote the special mineral composition of their waters, together with the healing properties these may have. Other services, such as massages, may also be offered, traditionally, men and women bathed together at both onsens and sentōs, but gender separation has been enforced since the opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji Restoration. Mixed bathing persists at some special onsen in rural areas of Japan, men may cover their genitals with a small towel while out of the water, while women usually wrap their bodies in full-size towels. Children of either sex may be seen in both the mens and the womens baths, in some prefectures of Japan, including Tokyo, where nude mixed bathing is banned, people are required to wear swimsuits or yugi, which are specifically designed for bathing. At an onsen, as at a sentō, all guests are expected to wash their bodies, bathing stations are equipped with stools, faucets, wooden buckets, and toiletries such as soap and shampoo, nearly all onsen also provide removable shower heads for bathing convenience. Entering the onsen while still dirty or with traces of soap on the body is socially unacceptable, bathers are not normally allowed to wear swimsuits in the baths. However, some modern onsen with a waterpark atmosphere require their guests to wear a suit in their mixed baths
24.
Fukuroda Falls
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Fukuroda Falls are located in Daigo, Ibaraki Prefecture Japan. The Taki River has its source spring just above the falls, the river flows through the falls and ultimately joins a major Kuji river. The width of the falls is 73 m, while the height reaches 120 m, during winter the falls may freeze. The falls are ranked as the third most beautiful waterfall in Japan, coming after Kegon Falls, the Fukuroda Falls is listed as one of the Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls, in a listing published by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment in 1990. The closest train station is Fukuroda JR station located 2 kilometers away, by car, the falls can be reached from the Naka Interchange on the Jōban Expresway to Japan National Route 118 in the direction of Omiya
25.
Ibaraki Prefecture
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Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province, in 1871, the name of the province became Ibaraki. It also has a border on the southwest with Saitama Prefecture, the northernmost part of the prefecture is mountainous, but most of the prefecture is a flat plain with many lakes. As of 1 April 2012, 15% of the land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park. The Hitachi company was founded in the Ibaraki city of the same name, as of March 2011, the prefecture produced 25% of Japans bell peppers and Chinese cabbage. Ibarakis population is increasing modestly as the Greater Tokyo region spreads out, Ibaraki is known for nattō, or fermented soybeans, in Mito, watermelons in Kyōwa, and chestnuts in the Nishiibaraki region. Ibaraki is famous for the art of Aikido founded by Ueshiba Morihei. Ueshiba spent the part of his life in the town of Iwama, now part of Kasama. There are castle ruins in many cities, including Mito, Kasama, Kasama is famous for Shinto, art culture and pottery. The capital Mito is home to Kairakuen, one of Japans three most celebrated gardens, and famous for its over 3,000 Japanese plum trees of over 100 varieties, however, the correct pronunciation is Ibaraki. According to the author of Not Ibaragi, Ibaraki, this is most likely due to a mishearing of the softening of the k sound in Ibaraki dialect. Official Ibaraki Prefecture homepage The E-Ibaraki Report, articles and commentary of foreigners living in Ibaraki, produced by the International Affairs Division, Ibaraki Prefecture Ibaraki Japan
26.
Tone River
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The Tone River is a river in the Kantō region of Japan. It is 322 kilometers in length and has an area of 16,840 square kilometers. It is nicknamed Bandō Tarō, Bandō is an alias of the Kantō Region. It is regarded as one of the Three Greatest Rivers of Japan, the others being the Yoshino in Shikoku, the source of the Tone River is at Mount Ōminakami in the Echigo Mountains, which straddle the border between Gunma and Niigata Prefectures in Jōshinetsu Kōgen National Park. The Tone gathers tributaries and pours into the Pacific Ocean at Cape Inubō, major tributaries of the Tone River include the Agatsuma, Watarase, Kinu, Omoi, and the Kokai. The Edo River branches away from the river and flows into Tokyo Bay, the Tone River was once known for its uncontrollable nature, and its route changed whenever floods occurred. It is hard to trace its ancient route, but it originally flowed into Tokyo Bay along the route of the present-day Edo River, and tributaries like the Watarase and Kinu had independent river systems. For the sake of water transportation and flood control, extensive construction began in the 17th century during the Tokugawa shogunate, when the Kantō region became the political center of Japan. The course of the river was changed, and the present route of the river was determined during the Meiji period. Its vast watershed is thus largely artificial, two ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy were named after the river, one of World War I vintage and another from World War II, the lead ship of its class. As a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster radioactive cesium concentrations of 110 becquerels per kilogram were found in silver crucian carp fish caught in the Tone River in April 2012, the river is 180 kilometres from the Fukushima Daiichi Plant. Six fishery cooperatives and 10 towns along the river were asked to all shipments of fish caught in the Tone. The Tone River was an inland water link between the capitol at Edo, and later Tokyo, to the Pacific Ocean. It carried not only local products like soy sauce from Choshi, today the river has several dams that supply water for more than 30 million inhabitants of metropolitan Tokyo and large-scale industrial areas such as the Keiyō Industrial Zone. The river provides some of the best white water rafting and kayaking in Japan, the snow melt swells the river to grade 4 in spring, in the summer it is a gentle grade 2. The Momijikyo section has 7 grade 3-4 rapids for 1 kilometer and is 12 kilometers long in total
27.
Chiba Prefecture
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Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. The sixth most populous prefecture, and 27th largest by area, Chiba is on the east coast of Honshu and largely consists of the Bōsō Peninsula. The name of Chiba Prefecture in Japanese is formed from two kanji characters, the first, 千, means thousand and the second, 葉 means leaves. The name first appears as an ancient kuni no miyatsuko, or regional command office, the name was adopted by a branch of the Taira clan, which moved to the area in present-day Chiba City in the late Heian period. The branch of the Taira adopted the name and became the Chiba clan and this compound is used in terms such as the Keiyō Line, Keiyō Road, Keiyō Rinkai Railway Rinkai Main Line, and the Keiyō Industrial Zone. Chiba Prefecture was settled in times, as evidenced by the Jōmon period remains in every part of the region. The prefecture holds the largest kaizuka sea shell mounds in Japan, evidence of a population in the prefecture that relied on the rich marine products of the Pacific Ocean. Kofun burial mounds are found across the prefecture, with the largest group being in Futtsu along Tokyo Bay, in the Asuka period, under the Taika Reform of 645, the administrative structure of present-day Chiba Prefecture changed significantly. Awa Province at the south of Chiba Prefecture, was separated from Kazusa Prefecture in 718 and these administrative units existed until they were abolished and merged into Chiba Prefecture after the Meiji restoration. The central government established a provincial temple in each province. The imperial court gradually extended its authority over the three provinces in the Nara and Heian periods, shōen feudal estates were established across the three provinces, and the region became an important source of tax revenue, agricultural and other products to the capital in Kyoto. As the Heian period progressed, however, the provincial governors came to exert military power independent of the central government in Kyoto. The Chiba clan broke entirely with the court and was instrumental in the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate. Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15,1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture, the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake caused widespread destruction in Chiba Prefecture, notably in the southernmost part of the Bōsō Peninsula, where 1,300 residents were killed. Koreans in several neighborhoods of Yachiyo were killed, and a tower was erected in 1972 near Yachiyodai Station to memorialize those killed in the incident, the militarization of Chiba Prefecture dates to the Russo-Japanese War. Coastal fortifications were built along Tokyo Bay as far south as Tateyama to protect the capital of the Japanese Empire from attack, after the United States took control of Saipan the northern part of the prefecture, most notably the city of Chiba and Chōshi, were firebombed. Much of the north of the prefecture was destroyed. Operation Coronet, one of two parts of Operation Downfall, was the land invasion of Tokyo in March 1946 by the United States
28.
Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park
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Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park is a quasi-national park in the Kantō region of Honshū in Japan. It is rated a protected landscape according to the IUCN, Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park covers an area in southeast Ibaraki Prefecture and northeast Chiba Prefecture. In 1969 the areas around Mount Tsukuba and Mount Kaba in Ibaraki Prefecture, like all quasi-national parks in Japan, the park is managed by the local prefectural governments. Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park, which spans over two prefectures, is administered by Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures. List of national parks of Japan Suigō-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park, World Database on Protected Areas National Parks of Japan 水郷筑波国定公園
29.
Hakone
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Hakone is a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of June 2012, the town had an population of 13,492. The total area was 92.82 km², Hakone has been designated as a Geopark by UNESCO. Hakone is located in the far west of the prefecture. Most of the town is within the borders of the volcanically active Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, during the Genpei War, Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed at this shrine for victory over his enemies, after his defeat at the Battle of Ishibashiyama, which was fought in neighboring Manazuru. As with the rest of Sagami Province, the area came under the control of the late Hōjō clan of Odawara during the Sengoku period, after the start of the Edo period, Hakone-juku was a post station on the Tōkaidō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto. It was also the site of a barrier and official checkpoint on the route known as the Hakone Checkpoint. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, all travellers entering and leaving Edo along the Tōkaidō were stopped here by officials and their travel permits and baggage were examined to enforce Tokugawa laws that restricted the travel of women and weapons. After the start of the Meiji Restoration, Hakone became a part of the short-lived Ashigara Prefecture before becoming part of Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa prefecture in August 1876, Hakone attained town status in 1889. The imperial household established the summer Hakone Imperial Villa close to the lake, after merger with five neighboring towns and villages in September 1956, it reached its present boundaries. The economy of Hakone is strongly dominated by the tourist industry, Hakone is noted for its onsen hot spring resorts, which attract both Japanese and international visitors due to its proximity to the greater Tokyo metropolis and to Mount Fuji. Sights include the volcanically active Owakudani geysers and Hakone Shrine on the shore of the lake, in April the cherry blossoms and in autumn the Miscanthus sinensis are noted sights. Hakone has a number of art museums, including the Hakone Open-Air Museum, a noted local handicraft is parquetry. From Odawara, the Hakone Tozan Line continues into various towns in Hakone. Odakyu also runs the Romancecar limited express between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto, from Gōra, the terminus of Hakone Tozan Line, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car funicular goes to Sōunzan. Ōwakudani can be reached by Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan and the lake, there is also Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, which goes to the top of Mount Komagatake. A popular Hakone Free Pass, allowing unlimited use of most forms of transport for several days, is available
30.
Kanagawa Prefecture
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Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital of the prefecture is Yokohama, Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Kanagawa Prefecture is home to Kamakura and Hakone, two highly popular side trip destinations from Tokyo, the prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period. About 3,000 years ago, Mount Hakone produced an explosion which resulted in Lake Ashi on the western area of the prefecture. It is believed that the Yamato dynasty ruled this area from the 5th century onwards, in the ancient era, its plains were very sparsely inhabited. In medieval Japan, Kanagawa was part of the provinces of Sagami, Kamakura in central Sagami was the capital of Japan during the Kamakura period. During the Edo period, the part of Sagami Province was governed by the daimyō of Odawara Castle, while the eastern part was directly governed by the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo. Commodore Matthew Perry landed in Kanagawa in 1853 and 1854 and signed the Convention of Kanagawa to force open Japanese ports to the United States. Nearby Yokosuka, closer to the mouth of Tokyo Bay, developed as a port and now serves as headquarters for the U. S. 7th Fleet. After the Meiji period, many lived in Yokohama City. The Meiji Government developed the first railways in Japan, from Shinbashi to Yokohama in 1872, the epicenter of the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923 was deep beneath Izu Ōshima Island in Sagami Bay. It devastated Tokyo, the city of Yokohama, surrounding prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka. The sea receded as much as 400 metres from the shore at Manazuru Point, at Kamakura, the total death toll from earthquake, tsunami, and fire exceeded 2,000 victims. At Odawara, ninety percent of the buildings collapsed immediately, Yokohama, Kawasaki and other major cities were heavily damaged by the U. S. bombing in 1945. Casualties amounted to more than several thousand, after the war, General Douglas MacArthur, the chief commander of Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers for the Occupation of Japan, landed in Kanagawa, before moving to other areas. U. S. military bases remain in Kanagawa, including Camp Zama, Yokosuka Naval Base. In 1945, Kanagawa was the 15th most populous prefecture in Japan, in the years after the war, the prefecture underwent rapid urbanization as a part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The population as of September 1,2014, is estimated to be 9.1 million, Kanagawa became the second most populous prefecture in 2006
31.
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
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Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park covers 1,227 square kilometres. Rather than being a spot, the park is a collection of dispersed tourist sites that dot the region. The farthest point south, the isle of Hachijō-jima, is several hundred kilometers from Mount Fuji, the park includes a variety of geographic features including natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1000 volcanic islands. Vegetation in the ranges from species of mountainous trees to the subtropical vegetation of the Izu Islands. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park was established on February 2,1936 as Fuji-Hakone National Park, in 1950, the Izu islands were added to the park, and its name changed to its present designation. Due to its proximity to the Tokyo metropolis and ease of transportation, nearby cities include Odawara, Fuji, Minami Ashigara, and Numazu. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is divided into four areas,1. Mount Fuji area Mount Fuji Shiraito Falls Fuji Five Lakes Aokigahara Lake Tanuki 2, Hakone area Old Tokaido Road Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands Ashi-no-ko Lake Great Boiling Valley 3. Izu Peninsula Mount Amagi Atami hot springs Atagawa Tropical & Alligator Garden Jogasaki coast 4, Izu Islands Izu Ōshima To-shima Nii-jima Shikine-jima Kōzu-shima Miyake-jima Mikura-jima Hachijō-jima The Izu islands are also a popular destination for scuba diving. List of national parks of Japan Southerland, Mary and Britton, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Mount Tate
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Mount Tateyama is located in the southeastern area of Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the tallest peaks in the Hida Mountains at 3,015 m and, along with Mount Fuji and Mount Haku, it is one of Japans Three Holy Mountains. Strictly speaking, Tateyama itself is the term for a mountain consisting of the three peaks Ōnanjiyama, Oyama, and Fuji-no-Oritateyama, and does not exist as a single peak. Tateyama is the tallest mountain in the Tateyama Mountain Range, the climbing season for Tateyama is from April until November. It was first climbed by Saeki no Ariyori during Japans Asuka period, the area was designated the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park on December 4,1934. The kanji for the mountain, which is called Tateyama in Japanese, mean standing 立 or outstanding 顕 and mountain, the pronunciation of tate is two syllables similar to tah-tei rather than gate. The Toyama Prefectural Government uses the name Mount Tateyama as an translation of the Japanese mountain because it shares its name with the neighboring town of Tateyama. English-speaking locals tend to use the Japanese name Tateyama when referring to the mountain, the mountain is composed primarily of granite and gneiss. However, located along the ridge and plateau about 2 km west of the summit is a small andesite-dacite stratovolcano and this volcano has an elevation of 2,621 m, and has had minor historical eruptions, the latest in 1839. Tateyama is located in southeastern Toyama Prefecture, at the base of the mountain is the town of Tateyama, which is accessible by train from the prefectures capital city, Toyama. Public transportation will take climbers and tourists as far as the Murodo Plateau Station at an altitude of 2,450 m and these are the only glaciers in Japan. The mountain is the source of the rivers, each of which flows to the Sea of Japan. Hayatsuki River Tsurugisawa, tributaries of the Kurobe River There are many sights along Tateyama, from the highest to the lowest, these sights include the following. Located by the Oyama peak is Oyama Shrine, where climbers can receive a blessing, There is also a rest area where climbers may buy food, drinks, and souvenirs. This peak is known but it is some way from the highest point of the mountain. On Murodo Plateau the contains Murodō Station is a shopping area, the onsen on Tateyama is famously known for its use of sulfur spring water for the bath, leaving a noticeable aroma that can be detected even while ascending the mountain. Visitors can also find several hiking and walking paths that take them through the beautiful valleys, with many volcanic areas in Japan by the same name, visitors are no longer able to walk within the sulfur valley due to gas-related safety concerns. Murodo is a place to hike from mid-July to mid-November
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Toyama Prefecture
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Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island. The capital is the city of Toyama, Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity from abundant hydroelectric resources. It also contains East Asia’s only known glaciers outside Russia, first recognized in 2012, historically, Toyama Prefecture was Etchū Province. Following the abolition of the han system in 1871, Etchū Province was renamed Niikawa Prefecture, in 1872 Imizu District was returned by the new Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1876, Niikawa Prefecture was merged into Ishikawa Prefecture but the merger was void in 1881, the Itai-itai disease occurred in Toyama around 1950. Toyama Prefecture is bordered by Ishikawa Prefecture to the west, Niigata to the northeast, Nagano to the southeast, Gifu to the south and Sea of Japan to the north. Due to the mergers in the 2000s, Toyama has the fewest municipalities of any prefecture in Japan with 10 cities,2 districts,4 towns and it also has many fisheries along its Sea of Japan coastline. Kurobe Dam generates electricity for the Kansai Electric Power Company and it is located on the Kurobe River in Toyama Prefecture. As of February 1,2008, the population is estimated as 1,104,239,1 Owara Kaze no Bon, Sept. 1-3 Nanto Toga Soba Festival, Mid Feb. Trout Sushi White Shrimp Matured Yellow Tail Firefly Squid Fish Paste Tateyama Narimasa Masuizumi Sanshoraku (三笑楽） The sports teams listed below are based in Toyama, ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC58053128 Official Toyama Prefecture Homepage Toyama Prefecture International Center National Archives of Japan Toyama Map
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Kurobe River
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The Kurobe River is a river in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. 86 kilometres in length, it has a watershed of 689 km², the river rises from Mount Washiba in the Hida Mountains and carves the deep valley known as the Kurobe gorge. It comes out of the mountains at Unazuki and forms a fan which directly sinks into the Sea of Japan. The Kurobe Rivers rich flow and steep gradient offer good conditions for hydroelectricity, the Kurobe Dam is the tallest dam in Japan. The name Kurobe is meaningless in Japanese and it appears to be an Ainu name, kur pet shady river. The Kurobe River and Pure Water
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Wakasa Province
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Wakasa Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today southern Fukui Prefecture. It is also known as Jakushū or Reinan, the provinces ancient capital was at Obama, which continued to be the main castle town through the Edo period. Wakasa bordered on Echizen, Ōmi, Tamba, Tango, before the ritsuryō period, Wakasa Province was a part of the Yamato dynasty. Many shrines and temples were established during this period, Wakasa Province also provided fish and other maritime products to the Yamato State, and was called the land of foods. From the ritsuryō period until the Edo Period, fish from Wakasa, in the Edo Period, the city of Tsuruga was a base of the Kitamaebune ships which connected Osaka to Hokuriku and Ezo in the north. Fukui Prefecture Mikata District Ōi District Onyū District - dissolved Today, the Wakasa area has five nuclear power plants, many temples in the Wakasa area were important sites in the Nara Period, such as Wakasahiko Shrine and Kehi Shrine. Because of the preponderance of temples, Obama is sometimes called Nara by the sea, ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC58053128 Media related to Wakasa Province at Wikimedia Commons Murdochs map of provinces,1903
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Fukui Prefecture
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Fukui Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui, Fukui originally consisted of the old provinces of Wakasa and Echizen, before the prefecture was formed in 1871. During the Edo period, the daimyō of the region was surnamed Matsudaira, during World War II, the city was heavily bombed and its palace, surrounded by a moat, was demolished. The Fukui Prefectural government buildings were built on the site, the province lays within Japans Snow country. Nine cities are located in Fukui Prefecture, These are the towns in each district, there are several nuclear power plants located along Wakasa Bay in Tsuruga which supply power to the Keihanshin metropolitan region. It has 14 reactors, the most of any prefecture, Fukui is one of the less populated prefectures of Japan, in September 2015 there were an estimated 785,508 people living in 281,394 households. Ichijōdani Asakura Family Historic Ruins is one of the most important cultural sites in Japan. Eihei-ji is a serene temple offering training and education to Buddhist monks, founded by Dogen Zenji in 1244, Eiheiji is located on a plot of land covering about 33 hectares. Myōtsū-jis Three-storied Pagoda and Main Hall are National Treasures of Japan, Fukui is home to Maruoka Castle, the oldest standing castle in Japan. Many dinosaur fossils have been excavated in Fukui and they can been seen at the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, residents of Fukui Prefecture have a distinctive accent, Fukui-ben. Fukui has long been a center for papermaking in Japan and its Echizen Papermaking Cooperative is a world-famous collection of papermakers making paper in the traditional Echizen style. Fukui is also renowned for its water and crops, which result in delicious sake, rice. In August 2010 Fukui launched its own dating website entitled Fukui Marriage-Hunting Café in hopes of helping the population growth of Japan increase. Couples who meet in the site and continue on to receive monetary aid from the government as well as gifts. Echizen crabs are a local delicacy available year-round, though the season is during the winter. Another traditional sea-side Fukui dish is genge, a small fish that when eaten raw as sashimi. Awara is an onsen in the north of the prefecture. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5, OCLC58053128 Official Fukui Prefecture homepage Echizen Papermaking Cooperative
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