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**Shikibu** || One of the greatest writers in early Japanese history. || Greatest writers in Japanese history. || ** Questions : ** Size and Comparison 1. What [|body of water] found between Japan and the mainland of Asia? Sea of Japan or East Sea. 2. Name the two countries located nearest to Japan. Korea and China. 3. Name [|two countries] near Japan that are much larger in area than Japan. China and Russia. 4. What large ocean is off the southeast coast of Japan? Pacific Ocean. 5. What are the [|names] of the islands of Japan? Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Honshu.
 * ** Term ** || ** Details / definition ** || ** Helper word ** ||
 * **Shinto** || The Traditional religion of Japan. || The sun. ||
 * **Zen** || Popular new form of Buddhism called Zen arrived from China. || Buddhism. ||
 * **Pure Land** || A form of Buddhism that focused on meditation ||  ||
 * **Haiku** || A form of poetry used to show the meaning of nature, which has 3 lines and follows a 5-7-5 syllable pattern ||  ||
 * **Lady Mirasaki**
 * **Prince Shotoku** || One of the people most influential in bringing Chinese ideas to Japan was Prince Shotoku. || Ideas to Japan. ||
 * **Jimmu** || The first Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. || First Emperor or Kamuyamato. ||
 * **Regent** || A person who rules a country for someone who is unable to rule alone. || Rule alone. ||
 * **Ainu** || One culture that developed in Japan was the Ainu. || Developed on China. ||
 * **The Pillow Book** || Was Lady Murasaki Shikibu journal. || Journal. ||
 * **Tanka** || Learn to write the lyric poem of Japan known as //tanka//, now one of the most popular and versatile short forms of poetry in English. || Poetry. ||
 * **Noh** || A major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. || Musical drama. ||
 * **Tale of Genji** || Written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu at the height of Japan’s golden age. || The height of Japan’s golden age. ||
 * **Daimyo** || Japan’s large landowners. || Landowners. ||
 * **Shogun** || A general who rued Japan in the emperor’s name. || Rules in the emperor’s name. ||
 * **Samurai** || Trained professional warrior. || Professional warrior. ||
 * **figurehead** || A person who appears to rule even though real power rests with someone else. || Real power rests with someone else. ||
 * **Bushido** || The samurai code of rules was known as Bushido. || Samurai code. ||

Climate 6. What is the [|climate] like in Japan? Japan’s climate in winter can be mild and the summer is hot and humid. There is, sometimes, a rainy season in early summer and typhoons hit every year during the late summer.

Natural Features 7. What is the [|largest] island in Japan? Honshu. 8. Why does [|Japan] have little land that is good for farming? Japan has little land that is good for farming because the islands of Japan are really just the tops of undersea mountains and volcanoes, sticking out of the ocean.

Agriculture 9. What is the main agricultural [|crop] of Japan? Rice. 10. Given Japan's geography, why would fish be a popular source of food? Fish would be popular because most of Japan’s cities are close to the sea.