This map shows the physical features of Japan like it's mountains, seas, rivers, and plains.
source: http://www.freeworldmaps.net/asia/japan/japan.jpg
source: http://www.freeworldmaps.net/asia/japan/japan.jpg
This map shows the utilization of the land of Japan. This includes the different areas where different crops are grown and fishing ports.
source: http://www.mapcruzin.com/free-maps-thematic/japan_land_1971.jpg
source: http://www.mapcruzin.com/free-maps-thematic/japan_land_1971.jpg
In this map it shows the population of the different cities in Japan and shows where the densest human population is.
source: http://www.populationlabs.com/maps/japan_Population_Map.png
source: http://www.populationlabs.com/maps/japan_Population_Map.png
This picture shows the busy streets of Tokyo on a rainy night.
source: http://vacationadvice101.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/3-tokyo-japan.jpg
source: http://vacationadvice101.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/3-tokyo-japan.jpg
This picture shows a shrine at the city of Kyoto, Japan.
source: http://www.japan-guide.com/g2/2158_01.jpg
source: http://www.japan-guide.com/g2/2158_01.jpg
This picture shows the Osaka Castle at Osaka, Japan.
source:http://www.bestourism.com/img/items/big/7111/Osaka_Osaka-Castle_9203.jpg
source:http://www.bestourism.com/img/items/big/7111/Osaka_Osaka-Castle_9203.jpg
This is a picture of Mt. Fuji which is located on the Honshu Island.
source: http://www.japantravelinfo.com/userfiles/m_157991.jpg
source: http://www.japantravelinfo.com/userfiles/m_157991.jpg
This picture shows Lake Toya that is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park located in Hokkaido.
source: http://www.japan-guide.com/g2/6725_01.jpg
source: http://www.japan-guide.com/g2/6725_01.jpg
Biodiversity
Japan has many plants and animals that contribute to its biodiversity and in turn these biodiversity has contributed to the culture of Japan. The connection between biodiversity and Japan’s culture can be seen through its cuisine, religion, agriculture, and among many other aspects of Japan. Biodiversity in Japan has had much influence on Japan’s culture and may even cause changes in the future.
The many plants and animals in Japan have provided its people with a plentiful food source. With Japan being on the same longitude as the Fertile Crescent it has a very suitable climate for agriculture. Japan has great temperature climate, adequate rainfall, soil fertility that was built up and well maintained over the centuries, and a large farm community that Japan is able to develop an intensive cultivation (Encyclopedia of the Nations). Even though Japan is a highly developed country, agriculture still supplies up to one third of Japan’s agricultural output (Japan's Urban Agriculture). Japan produces rice, potatoes, sugar beets, mandarin oranges, cabbage, wheat, barley, soybean, tobacco, and tea (Encyclopedia of the Nations).
Since Japan is an island it is no wonder that Japan relies heavily on fish as a main food source and has become part of a regular diet for Japanese people. Culturing yellow fish and pearls started 50 years ago in the Uwa Sea (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). The Uwa Sea was deep, had long coastlines, nine islands, and inflow from the Pacific Ocean (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). These conditions made the Uwa an ideal place to fish and thus become the center of Japan’s fish culturing (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). However fish culturing has declined in Japan due to several issues. One issue is over fishing which causes dozens of fish species to decline (Japan fishery industry under threat). Another issue that has threaten Japan’s fishing industry is the Fukushima nuclear disaster that has caused fisherman to not be able to fish in that area and they must relocate elsewhere (Japan fishery industry under threat). Not only is there a decrease in fish but also fisherman as well. The number of fisherman has decreased by thirty percent in the last 10 years (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). The percentage of fisherman who are age sixty five and older account for forty percent of Japan’s fisherman and very few people are going into the fishing industry dye to the hard working conditions and low pay (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture).
The most dominant religion in Japan is Shinto. Shinto focuses a great deal on nature which shows that Japan from the beginning had a huge connection to nature. In the past nature was not valued as “wild” but rather as “humanized” or “cultured” (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). Shrines would be built in groves and the Japanese villages would be built near the shrine (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). In the Japanese village there would be agriculture set up there and the villagers would pray at the shrine to the deities for a great harvest (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). Another idea of Shinto is to have order and balance between nature, humans, and deities (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). However these ideas of treating nature with sacredness and cultured are ignored as Japan is getting more developed. The use of technology is increasing pollution and deforestation is an issue in Japan which goes against protecting nature (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale).
As you can see Japan’s biodiversity does have a direct impact on its culture and vice versa. However with Japan as an advanced developing country this has caused a decline in its biodiversity which has caused Japan’s culture to decline as well. Japan needs to start protecting its biodiversity so that it can protect its culture as well.
The many plants and animals in Japan have provided its people with a plentiful food source. With Japan being on the same longitude as the Fertile Crescent it has a very suitable climate for agriculture. Japan has great temperature climate, adequate rainfall, soil fertility that was built up and well maintained over the centuries, and a large farm community that Japan is able to develop an intensive cultivation (Encyclopedia of the Nations). Even though Japan is a highly developed country, agriculture still supplies up to one third of Japan’s agricultural output (Japan's Urban Agriculture). Japan produces rice, potatoes, sugar beets, mandarin oranges, cabbage, wheat, barley, soybean, tobacco, and tea (Encyclopedia of the Nations).
Since Japan is an island it is no wonder that Japan relies heavily on fish as a main food source and has become part of a regular diet for Japanese people. Culturing yellow fish and pearls started 50 years ago in the Uwa Sea (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). The Uwa Sea was deep, had long coastlines, nine islands, and inflow from the Pacific Ocean (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). These conditions made the Uwa an ideal place to fish and thus become the center of Japan’s fish culturing (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). However fish culturing has declined in Japan due to several issues. One issue is over fishing which causes dozens of fish species to decline (Japan fishery industry under threat). Another issue that has threaten Japan’s fishing industry is the Fukushima nuclear disaster that has caused fisherman to not be able to fish in that area and they must relocate elsewhere (Japan fishery industry under threat). Not only is there a decrease in fish but also fisherman as well. The number of fisherman has decreased by thirty percent in the last 10 years (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture). The percentage of fisherman who are age sixty five and older account for forty percent of Japan’s fisherman and very few people are going into the fishing industry dye to the hard working conditions and low pay (Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture).
The most dominant religion in Japan is Shinto. Shinto focuses a great deal on nature which shows that Japan from the beginning had a huge connection to nature. In the past nature was not valued as “wild” but rather as “humanized” or “cultured” (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). Shrines would be built in groves and the Japanese villages would be built near the shrine (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). In the Japanese village there would be agriculture set up there and the villagers would pray at the shrine to the deities for a great harvest (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). Another idea of Shinto is to have order and balance between nature, humans, and deities (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale). However these ideas of treating nature with sacredness and cultured are ignored as Japan is getting more developed. The use of technology is increasing pollution and deforestation is an issue in Japan which goes against protecting nature (The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale).
As you can see Japan’s biodiversity does have a direct impact on its culture and vice versa. However with Japan as an advanced developing country this has caused a decline in its biodiversity which has caused Japan’s culture to decline as well. Japan needs to start protecting its biodiversity so that it can protect its culture as well.
This is an image of Japan's fishing industry.
Source: http://factsanddetails.com/media/2/20091005-JNTO%20fishing%20m_105618.jpg |
This is a picture of agriculture in Japan in an urban area.
Source: http://i.unu.edu/media/unu.edu/publication/15546/3520591264_d5e5cc59a1_o-640x360.jpg |
Work Cited
"Encyclopedia of the Nations." Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Japan-AGRICULTURE.html>.
"Japan fishery industry under threat | The National." Japan fishery industry under threat | The National. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thenational.ae/business/economy/japan-fishery-industry-under-threat>.
"Japan's Urban Agriculture: Cultivating Sustainability and Well-being - United Nations University." Japan's Urban Agriculture: Cultivating Sustainability and Well-being - United Nations University. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://unu.edu/publications/articles/japan-s-urban-agriculture-what-does-the-future-hold.html>.
"Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture." Japan Times RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/03/10/editorials/resuscitating-japans-fishing-culture/>.
"The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale." Shinto. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://fore.research.yale.edu/religion/shinto/>.
"Encyclopedia of the Nations." Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Japan-AGRICULTURE.html>.
"Japan fishery industry under threat | The National." Japan fishery industry under threat | The National. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.thenational.ae/business/economy/japan-fishery-industry-under-threat>.
"Japan's Urban Agriculture: Cultivating Sustainability and Well-being - United Nations University." Japan's Urban Agriculture: Cultivating Sustainability and Well-being - United Nations University. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://unu.edu/publications/articles/japan-s-urban-agriculture-what-does-the-future-hold.html>.
"Resuscitating Japan's fishing culture." Japan Times RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/03/10/editorials/resuscitating-japans-fishing-culture/>.
"The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale." Shinto. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://fore.research.yale.edu/religion/shinto/>.