Posts

Famous Buildings

Image
Kotaku-in is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kamakura. The temple is known for its grand statue of Amida Buddha one of the most famous icons in Japan . The hall was destroyed in 1334 by a storm and then rebuilt and damaged by another storm in 1369, and was rebuilt again. The last building housing the statue was washed away in the tsunami of 20th September 1498, since then the Buddha has stood open air.  Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower located as the name suggests in Tokyo. Built in 1958, the tower’s main use is for tourism and antenna leasing, intended for television broadcasting but as it’s surrounded by museums, cafes and wonderful shops, it is more of a tourist attraction. The Hiroshima Peace memorial (also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome or the A-bomb dome) is the memorial from when the Americans dropped an Atomic bomb over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over 70,000 people were killed instantly and another 70,000 suffered fatal ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Natural Disasters: Tsunamis

Image
In 2011 on the 11th March, the aftermath of a powerful earthquake produced a magnitude of 9 tsunami. On 10th March 2015 it was confirmed that there were 15, 894 deaths, 6,152 injured, 2,562 missing and 228,863 people living far away from their homes. The Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the most toughest and most difficult crisis for Japan." Around 4.4 million households in Northern Japan were left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.
Post a Comment
Read more

Natural Disasters: Mudslides

Mount Ontake On September 14, 1984, the Otaki earthquake (magnitude 6.8) in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, caused a major mudslide on the south face of Mount Ontake, which reached speeds of 80~100 km/h.  Heavy rain over several days prior to the quake contributed to causing the mudslide, known as “Ontake Kuzure,” which took the lives of 29 people. After the disaster, barriers against mudslide were erected in nine locations at the foot of Mt. Ontake Wakayama, Nara In September 2011, typhoon No. 12, which formed and was named on August 25, made landfall over Japan, bringing heavy rain to the mountainous Kii Peninsula, and causing a mudslide, called “Shinsohokai,” in Wakayama and Nara. "Shinsohokai" means that not only soil collapses, but also bedrock. In this case, houses were covered with earth and sand from the mudslide and there were many injured and killed. Hiroshima In June 2010, Hiroshima experienced heavy rains which ca...
Post a Comment
Read more

Geographical Points of Interest

Image
Mount Ontake is the second largest volcano in Japan, standing at 3,067 m its last eruption was on the 27th September 2014. The Shinano River is the most famous river in all of Japan. It's the largest and the longest! At 11,900km, it runs from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture. On it's route it is joined by numerous smaller rivers including, Sai and Uono rivers, both of which drain small but productive and popular intercontinental basins.  Fun Fact: Japan sits on the Ring of Fire which means there are lots of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions all over the country. Many volcanoes goon continuous eruptions for months! Mount Fuji is located outside of the capital city Tokyo, it's an active volcano, standing at 3,776 metres high, it's Japan's tallest peak.  On September 14, 1984, the Otaki earthquake (magnitude 6.8) in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, caused a major mudslide on the south face of...
Post a Comment
Read more
Japanese Climate: Winter : The Winter in Japan is quite dry and sunny along the pacific coast, it is very rare that the temperatures drop below or to  0°C.  The temperatures become much colder as you travel north; the central and north regions sometimes experience snowfall! Southern Japan is relatively temperate and has a very mild winter. Spring : The temperatures in the Spring are a pleasant warm and it rarely rains. The famous cherry tree blossoms and  there are many glorious festivals to attend and enjoy. Summer : Around this time the country experiences a four to five week raining period where farmers can start to plant their rice. Wrapped up in August, you can enjoy a hot and humid sunbathe on the beaches with temperatures usually in the 30's!  Autumn : Filled with light breezes and cooler temperatures. The beginning of Autumn is usually hot and humid and experiences typhoon, mainly the climate is dry and mild.  When is the best t...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
Japan is located in Asia, the neighbouring countries are China, North Korea and South Korea.
Post a Comment
Read more