The Japanese archipelago is extensive, and exhibits a diverse variety of climates, flora, and fauna. Less than ten percent of the land area is covered with residential and industrial areas which makes Japan an ideal place for those who appreciate the beauty of mountains, forests, and animal world.
Geography
The group of Japanese islands, located in the Pacific Ocean, consists of 6852 islands of which the principal four are called Hokkaidō, Honshū (hosting the de facto capital city of Tōkyō), Shikoku, and Kyūshū. It lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia; stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
Due to its position on the meeting point of several tectonic plates, Japan is very prone to natural disasters. The country experiences low-intensity earthquakes on a very regular basis (at least one noticeable and approximately 400 detectable earthquakes every single day) and has 108 active volcanoes, the most famous of which is Mount Fuji—Japan’s highest mountain. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis, occur several times each century.
Climate
The Japanese climate ranges from tropical in Okinawa to subarctic in Hokkaidō. In most major cities the climate is temperate, with clearly defined four seasons akin the United States or most of Europe. The winter is mild, the summer hot and humid with a rainy season in early summer and typhoons during later summer.
The Okinawa prefecture in East China Sea experiences temperatures above 20 °C for most of the year, while Hokkaidō is known for cooler summers and icy winters with heavy snowstorms.
Flora
Tens of thousands plant species can be found in Japan and over 2,900 of these are native to the country. From poetry, through art, to natural holidays, nature plays a very important role in the Japanese culture. Below are but a few of the more common and popular plants found in Japan:
 | Sakura (cherry blossoms) is one of the most well known symbols of Japan and the tree does indeed play a very important role in the Japanese culture, appearing frequently in works of art, and being the subject of the yearly cherry blossom viewing (hanami). Travel to Japan in Easter time and you’re in for a treat. |
 | The flowers of the Japanese plum (ume) are some of the first to blossom and so are associated with the start of spring. Pickled plum (umeboshi) is one of the typical Japanese flavours and plum wine (umeshu) is a popular alcoholic beverage. |
 | Momiji (Japanese maple) is an important symbol of Japanese autumn and appears frequently in works of art. It is widely used as a decorative tree and in oshibana (pressed-flower arrangements). |
 | Bamboo, called take in Japanese, is a quickly growing evergreen with a wide variety of practical and culinary uses. It is used in construction, for musical instruments, and bamboo shoots are a popular spring-time ingredient in broths and dishes. |
 | Best known for their frequent use in bonsai, matsu (pine tree) symbolizes youth & longevity, and is used in Japanese gardens and parks. |
Photo by stuckincustoms
Fauna
The Japanese fauna is equally varied with hundreds of native species, many of which are endangered, or unique to only a handful of Japanese islands. Below are some of the more common Japanese animals:
 | Japanese macaque, also known as Snow Monkey, are probably the most famous Japanese animal. It is the most northern-living and the most polar-living non-human primate and can be found all across the country. |
 | Sika deer are native to much of East Asia, but nowadays all but extinct everywhere except Japan, where the species is overabundant. Miyajima, an island which is part of the Three Views of Japan, is famous for deers roaming freely among the visitors. A visit to Nara is also likely to include the welcoming by numerous deer. |
 | Red-crowned crane, also known as Japanese crane, is the second rarest crane in the world. In Japan it is known as the tanchō and is said to live for 1000 years and folding one thousand origami cranes is said to grant one a wish. |
 | Japan is home to two red fox subspecies: the Hokkaidō fox and the Japanese red fox. Known as kitsune, they are a common subject of Japanese folklore, depicted as intelligent beings with magical abilities such as shapeshifting. |
 | Another important animal said to possess shapeshifting abilities is the Japanese raccoon dog called tanuki, often mistakenly translated as badger or raccoon, despite being unrelated to both of these species. They are a common theme in Japanese art, especially statuary. |
 | Okinawa and surrounding islands are largely composed of coral rock and contain some of the most abundant coral reefs in the world, many of which are very rare. |
