Japanese Culture Created  by the Diversity of the  Japanese Archipelago

Insight into the Subject | 日本列島の多様性がつくった日本の文化

Japanese Culture Created by the Diversity of the Japanese Archipelago

As a country, Japan has become vulnerable to the effects of climate change caused by global warming and other factors. About 20 million years ago, a part of the Eurasian continent began to be gradually cut off by tectonic movement. This became the base of what was later to become Japan. Then the original shape of the Japanese archipelago is thought to have been formed about 15 million years ago, after repeated collisions with islands swept away from the Pacific Plate. All kinds of dinosaurs lived in Japan. Fossil evidence found all over the country bears this out. The presence of substances found in the seabed in the Japanese Alps also indicates uplift caused by tectonic collisions. The north and south of Japan is divided by a geological fault and the east and west by mountain ranges. It is therefore common to see clear skies on the Pacific side of the country, but snow on the Sea of Japan side, which is separated from the rest of the country by a mountain range. Also, since the Japanese archipelago stretches a long way from north to south, while drift ice can be seen at the northern end, the southernmost end has coral reefs and warm temperatures. In the same country, the climate and landscape varies greatly depending on the region. Japan has many beautiful tourist spots such as Mt. Fuji and Matsushima. On the other hand, Japan has numerous natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons. It’s said that this natural environment has had a great influence on the development of the character of the Japanese people. This is why the Shinto religion, based on the belief that Gods reside everywhere in nature, took root here. An instinct to find a way to coexist with nature and help each other out gave rise to Japan’s unique culture. Furthermore, the presence of four distinct seasons together with other natural blessings, such as hot springs, have also created a unique culture in the region.

日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
地球ちきゅう温暖化おんだんか
chikyuu onndannka
global warming
など
nado
and other factors
によって
ni yotte
by
こされる
hiki oko sareru
caused
気候きこう変動へんどう
kikou henndou no
(the) effects of climate change to
影響えいきょう
eikyou ga
vulnerable
おおきくなりやすい
ookiku nari yasui
has become
くにです。
kuni desu.
(as a) country
2000万にせんまんねんまえ
nisenn mann nenn mae
twenty million years ago
ごろ
goro
about
から
kara
since
ユーラシアゆーらしあ大陸たいりく
yu-rashia tairiku no
(the) Eurasian continent
一部いちぶ
ichibu ga
a part of
地殻ちかく変動へんどう
chikaku henndou
tectonic movement
de
by
徐々じょじょ
jojo ni
gradually
はなされました。
kiri hanasare mashita.
cut off
これが
kore ga
this
のち
nochi no
later
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
no
of
基礎きそ
kiso
(the) base
となります。
to nari masu.
became
その
sono go,
then
太平洋たいへいようプレートぷれーと
taiheiyou pure-to
(the) Pacific Plate
から
kara
from
ながされてきた
oshi nagasarete kita
swept away
島々しまじま
shimajima
islands
との
to no
with
激突げきとつ
gekitotsu wo
collisions
かえして、
kurikaeshite,
after repeated
やく
yaku
about
1500万せんごひゃくまんねんまえ
senngohyaku mann nenn mae ni
fifteen million years ago
日本にほん列島れっとう
nihonn rettou no
(the) Japanese archipelago
原形げんけい
gennkei ga
(the) original shape of
できたとされます。
dekita to sare masu.
is thought to have been formed
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
には、
niha,
in
さまざまな
samazama na
all kinds of
恐竜きょうりゅう
kyouryuu ga
dinosaurs
生息せいそくしていました。
seisoku shite i mashita.
lived
そのことを
sono koto wo
this
しめ
shimesu
bears out
化石かせき
kaseki ga
fossil evidence
いたるところで
itaru tokoro de
all over the country
つかっています。
mitsukatte i masu.
found
また、
mata,
also
日本にほんアルプスあるぷす
nihonn arupusu
(the) Japanese Alps indicates
ni
in
のこっている
nokotte iru
found in
海底かいてい
kaitei
(the) seabed
物質ぶっしつ
busshitsu
submarine
no
of
存在そんざい
sonnzai ha
(the) presence
衝突しょうとつ
shoutotsu
tectonic collisions
による
ni yoru
caused by
隆起りゅうき
ryuuki wo
uplift
しめしています。
shimeshite i masu.
indicates
日本にほんは、
nihonn ha,
Japan
地質ちしつ断層だんそう
chishitsu dannsou
(a) geological fault
de
by
南北なんぼくに、
nannboku ni,
(the) north and south of
さらに
sara ni
and
山脈さんみゃく
sannmyaku
mountain ranges
de
by
東西とうざい
touzai ni
(the) east and west
かれています。
wakarete i masu.
is divided
そのため、
sono tame,
it is therefore
太平洋たいへいようがわ
taiheiyou gawa
(the) Pacific side of the country
では
deha
on
れる
hareru
clear skies
が、
ga,
but
山脈さんみゃく
sannmyaku
a mountain range
de
by
へだてられた
hedaterare ta
which is separated (from the rest of the country)
日本海にほんかいがわ
nihonnkai gawa
(the) Sea of Japan side
では
deha
on
ゆきっている
yuki ga futte iru
snow
といった光景こうけい
to itta koukei ga
[scene]
よく
yoku
common
られます。
mirare masu.
to see
また、
mata,
also
日本にほん列島れっとう
nihonn rettou ha
(the) Japanese archipelago
南北なんぼく
nannboku ni
from north to south
なが
nagaku
a long way
びている
nobite iru
stretches
ため、
tame,
since
北端ほくたん
hokutann
(the) northern end
de
at
流氷りゅうひょう
ryuuhyou ga
drift ice
られる
mirareru
can be seen
時季じき
jiki ni
while <season>
南端なんたんでは
nanntann deha
(the) southernmost end
サンゴ礁さんごしょう
sanngoshou ga
coral reefs
あり
ari
has and
温暖おんだんです。
onndann desu.
warm temperatures
同じおな
onaji
(the) same
日本にほん
nihonn
country Japan
でも、
demo,
in
地域ちいきによって
chiiki ni yotte
on the region
気候きこう
kikou mo
<(the) climate> and
景観けいかん
keikann mo
(landscape varies)
おおきく
ookiku
greatly
ちがっているのです。
chigatte iru no desu.
depending
日本にほんには
nihonn niha
Japan
富士山ふじさん
fujisann
Mt. Fuji
ya
and
松島まつしま
matsushima
Matsushima
など、
nado,
such as
うつしい
utsukushii
beautiful
観光かんこう名所めいしょ
kannkoumeisho ga
tourist spots
たくさん
takusann
many
あります。
ari masu.
has
その一方いっぽうで、
sono ippou de,
on the other hand
地震じしん
jishinn,
earthquakes
津波つなみ
tsunami,
tsunamis
噴火ふんか
funnka,
volcanic eruptions
台風たいふう
taifuu
and typhoons
など
nado
such as
おおくの
ooku no
numerous
自然しぜん災害さいがい
shizenn saigai ga
natural disasters
きます。
oki masu.
(Japan) has
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
(the) Japanese people
no
of
性格せいかく形成けいせい
seikaku keisei
the development (the) character
には、
niha,
of
そのような
sono you na
this
自然しぜん環境かんきょう
shizenn kannkyou ga
natural environment
おおきく
ookiku
great
かかわって
kakawatte
on influence
いる
iru
has had a
to
that
いわれます。
iware masu.
it’s said
かみ
kami ha
Gods
自然しぜん
shizenn no
in nature
いたるところに
itaru tokoro ni
everywhere
存在そんざいする
sonnzai suru
reside
to
that
かんがえる
kanngaeru
based on the belief
神道しんとう信仰しんこう
shinntou shinnkou ga
(the) Shinto religion
づいたのも
neduita no mo
took root here
そのひとつです。
sono hitotsu desu.
this is why <one of them>
自然しぜん
shizenn
nature
to
with
共存きょうぞんし、
kyouzonn shi,
to coexist and
たすいを
tasukeai wo
help each other out
大切たいせつにする
taisetsu ni suru
to find a way
感性かんせいは、
kannsei ha,
(an) instinct
日本にほん独自どくじ
nihonn dokuji no
Japan's unique
文化ぶんか
bunnka wo
culture
はぐくみました。
hagukumi mashita.
gave rise to
さらに、
sarani,
furthermore
四季しき
shiki
four distinct seasons
no
of
存在そんざい
sonnzai
(the) presence
や、
ya,
together
温泉おんせん
onnsenn
hot springs
などの
nado no
such as
自然しぜん
shizenn no
with other natural
めぐ
megumi
blessings
mo
also
地域ちいき
chiiki
(the) region
ni
in
独特どくとく
dokutoku no
(a) unique
風土ふうど
fuudo wo
culture
みました。
umi mashita.
have created

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