1 Japan is a small island country off the eastern coast of Asia. Japan's capital is Tokyo. It is home to some of the world's greatest ancient traditions, natural beauty, and art.
2 Japan's land is made up of four main islands and is full of beautiful landscapes. There are many mountains across Japan. Several volcanoes are located on the Japanese islands, including the well-known Mount Fuji. This mountain has been one of the favorite subjects of Japanese art throughout the country's history.
3 Heavy rains are very common in Japan. The rain is good for plants, which cover much of the land. The rain helps in rice farming, which has been an important part of Japanese life. In fact, some of the earliest Japanese people brought rice farming with them from China.
4 Rice farmers united to create villages, and, around 100 B.C., began forming social classes, dividing the rich farm owners from smaller farmers. These villages and classes helped to create Japan's first government under the leadership of an emperor. In early Japanese history, there was no capital city; emperors moved from town to town.
5 In the 8th Century, the first Japanese capital was created in a city called Nara. Many places of Buddhist worship were built in Nara. Among them is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. It still stands today.