Japan is an island country located in Eastern Asia. It is a small country compared to other countries on the continent. Despite its size and geographical location, it is a very developed country. Japan is known for its geography, its climate, its religion, its gastronomy and above all for its popular culture which has influenced other parts of the world. As stated earlier, Japan is a shimaguni, in other words, an island country. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Asian continent. The geographical setting of Japan is an archipelago, a chain of islands, consisting of many islands and four main islands (geography of Japan). From north to south, the four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, which represent 98% of Japan's total land area (Module 1: Geography). The East China Sea and the Sea of ​​Japan constitute a divide that separates Japan from the interior, and to the east is the Pacific Ocean. The total area is equivalent to 377,915 square kilometers (The World Factbook). Compared to Germany, Finland, Vietnam and Malaysia, its size is about the same. It is also 1/25 the size of the United States and even smaller than the large state of California (Geography and Climate, Web Japan). Japan's coastline has many variations. Long sandy beaches cover the coastline for 60 kilometers in areas such as Kujurihama, Chiba Prefecture. On the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture which includes the Goto archipelago and the islands of Tsuhima and Iki, there are numerous peninsulas and coves. Changes in the Earth's crust (shifting plate tectonics) also shape the coves and steep cliffs of the uneven areas of the coast (Geography and Climate, Web Japan). Japan is also known as the land of hot springs and for its alluring landscapes. If a word could...... middle of paper ......Transport and tourism. MLIT Japan, nd Web. . “Module 1: Geography.” Yale Center for International and Area Studies. Yale University, nd Web. “Popular culture.” Web Japan. Japan Fact Sheet, nd Web. “Religion – Native Roots and Foreign Influence.” Web Japan. Japan Fact Sheet, nd Web. .Watt, Paul. “Japanese Religions.” Collection of Japan. Indiana University, October 2003. Web. “The World Factbook – EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: JAPAN.” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, nd Web. .