The country of Japan is located in eastern Asia. It is an island nation comprised of four main islands and over 3,000 small islands. The main islands are as follows: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Located in the Japanese Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Japan’s nearest land neighbors are to the west, China, Korea, and Russia. It is from these countries that many of those with Japanese ancestry can calm relation to.
In the distant past, some 35,000 years age, a band of hunters and gathers were able to cross the Sea of Japan from the Asian mainland to the islands from the Taiwan, Korean Peninsula, and Siberia via a land bridge created during the last ice age (Szczepanski). This travelling of groups to the islands began the initial population of the island. The modern day Japanese People can claim distant genetic relation to these other Asian counties as a result of it.
The hunter gather groups that moved east ward to Japan, were following the path that they set upon hundreds of years earlier when the initial world populations left for Africa for the Fertile Crescent. As the groups continued to travel along the west and east axis, best described by Jared Diamond as the move to follow resources they knew to grow in similar climates, which were found to the east and west, they eventually found themselves coming to the Japanese islands and proceeded to populate them.
Japan has many mountain ranges, with mild temperatures, many volcanoes, and lush vegetation. Despite the some draw backs that such geographical features may have on growing crops, the people were still able to grow a variety of crops, and began to settle in various areas throughout the islands. The conditions proved to be sustainable for the people, and as the ice age ended the settlements were there to stay. The population left on the island grew to be what is now the Modern day Japanese culture, with a small population of Ainu living in the northern islands attaining close relation to the first travelers. The majority of the Japanese population could be found on the large island of Honshu, where mountain ranges and precipitation gave way for the best croplands.
After the ice age and the settling of groups into single spots, the people began to form small villages. A chieftain usually ran these villages. The first wave of settlement was the Jomen people, who were most popularly known for their pottery. In a second wave of settlement by the Yayoi people, who have been tied to the Korean Peninsula, brought with them the art of metalworking and various crops that remain a staple in Japan to this day (Szczepanski). Japan was continually settled in waves, with each new wave bringing pieces of their own cultures to add to the mix.
As time pasted and settlements grew, the Japanese adopted certain characteristics and traditions of other countries, seen in their Empire and people, while also developing their own unique culture, seen in the Shogunate, or samurai lords, and their own art. Throughout time they slowly began to develop their own culture, and they became a distinct separate Japanese empire focused on tradition and balance.
Fun Resources
Fast Facts about Japan by Scholastic
This is a great resource for all individuals regardless of age. It is clear in the information it gives on Japan, as well as to the point. You will find all you need to know about the basics of Japan, and enjoy it too!
"Fast Facts: Japan | Scholastic.com." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/fast-facts-japan>.
Encyclopedia Britannica: Japan
This is a great resource for any of your research needs. The perfect example of everything an encyclopedia should include, this online edition has all the information you could possibly want on the topic of Japan!
Jansen, Marius. "Japan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300531/Japan>.
References
Diamond, Jared M. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. Print.
"Fast Facts: Japan | Scholastic.com." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/fast-facts-japan>.
Jansen, Marius. "Japan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300531/Japan>.
Maps Page on Japan. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2015, from http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/Japan.htm
"The Origins of the Japanese People - Japanese History - Wa-pedia." Wa-pedia. Web. 5
Feb. 2015. <http://www.wa-pedia.com/history/origins_japanese_people.shtml>.
Szczepanski, Kallie. "Japan | Facts and History." Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/p/ProfileJapan.htm>.
"The History of Japan." History of Japan. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.travelsouk.com/dest/japan/history.htm>.
"Where, since When and How Have the Ainu People Existed?" Where, since When and How Have the Ainu People Existed? The Ainu
Association of Hokkaido. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/english/eabout01.html>.
MAPS
In the distant past, some 35,000 years age, a band of hunters and gathers were able to cross the Sea of Japan from the Asian mainland to the islands from the Taiwan, Korean Peninsula, and Siberia via a land bridge created during the last ice age (Szczepanski). This travelling of groups to the islands began the initial population of the island. The modern day Japanese People can claim distant genetic relation to these other Asian counties as a result of it.
The hunter gather groups that moved east ward to Japan, were following the path that they set upon hundreds of years earlier when the initial world populations left for Africa for the Fertile Crescent. As the groups continued to travel along the west and east axis, best described by Jared Diamond as the move to follow resources they knew to grow in similar climates, which were found to the east and west, they eventually found themselves coming to the Japanese islands and proceeded to populate them.
Japan has many mountain ranges, with mild temperatures, many volcanoes, and lush vegetation. Despite the some draw backs that such geographical features may have on growing crops, the people were still able to grow a variety of crops, and began to settle in various areas throughout the islands. The conditions proved to be sustainable for the people, and as the ice age ended the settlements were there to stay. The population left on the island grew to be what is now the Modern day Japanese culture, with a small population of Ainu living in the northern islands attaining close relation to the first travelers. The majority of the Japanese population could be found on the large island of Honshu, where mountain ranges and precipitation gave way for the best croplands.
After the ice age and the settling of groups into single spots, the people began to form small villages. A chieftain usually ran these villages. The first wave of settlement was the Jomen people, who were most popularly known for their pottery. In a second wave of settlement by the Yayoi people, who have been tied to the Korean Peninsula, brought with them the art of metalworking and various crops that remain a staple in Japan to this day (Szczepanski). Japan was continually settled in waves, with each new wave bringing pieces of their own cultures to add to the mix.
As time pasted and settlements grew, the Japanese adopted certain characteristics and traditions of other countries, seen in their Empire and people, while also developing their own unique culture, seen in the Shogunate, or samurai lords, and their own art. Throughout time they slowly began to develop their own culture, and they became a distinct separate Japanese empire focused on tradition and balance.
Fun Resources
Fast Facts about Japan by Scholastic
This is a great resource for all individuals regardless of age. It is clear in the information it gives on Japan, as well as to the point. You will find all you need to know about the basics of Japan, and enjoy it too!
"Fast Facts: Japan | Scholastic.com." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/fast-facts-japan>.
Encyclopedia Britannica: Japan
This is a great resource for any of your research needs. The perfect example of everything an encyclopedia should include, this online edition has all the information you could possibly want on the topic of Japan!
Jansen, Marius. "Japan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300531/Japan>.
References
Diamond, Jared M. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. Print.
"Fast Facts: Japan | Scholastic.com." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/fast-facts-japan>.
Jansen, Marius. "Japan." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300531/Japan>.
Maps Page on Japan. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2015, from http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/Japan.htm
"The Origins of the Japanese People - Japanese History - Wa-pedia." Wa-pedia. Web. 5
Feb. 2015. <http://www.wa-pedia.com/history/origins_japanese_people.shtml>.
Szczepanski, Kallie. "Japan | Facts and History." Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/p/ProfileJapan.htm>.
"The History of Japan." History of Japan. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.travelsouk.com/dest/japan/history.htm>.
"Where, since When and How Have the Ainu People Existed?" Where, since When and How Have the Ainu People Existed? The Ainu
Association of Hokkaido. Web. 6 Feb. 2015. <http://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/english/eabout01.html>.
MAPS
This map shows population distribution in Japan on its major islands. You will notice that the denser populations are located on the largest island, while the lower populations are found to the north where the Ainu are located. It demonstrates how the travel of populations to and through Japan was concentrated as it has grown.
MAP: http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/Japan.htm
This map shows the average yearly precipitation in inches for the main islands of Japan. In the orange and green areas you will see higher levels of rain, which correlates with the population count. In the north there is fewer inches of rain as well as lower population, as seen in the map above.
MAP: http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/Japan.htm
Population Pyramids
Population pyramids show the current demographics of a country. They separate men and women details, and along the left edge they list the years. What is highlighted in white is the population for that specific age group. Along the bottom is the percentage that group makes up of the whole population for each age range.
This Population Pyramid is of Japan in the year 2015, This is the current population and demographics of the country with the select male and female population separated. From this graph we can see that the population has symmetry with the number of males and females remaining close to the same through the age ranges. The majority of the population also seems to be between the ages of 65-69 and 40-44, with very few under the age of 20-24.
Comparing this pyramid with the one from the year 2015, we can see that the populations 50 years apart are quite different. During this time there were very few over the age of 60-64, with the majority of the population being seen in those ages 15-19. Those young teens are the 60-70 range on the 2015 pyramid. Japan's population was very young in this time, but they have grown and now their children are not having children. Much like with the other pyramid there is a great deal of symmetry between the genders.