Japan may face many challenges and dangers, but it truly is a beautiful country. Outside of the hugely populated areas, the countryside of Japan is beautiful, made up of a patchwork of land. Much of the rural landscape and mountainous areas are untouched by human habitation.
Japan is an island country made up of 6,852 islands, with the four largest islands making up 97% of its land area. These islands are Hokkaido (where I visited the city of Sapporo last week), Honshu (where Akita is located), Kyushu, and Shikoku. The country is smaller than the state of California and covered with mountains and short rivers. These mountainous areas cover about 80% of the country and contain 10% of the world's most active volcanoes. It is located near a triple fault line, which causes many earthquakes. Despite this, the Japanese see their country as more beautiful than dangerous.
Most of Japan is in the temperate zone, so the climate is generally mild. Even now, at the beginning of December, Tokyo is 51 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Ocean currents keep the Pacific side warm, and a cold current curving south past Hokkaido improves conditions for fishing.
