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| Mt. Fuji in the distance |
Japan is an island nation that has 4 main islands and is made up of over 4,000 smaller islands! Japan's islands are mostly the tops of undersea mountains and volcanoes along a geographic region known as the Pacific Rim. Japan is the home of the Samurai warriors, perhaps one of the fiercest fighting forces in history. Their code of loyalty was so strong and so important, that a samurai was not allowed to show cowardice or disloyalty to his daimyo (warlord) under penalty of death.
Japanese culture was influenced by both China and Korea, but because it is an island nation, it also developed its own separate culture. Japanese authors (mostly women) kept diaries and wrote poems that helped preserve Japan's history.
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| Samurai Warriors |
Japan's military culture influenced much of its history up until the end of World War II. A recent Tsunami (large wave) that was the result of a huge earthquake in late 2010, caused tremendous damage to Japan's eastern coast. The people of Japan have shown great courage and resolve throughout their history, and continue to do so today.
