Kyoto,Japan Name: Anthonia Teacher: Ms. Babb Class: Gr.

7 Room 220 Thursday,February 9, 2012

Table of contents
LocationLocation- 3 RegionRegion- 4-10 Place- 11Place- 11-13 Human and environmental interaction 14-16 14Movement- 17Movement- 17-19 BibliographyBibliography- 20

Japan mapping Kyoto

Kyoto city map

Kyoto Is 35 Degrees North and 135 Degrees East on the Globe.

JAPAN JAPANS FLAG

The flag of Japan has a white background with large red dot in the centre .The dot signifies the sun. This is why Japan is called the land of the rising sun.

Kyotos municipal flag

} This is Kyotos municipal flag.

Clothing
Although Japanese citizens love their traditional customs, but they also follow the western ways.Children usually dress in pants, shirts, and sneakers. For work, men wear business suits and women wear dresses and skirts. However, for special events such as weddings or festivals, people wear kimono. These silk robes are tied together with special sashes called obi. Another traditional outfit is a yukata, a cotton robe that is tied at the waist. Both men and women sometimes wear yukata around the house in summer.

Girls wearing yukatas

A Man in kimono

Food
} Rice is the main meal in Japan. In fact, the Japanese word for rice (gohan), has also been added at the end of every word of the daily meals. For instance, breakfast which means, Asa-gohan,in Japanese consists of a bowl of rice and a special soup. Hiro-gohan, meaning lunch, consists of sandwiches, a salad, or flavoured rice balls. During supper, (Ban-gohan) the family gathers around a dining table. If the family has a tatami room they sit on cushions and begin their meal by saying, itadakimasu.(thank you for the food).

A Typical Kyoto Family Meal

Physical Features and Climate

Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honsho, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Kyoto city takes up 17.9% of the Yamashiro Basin with an area of 827.9km2.A large body of water provides the city with many freshwater wells.

Houses

A traditional Japanese house is smaller than an American home, but the rooms feel open and comfortable. Most houses have a tatami room. Tatami are large woven mats that are placed on the floor. People sit on cushions called zabutons and sleep on mattresses called futons. For privacy, rooms are divided by shoji, screens that slide out from the wall.

Climate

Kyoto has a humid subtropical climate. That is why an average Japanese mail or female can wear soft light yukatas around the house or outside.

History of Kyoto
Kyoto is Japans third largest city and also one of its oldest. This historical city was once the capital of Japan for more than one thousand years. Originally, Kyoto was founded as Heian in 794. Home to the imperial palace, the home of the emperors of Japan. Kyoto is thought as the hearth of Japan.

Japan has a government called the national legislature. It consists of the Prime Minister and the members of the Diet. Kyoto's city assembly has 69 elected members including the mayor, Daisaku Kadokawa.

Customs,Traditions and Celebrations

The people of Kyoto practise religions called Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto shrines and temples are found all over Japan. Japanese is the official language of Japan. The people of Japan also speak Korean and English languages. Two popular traditions among Japanese women are: the tea ceremony and the art of arranging flowers. The tea ceremony is an ancient ritual in Japan. This ceremony allows participants to enjoy the pleasures of nature. The art of arranging flowers is practised by women just as it is called. A big festival is celebrated on August 16 in Kyoto and all over Japan every year. It is called the Bon Festival. People believe that the ghosts of their ancestors return to earth during this festival.

Celebration at the Bon festival

Transportation
Kyoto is a city of tourism in Japan, therefore it has very good transportation system. It has city buses, trains, subway stations, taxis, highway buses, bicycles, air way travels, and the popular rickshaws. The city buses, trains, and taxis are very good means of transport for the city dwellers and tourists in Kyoto. A limousine, type of bus, which is used for transporting a large number of tourists from one site to another. Kyoto residents and students find it easier to walk around or ride bicycles to school than board the train. Rickshaws are Japanese traditional chariots, popularly used for transporting brides and bride grooms.

Rickshaws and Taxis

Kyoto Technology
Since 794A.D Kyoto has been the centre of Japanese culture and technology. Kyotos technology began by its traditional arts such as Nishinji brocade and the unique styles of Yuzen silk dyeing, cabinet making, pottery, scroll mounting and Buddhist altar decorations. Today Kyoto has advanced in technologies and is home to Shimadzu,high-tech IT and Nintendo.

Bibliography
Websites Wikipedia: Kyoto Url: En.wikipedia.org/wiki/kyoto Kyoto: History and Backround Url: http://www.columbia.edu/itclealac/v3613/kyoto/intro/indexhtml Transportation:http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Kyoto/ html Kyoto Technology:http://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/region/kyoto Pictures Flickr: http://www.flickr.com Google Image: http://www.google.ca/imghp?hl=en&tab=ii Books Harlinah Whyte/Nicole Frank,Welcome to Japan, Gareth Stevens Publishing, North America, 1999. Bob Reiser, Japan,Marshall Cavendish , New York, 2002.