Ever wondered what the biome of Japan is, its geography or simply the vegetation of Japan? In this article, we will answer these questions by talking a little about Japan's biome, climate, geography and vegetation.
Table of Contents
Japan geography and VEGETATION
Japan is an archipelago made up of more than 6852 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. The largest islands in Japan are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku where it represents 97% of the Japan area.
Most of Japan is filled with mountains and forests, being considered one of the most wooded nations in the world. Japan's coastline is approximately four times longer than Brazil's.
The country is also marked by volcanic activities that create numerous thermal and natural baths. A country rich in magnesium and other minerals present in the water. The country has more than 100 volcanoes, but none of them pose risks.
The highest mountain and volcano in Japan is the famous Monte Fuji at an incredible 3,776 meters above sea level. The enormous number of volcanoes beneath Japan shows that the ground is unstable and full of energy, recording numerous earthquakes.
The territory of Japan covers an area of 372,000 square kilometers. The country is located on the Eurasian plate where several tectonic plates responsible for earthquakes and tsunami meet.
Japan is a mixture of subtropical, temperate and cold zones, in addition to having plenty of water. The flora of Japan has about 6000 native species of plants, some of which are striking and symbolic for the Japanese people such as the famous Sakura cherry tree.
Japan suffers from a shortage of ores, making it resort to imports and becoming dependent on other countries. Although your country's 75% is made up of trees and forests, Japan prefers and needs to import wood for house construction and paper.
Japan biome and climate
Japan is one of the few countries in the world that follows the 4 seasons correctly. Winter occurs at the end of the year, followed by spring, summer and autumn. We can clearly notice the difference between the seasons in Japan.
These seasons are influenced by the cold air masses coming from Siberia in the winter, as well as the warm air masses from the Pacific in the summer, which is portrayed with lots of rain, a lot of heat and also strong typhoons until the beginning of autumn.
Japan has 4 sub-regions where we can have a noticeable climate difference. In Hokkaido the climate is subarctic, that is, always colder. On the Pacific coast the climate is more temperate, on the coast of the Sea of Japan it is more rainy, and in the southwest it is subtropical.
Winter goes from December to February, the further North you go in the country the more snow you find, while in the South it rarely drops below 0°C. Spring goes from March to May, where the country becomes all colorful and covered in flowers, where the famous Hanami takes place.
Summer starts with three to four weeks of rain and then gets really hot. Autumn is cool, it can have rains in the beginning and it is usually quite pleasant. Both spring and autumn can cause allergy due to the amount of flowers.
In Hokkaido in the north of the country temperatures have already reached more than 40 below zero. In the south and center of the country, temperatures have already exceeded 40 degrees in summer in prefectures such as Nagano and Yamagata.
Summarizing better:
- Center (Honshu) - Oceanic temperate climate, high rainfall;
- North (Hokkaido) - Cold climate, with long winter months, influenced by the cold Oya Shivo current;
- South (Shikoku and Kyushu) - Subtropical climate, moderated by the Kuro Shivo current;
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