Designed by Kimberly Chan Name: ____________________ TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.2 As of April 2019, there are 9 UNESCO Global Geoparks and 35 Japanese National Geoparks in the Japanese Geoparks Network (JGN). Another 15 aspiring geoparks are also listed as associate members of the JGN Hokkaido 北海道 Honshu 本州 Hiroshima 廣島 Okayama 岡山 Shikoku 四國 Kyushu 九州 TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.3 Some facts about Japan 1. Fun facts of Japan The Japanese name for Japan is “Nihon” or “Nippon” which means “sun origin”. Japan belongs to the continent of Asia. Japan is an island nation surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The Japanese islands consist of 4 main islands (Hokkaido 北海道, Honshu 本州, the largest island, on which the capital, Tokyo, is situated, Shikoku 四國 and Kyushu 九州) and dozens of smaller isles, a total of 6,852 islands. The highest point in Japan in Mount Fuji, which stands at 3,776m, a dormant (sleeping) volcano, which last erupted in 1707. There are over 127 million people living in Japan, which is the tenth largest population in the world (2019). Tokyo is the capital city of Japan and also the largest city. Other major cities include Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo. (大阪，名古屋，札幌) Some of the most well-known companies in the world are Japanese such as Toyota, Honda, Sony, Nintendo, Canon, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sharp. Japanese cuisine has become popular around the world. Some well-known dishes are sushi, sashimi and tempura. (壽司，刺身和天婦羅) Japan is home to many different forms of martial arts. Karate, Judo, Sumo, Ninjutsu and Kendo to name a few. (武術：空手道，柔道，相撲，忍者，劍道等等。) Sumo is recognized as the national sport of Japan, although the most popular spectator sport is baseball. 2. People and culture of Japan The Japanese are famous for their willingness to work very hard. Children are taught to show respect for others, especially parents and bosses. They learn to do what's best for their family or company and worry less about their own needs. The Japanese people have a deep affection for the beauty of the landscape. The ancient Shinto (神道) religion says natural features like mountains, waterfalls, and forests have their own spirits. Japanese food is very different from food in Western countries. There is lots of rice, fish, and vegetables, but little meat. With little fat or dairy, this diet is very healthy, which helps Japanese people live, on average, longer than any other people in the world. TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.4 3. Nature The Japanese archipelago stretches nearly 3000 km from north to south. Having many islands, mountains and valleys that split the land, a wide variety of natural environments are observed in Japan. The latitudinal extent (20° to 45° north) creates a wide range of natural landscapes from the drift ice in the seas off Hokkaido to the mangrove jungles in Okinawa. In between, there are majestic volcanoes, breathtaking coastlines and vast forests inhabited by monkeys, bears, deer, cranes and other wildlife. The warm current flows from the south into the Sea of Japan, where it meets a colder current from the north. The mixing of waters makes the seas around Japan very rich in fish and other sea life. The terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous with 66% forest. There is a lack of flat land to be made into farms, industrial or residential areas. 4. Geology Japan is located at the junction of several major tectonic plates: Eurasian Plate, Okhotsk Plate, Philippine Plate and Pacific Plate. The Pacific Plate and Philippine Plate are subduction plates. The Philippine Sea Plate moves under the Eurasian plate to the west. The Pacific Plate moves under the Okhotsk Plate to the north. These form the major subduction zones shaping the islands of Japan. These subduction plates have pulled Japan eastward and opened the Sea of Japan by back-arc spreading around 15 million years ago. The islands of Japan are located on the Circum-Pacific Ring of Fire, and as a result suffer from frequent, violent earthquakes and some serious volcanic activities. There are a total of 108 active volcanoes (e.g. Mt. Fuji) in Japan, most of which provoke devastating earthquakes and tsunamis several times every century. The parts of Japanese islands facing the Pacific Ocean's Plate are typically younger and have a larger proportion of volcanic features, while parts facing the Sea of Japan are mostly heavily faulted and folded sedimentary rocks. TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.5 5. Climate Japan is divided into six main climatic zones due to its varied latitudes, relief, monsoon and ocean currents. The climate of Japanese archipelago is mild, having four distinct seasons, and mainly belongs to the temperate zone. But Hokkaido (北海道), where winter is long and summer is short, is in the subarctic zone, while Okinawa (沖縄), rather arid and belongs to the subtropical zone. The mountain range running through the archipelago, like a backbone, splits its climate into two types. The Pacific coastal area has heavy rainfall in summer. The coast of the Japan Sea has much snow in winter. Even in the same region, climate differs greatly from season to season. Climate of the Sea of Japan (日本海 Nihonkai) Zone: (affecting Oki Islands) The northwest seasonal wind in winter gives heavy snowfall, which south of Tohoku mostly melts before the beginning of spring. In summer it is a little less rainy than the Pacific area but sometimes experiences extreme high temperatures due to the foehn wind phenomenon. Climate of the Inland Sea (瀬戸内海 Setonaikai) Zone: ( Okayama & Hiroshima) The mountains in the Chūgoku (中国) and Shikoku (四国) regions block the seasonal winds and bring mild climate and many fine days throughout the year. TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.6 6. Economy The economy of Japan is a highly developed and market-oriented economy. It is the third-largest in the world by nominal GDP and the fourth-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). GDP per capita (nominal; 2019): US $41,418 ( Japan rank 26) (GDP per capita of Hong Kong is US $50,567 – Hong Kong rank 16) A mountainous volcanic island country, Japan has inadequate natural resources to support its growing economy and large population, and therefore exports goods in which it has a comparative advantage such as engineering-oriented, research and development-led industrial products in exchange for the import of raw materials and petroleum. Facing increasing competition from China and South Korea, manufacturing in Japan today now focuses primarily on high-tech and precision goods, such as optical instruments, hybrid vehicles, and robotics. Major export goods of Japan are motor vehicles 14.9%, iron and steel products 5.4%, semiconductors 5%, auto parts 4.8%, power generating machinery 3.5% and plastic materials 3.3%. Japan is among the top-three importers for agricultural products in the world next to the European Union and United States in total volume for covering of its own domestic agricultural consumption. Japan is the world's largest single national importer of fish and fishery products. Deposits of gold, magnesium, and silver meet current industrial demands, but Japan is dependent on foreign sources for many of the minerals essential to modern industry. Iron ore, copper, bauxite, and alumina must be imported, as well as many forest products. TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.7 7. Basic etiquette and courtesy Bowing (お辞儀) is considered extremely important in Japan. A bow can ranges from a small nod of the head to a deep bend at the waist. The deeper, longer the bow, the more respect it shows. Instead of shaking hands, remember to bow whenever you greet. Tatami: （榻榻米） A tatami (畳)is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width. Shoes and slippers have to be removed before stepping on tatami. Shoes are a big no-no for Tatami mats, since they would damage the woven rush. Sitting on Tatami mats requires either cross-legged or Seiza (正座). Table manners: It is common to wait for everyone's order and then to start the meal with the phrase "itadakimasu" 頂きます(" Let's eat") When eating from small bowls, it is a correct manner to pick up the bowl with your hand and lift it close to your mouth when eating; however, larger types of dishes should generally not be picked up. Do not stick chopsticks into your food or rice. This is only done at funerals with rice that is put onto the altar. Do not pass food directly from your set of chopsticks to another's. Again, this is a funeral tradition that involves the bones of a cremated body. 8. Useful Japanese phrases Basic Greetings Thank you! Arigatougozaimasu - ありがとうございます You’re welcome! Douitashimashite - どういたしまして Excuse me Sumimasen - すみません How are you? Ogenkidesuka - お元気ですか Aisatsu (挨拶) Good morning! Ohayogozayimasu - おはようございます Good afternoon/ Hello! Konnichiwa - こんにちわ Good night! Kombanwa - こんばんわ Self-Introduction Good afternoon everyone! Minasan, Konnichiwa Nice to meet you. I am XXX. Hajimemashite Watashiwa xxx desu I come from Hong Kong. Honkon kara kimashita I am studying S4/5. Ima koukou ichi/ni nensei desu TLMSHK Japan Geopark Student Exchange Programme 2019– Handbook P.8 Itinerary and Information about Destinations 31 July 2019 (Wed) HK Sakaiminato