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ひできこしの
5 years ago
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1 1 1 Geography and Climate 2 History

4 Session 1 Geography and Climate from the Nihon-jijo course (1) What is the highest mountain in Japan? It s Mount Fuji. It s located in central Honshu on the border of the Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, to be exact. It s about one hour from Tokyo by car. (2) How high is it? Could you tell me a bit about it? It is 3,776 meters high, or 12,388 feet high. Mount Fuji is an active volcano, though it last erupted about 300 years ago. The mountain and the surrounding area, including the five Fuji Lakes, Izu and Hakone, are designated as a national park. The lakes are popular for camping and fishing, while Izu and Hakone are popular for their hot springs. (3) Have you ever climbed Mt. Fuji? 4

5 No, I haven t. The mountain s only open to the public for climbing during the summer, and so far I have never had a chance. But I would definitely like to try sometime in the future. (Why is Mt Fuji climbing so popular?) Well, Mt Fuji has been an object of worship and is considered one of the holy mountains. Climbing Mt. Fuji became enormously popular around the 18th century. (4) Which do you think is the best season for touring around Japan? _ Well, many foreign visitors would prefer spring, when the climate is mild and the cherry blossoms are in bloom, but actually each season in Japan has its own appeal. For example, in the summer, though it is hot and humid, there are many festivals and firework displays held across the country. In autumn, you can enjoy viewing beautifully colored autumn leaves while enjoying delicious seasonal dishes. Finally, winter is the best season for ski lovers. (5) Could you tell me about your hometown? _ I was born and brought up in Niigata Prefecture. Niigata has the Shinano-gawa River, which is the longest river in Japan. Around the Shinano-gawa River basin lie the Niigata Plains, fertile land which is famous for rice farming. Sado Island on the Japan Sea also is in Niigata Prefecture. It is the fifth largest island in Japan after Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku, and was once famous for its gold mines during the Edo Period. 5

6 Session 1 Geography and Climate Extra Questions (1) How big is Japan? What is the population of Japan? Japan is a little larger than Germany but smaller than France or California. The population is 127 million, but is expected to decrease because of the low birth rate. (2) I want to climb Mt. Fuji. What advice can you give me? First of all, you can only hike in July and August. You should wear good hiking shoes and warm clothes. Take a raincoat, because it might rain. You can get something to eat at the different stations, but most people take extra water and snacks. If you hike at night, like many Japanese do, you should take a flashlight. (3) Are there any other attractions around Mt. Fuji? 6

7 The Fuji Five Lakes area is a popular tourist destination. You can sometimes photograph the reflection of Mt. Fuji in the lakes. The Hakone area is a popular travel destination. You can sometimes get great views of Mt. Fuji from Hakone. The Owakudani area of Hakone... (4) What is an onsen? Can you recommend a good hot spring resort? _ An onsen is a hot spring or spa. For centuries Japanese have enjoyed hot spring baths for relaxation and for their medicinal properties. There are many hot spring resorts in Japan. One onsen that I recommend is... (5) Can I go skiing in Japan? _ Yes. Japan has excellent ski resorts. Some of them are less than two hours from Tokyo. In fact, the winter Olympics have been held twice in Japan. Sapporo hosted the 1972 winter Olympics and Nagano hosted the 1998 winter Olympics. 7

8 (6) Does Japan have a lot of earthquakes? Are you prepared for a large earthquake? We can feel several earthquakes every year. In 1995, there was a really bad earthquake that hit the city of Kobe. It s called the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Over 6000 people were killed. I am / am not prepared for an earthquake. (7) Does Japan have volcanoes? Yes, Japan has a lot of volcanic activity. In 2000, the island of Miyake-jima was evacuated because of a volcanic eruption. Even Mt. Fuji could erupt someday. The last time Mt. Fuji erupted was in

9 (8) Can you recommend some nice beaches in Japan? _ Okinawa is famous for it s tropical islands, but you can also find nice beaches near Tokyo. On the Boso Peninsula, there are nice beaches -- especially on the Pacific Ocean side. A bit farther is the Izu Peninsula, where there are numerous nice beaches. (9)Where is a good place to enjoy nature in Japan? _ There are many great places to enjoy nature in Japan. I would recommend Mount Mitake, which is one of many highlights of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. Mount Mitake offers various walking and hiking opportunities in virtually unspoiled nature. Located in the Okutama region, the westernmost part of Tokyo, the mountain can be reached in less than two hours from central Tokyo.... the Boso Peninsula beaches......hokkaido......okinawa... 9

10 Session 2 History from the Nihon-jijo course (1) Who was the first Emperor of Japan? The first Emperor was the Emperor Jinmu. According to an ancient mythology, he ascended the throne in 660 B.C. National Foundation Day, a national holiday falling on February 11, is the day he took the throne. Since Japan was still in the New Stone Age at that time, his existence is thought to be more of a legend than of a historical fact. (2) Why did samurai have the practice of hara-kiri? Hara-kiri was performed after defeat in battle. It was considered a more honorable way of dying than execution. In the Edo Period, the practice was also used as a punishment for samurai who committed serious crimes. (3) What was the difference between the Emperor and the Shogun? 10

11 The shogun was a kind of military dictator. Throughout most of Japan s history, the Emperor was a figurehead. The actual running of the country was done by the military government, with the shogun at its head. (4) Have you ever seen the Emperor? _ I have seen him once at the Imperial Palace on January 2nd. On this day and on his birthday, December 23, it is customary for the imperial family to greet the public from a terrace in the Imperial Palace. (5) Please tell me about one of your favorite historical figures. _ I like Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was a warlord in the late 16th century. He came to power by reuniting the whole nation, which had been divided by local warlords at odds with each other. He was born in a poor farming family, but with his extraordinary sense of battle, eventually reached the top of the military ranks. His success story is loved by many other Japanese. 11

12 Session 2 History Extra Questions (1) Who are the Ainu? The Ainu are the aboriginal people of Japan. The culture and language of the Ainu once faced extinction. The government passed the Ainu Culture Promotion Law in 1997 to protect the Ainu culture. (2) What was the Edo period like? The Edo period refers to the period from 1600 to 1868 when the Shogunate ruled Japan from what is now Tokyo, while the emperor resided in Kyoto. The period is characterized by many cultural achievements as well as national isolation. Japan s isolation ended in the last half of the 19th century when... (3) Do Japanese people still have the samurai spirit? What became of the samurai warriors? 12

13 Yes. I think corporate workers are the modern day samurai. They work hard, sacrifice for the good of the company, and often are very loyal. No. Most Japanese don t have the bushido spirit. Maybe it should be part of the school curriculum. After the Meiji restoration, the samurai lost their status. There were some rebellions, but they were put down by a conscript army. (4) What is bushido? What is a ninja? _ Bushido, meaning Way of the Warrior, was a code of conduct for samurai warriors. There are seven virtues of bushido, including loyalty, honor and courage. Ninja were assassins or spies who were trained in stealth. They were often employed by feudal lords called daimyo. (5) Where is the Tokyo National Museum and what can you see there? _ It s near Ueno Station in Ueno Park. It has an excellent collection of Japanese art and archaeology. 13

14 (6) Where would you take a foreign tourist who was interested in military history? I might take them to the Yokosuka area where they can tour the warship Mikasa. The Mikasa was the flagship of Admiral Togo, a naval hero of the Russo- Japanese War. Also, there is a military museum next to Yasukuni Shrine. Inside you can see... Hiroshima or Nagasaki would be very interesting for those interested in military history. Both have museums to commemorate the atomic bombings. In Hiroshima you can see the atomic dome - a building that was badly damaged in the 1945 atomic blast. (7) Tell me about Emperor Akihito? The current Emperor of Japan is in his 70s. He s a soft-spoken man who seems genuinely interested in the people of Japan. He is also the first emperor to be married to a commoner. His wife s name is Michiko 14

15 (8) Tell me about Crown Princess Masako? _ Crown Princes Masako is the wife of Crown Prince Naruhito... (9) Can a woman become head of the Imperial Family? _ Currently, Imperial Household law does not allow a female to become head of the Japanese monarchy. Nevertheless, this is a controversial topic because the Crown Prince has no male heirs. (10) What is nengo? _ Nengo, or era system, refers to the system in which years are numbered according to the reigns of the Emperors. For example, this is year 2007, which is the 19th year of the current emperor s reign. Therefore, we refer to this year as Heisei

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-2- Unit Children of the World NEW HORIZON English Course 'Have you been to?' 'What have you done as a housework?' -1- -2- Study Tour to Bangladesh p26 P26-3- Example: I am going to Bangladesh this spring.