By Sherye Gonsalves

Hemisphere: Northern Map of JapanJapan on the world map

Japan’s National Flag Population of Japan (in 2009): 127,560,000

Capital city of Japan is: TOKYO Located on the south eastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands.

Brief history of Japan Japan has a long history with the first humans arriving around 35,000 B.C. The position of Japan- close to Asian mainland has played a significant role in the country's development. Although it is situated near the mainland, there is still a considerable amount of open sea, which separates the two landmasses. Japanese myth holds that Emperor Jimmu was the first emperor of an imperial line that is still in place today. Nara was the first centralized capital of the nation established in the late 8th century.

Various Japanese customs and traditions Japanese traditions include: Kimono: Traditional Japanese dresses. Tea Ceremony: About preparing and drinking tea. Geisha: Entertainers performing traditional Japanese arts. Gardens: Japan is famous for their traditional Japanese gardens. Cherry Blossoms: Japan is well known for their cherry blossoms or sakura. Sumo: Traditional Japanese sports consist of Sumo wrestling. Swords: About Japanese swords. Festivals: About Japanese festivals (matsuri).

Toyko landmarks and monuments Tokyo tower: constructed in 1958, taller than the Eiffel tower

Another Tokyo monument Hanazono Jinja: Constructed in the early Edo period.

Traditional Japanese clothing Traditional Japanese clothing distinguishes Japan from all other countries around the world. The Japanese word kimono means "something one wears" and they are the traditional garments of Japan.

Traditional Japanese cuisine Dishes such as sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly known

A traditional Japanese breakfast, lunch and dinner Breakfast: Consists of steamed rice, miso soup and side dishes (most common side dishes are: grilled fish, rolled omelette, pickles and more) Lunch: Popular lunch dishes consist of rice bowls and noodles. For example beef bowls, udon noodles ramen noodles and so on Dinner: Various Japanese cuisine, which may include rice dishes, noodle dishes, seafood dishes, soya bean dishes and so on.

Traditional Japanese sports In Japan methods that were used to train warriors were developed into well-ordered martial arts, in modern times referred to collectively as koryū. Examples include kenjutsu, kyūdō, sōjutsu, jujutsu and sumo, all of which were established in the Edo period.

Japanese currency Yen

Conclusion Through researching and studying about Japan I have learned a lot of useful information about traditional Japanese culture and its history. I now have an interest in Japanese culture and would hopefully like to visit Japan one day.