eri: collar sode: sleeve obidome: sash clip tabi: split-toed socks geta: wooden clogs haori: coat kasa: an umbrella or parasol obi: An elaborate and usually beautifully decorated sash to tie the kimono.*

*A woman’s obi can be 3 to 4 meters long and up to 30cm wide. There is an art to tying the special knots that secure the obi. Men’s obi are narrower and knotted more simply. The currency of Japan is the Japanese Yen.

As at Feb 2018, exchange rate is:

£1.00 = approx. 148 Japanese Yen

1 ¥ = approx. £0.007 (approx. ¾ x 1p) Look up the Sugoroku RZSS fact file for the Japanese macaque. Write a letter to a relative or friend.

Send the letter with commemorative (picture) UK stamps. Practise writing the ancient and modern character for ox - 牛 うし The tallest pagoda in Japan is the

Kyo-o-gokokuji Temple, South Kyoto at 55m. There are various internet sites which explain the process of how tea is made.

1. Tea plant grown 2. Tea leaves picked 3. Oxidation and drying 4. Grading and sorting 5. Packaging Practise writing the ancient and modern character for rabbit - 兎 うさぎ Draw and colour the Japanese flag. How silk is made – 1. Farming silkworms* 2. Soaking cocoons 3. Spinning thread 4. Weaving into cloth 5. Dying the cloth

*Farming silkworms – they are not actually worms but caterpillars. The species is Bombyx mori moth. Practise writing the ancient and modern character for dragon - 竜 たつ There are various internet sites which explain the process of how rice is made.

Some different types of rice: long grain rice basmati rice black rice glutinous rice sushi rice

お餅 おもち omochi are rice cakes Practise writing the ancient and modern character for snake - 蛇 へび There are various internet sites which have tips on growing bonsai, there are also ‘grow your own bonsai kits’ for sale and even some crafty ideas for making artificial bonsai. There are various internet sites and books which have information on the Japanese eras and history. Make an origami animal. Create a Japanese Stampart.

Place a stamp onto A5 paper and create a drawing around it using the stamp as the inspiration for your drawing. Practise writing the ancient and modern character for horse - 馬 うま Lacquer is a resin substance from certain trees which is used as a natural varnish. Japanese lacquer is traditionally the sap from Rhus verniciflua tree.

Wajima

Tokyo There are three main types of Japanese traditional theatre: kabuki – traditional Japanese theatre noh – similar to the Western musical bunraku – Japanese puppet theatre Buddhism – the eightfold path 1. Right view 2. Right intention 3. Right speech 4. Right action 5. Right action 6. Right livelihood 7. Right effort 8. Right mindfulness 9. Right concentration Fugu chefs must have a licence to prepare and sell the fish.

There is usually a three year course to become a fugu chef.

The poison in the fugu is tetrodotoxin. Make your own Sugoroku game. Look up the Sugoroku RZSS fact file for the red crowned crane. There is a high possibility of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Japan because it is located near three major tectonic plate boundaries. The four basic tools of calligraphy are: brush inkstick paper inkstone (to grind the inkstick against and mix with water) Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3776 meters or 12,389 feet.

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland and is 1344 meters or 4,406 feet. There is a list of 100 Landscapes of Japan on Wikipedia

Some examples: Mount Fuji Kumamoto Castle Kurobe Dam, Toyama Coral reefs, Okinawa Okhotsk ice floes, Hokkaido Tsutenkaku Tower, Osaka The Northern Japanese Alps Temples and shrines of Kyoto Sushi is a combination of vinegared rice and other ingredients, often raw fish.

Sashimi is most commonly thinly sliced raw fish but can also be other raw meat. Japan is 9 hours ahead of Scotland.

The Japanese do not change their clocks seasonally. Cherry blossom appears on many Japanese stamps.

Start a collection of Japanese stamps and make an artistic page with the stamps. Practise writing the ancient and modern character for monkey - 猿 さる