Japan Virtual Tour Guide

Japan Virtual Tour Guide
Start of the Tour around Japan
Konnichiwa -
welcome to the start of your virtual
tour around Japan. My name is Hiro, and I am so
excited to be showing you around my beautiful
country. Let’s get started!
First of all, let’s take a look at where Japan is located in the world. Japan is in the north-
west Pacific Ocean off the coast of East Asia. The country consists of nearly 7000 islands
shaped in an arc and stretching roughly 1500 miles!
You can find out more about the continent of Asia by taking a look at the following
resources.
An Information This CBeebies Go Jetter

These Asia Fact Cards
PowerPoint about Asia PowerPoint about Asia
Find out more about

There are Maps of Asia, with
Asia with this Geography of
or without names, to colour in
Asia Activity Pack.
Page 1 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Now that we have explored Asia, let’s take a closer look at some basic facts about Japan.
Look up information on the Internet to complete this Japan Fact File Worksheet, or perhaps
you would prefer to create your own All About Japan Flipbook.
You may want to use some Japanese Page Borders to present

the information that you discover about Japan.
Learn more about the geography of Japan by completing this

Japan Map Labelling Activity.
Now that you know a little bit about its geography, perhaps you could Plan a Trip to Japan.
Japan is a nation of islands surrounded by the sea. I think, therefore, that the best way to
explore it is by boat. My boat is a traditional Japanese wooden sailing boat called a wasen.
Let’s sail east from Busan, South Korea on mainland Asia, across the Sea of Japan, to the
Japanese archipelago. Archipelago is a word used to describe a large chain of islands.
Ikou, let’s go!

Location 1: Niigata
Even though Japan has nearly 7000 islands, most of these are very small and uninhabited.
The Japanese mainland is mostly made up of four large ‘home’ islands: Hokkaido, Honshu,
Kyushu and Shikoku. Our boat has arrived at Niigata, on the north-west coast of the
island of Honshu. Honshu is the largest island and where most of Japan’s cities are located.
Niigata is a large, ancient harbour city facing the Sea of Japan. This important industrial
city, with a population of around 810,000 people, is the perfect place to learn more about
the Japanese culture and civilisation and the perfect place to start our tour.
“NIIGATA CITY.jpg” by Availablelot is licensed under CC0 1.0
Learn more information about the country of Japan by exploring the following resources.
Key Stage 1 Comprehension Key Stage 2 Comprehension Interactive PDF Comprehension

Activity All About Japan Activity All About Japan Activity about Japan
Key Stage 1 PowerPoint Key Stage 2 Japan Key Stage 3 Japan

All About Japan Information PowerPoint Information PowerPoint

Did you know that tea is the most popular drink in Japan? It has been enjoyed here since
the eighth century and has its own tea ceremony. It is a drink we also enjoy in our culture.
Let us enjoy a cup of tea together before we continue on our journey.
Making a Cup of Tea How to Make a Cup of

Sequencing Cards Tea Code Hunter
Design a Teapot Design a Teacup
“The Feminine Accomplishments of Tea and the Game of Go LACMA AC1998.235.5” by Fae is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
Now that you have absorbed some of the cultural information about Japan, let’s sail north to
the northernmost island of Hokkaido where there are mountains and volcanoes.

Location 2: Sapporo
We have now reached the city of Sapporo, which is the capital of Hokkaido, the second
largest island in the Japanese archipelago. It is located far north and so has a cold climate.
“Daisetsuzan Mountains Hokkaido” by larryfaerie is licensed under CC0 1.0
The island of Hokkaido has the lowest population density, but it is home to the largest national
parks and has the most animals in Japan.
To find out about the animals that live in Asia, explore the following resources.
Key Stage 1 PowerPoint All

Asian Animals Wordsearch
About Asian Animals
Information PowerPoint
about Dugongs Key Stage 1 Dolphins Fact File

As well as being home to an abundance of wild animals, the people of Japan love their pets,
particularly dogs. There are six Japanese dog breeds that are called ‘Nihon-ken’ and are
regarded to be national symbols of Japan. These breeds include the Shiba Inu (an active
and good-natured dog) and the Akita (brave, strong and loyal).
Japan is said to have been the home of the most

loyal dog in history, an Akita called Hachikō.
Several films have even been made about
him! To learn about Hachikō’s story, check
out the following resources.
Hachikō The Faithful Dog

PowerPoint
Hachikō Differentiated
Fact File
“Yuki - first grade” by Weezlhed is licensed under CC0 1.0
Hachikō Differentiated Reading

Comprehension Activity

Location 3: Sendai
Now that you have explored nature on the island of Hokkaido, we will sail south to return
to the island of Honshu. This is the largest island in Japan and so we will spend more time
travelling around it.
We have arrived in the city of Sendai on the north-east coast of Honshu. Sendai is known as
‘The City of Trees’ as there are many green spaces. It is also famous for being the home of a
beautiful Shinto shrine and tourists flock to the city every year for the Tanabata Matsuri, or
the Star Festival, where people write their wishes for the following year on pieces of paper
- called Tanzaku - and hang them on the trees. You can colour in a picture of Tanzaku here
if you like, or here is a different version of a Tanabata Colouring Page.
Orihime and Hikoboshi are the

Japanese deities associated with
the Tanabata Festival. Adapted
from a Chinese folk story,
Orihime and Hikoboshi are in
love but they find themselves
separated by the Milky Way
and can only reunite once a
year on the seventh day of the
seventh lunar month. Here are
some Orihime and Hikoboshi
Colouring Pages to illustrate
the story.
“tim-hieu-le-hoi-nguu-lan-chuc-nu-tanabata-cua-nhat-ban-2” by cu.pin0105 is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

You can learn more about Japanese gods by looking at

this Japanese Deities Worksheet.
Learn more about the Tanabata Matsuri Star Festival

by reading this Tanabata Star Festival PowerPoint,
completing this Tanzaku Wishes Worksheet or this
Tanabata Cloze Activity.
“Wishes on small pieces of paper hung on during Tanabata festival; 2014” by Joe deSousa is licensed under CC0 1.0
Why not have a go at making your own Tanzaku Strip?
Or a Tanabata Star Decoration?
Or perhaps you
would like to learn
the Tanabata Song
that people sing to
celebrate?

Another large festival celebrated throughout Japan is Kodomo No Hi, or Children’s Day. Learn
more about Children’s Day by looking at these resources.
Kodomo No Hi
Kodomo No Hi Fact File
People celebrate Kodomo No Hi by making paper

streamers in the shape of Koi Carp fish, called Koinobori.
Make your own Koinobori from this resource.
Perhaps you would like to learn the Koinobori Song?

You could use some Koinobori-themed page borders to
present what you have learned about Kodomo No Hi.
All this travelling is making me hungry. Let’s learn

how to make a traditional Japanese dish called
Kashiwamochi. This is usually eaten by families
on Children’s Day!
You can learn more about other Japanese

Festivals here.
Now that we’ve learned lots about Japanese

festivals and culture, let’s head south to visit the
capital city of Japan, Tokyo!
“Koinobori in Miura” by Dmitri Popov is licensed under CC0 1.0

Location 4: Tokyo
We have now reached the capital city of Japan, Tokyo. Tokyo sits on Tokyo Bay on the
eastern coast of the island of Honshu. In ancient times, the city was called Edo, until
Japan was taken over by the great shōgun (warlord) Tokugawa. Tokyo, along with the
surrounding metropolitan areas, is the largest city in the world, so we need to spend quite
a bit of time exploring it!
“Smooth Tokyo” by romainguy is licensed under CC0 1.0
Take a look at the following information PowerPoints to learn more about Tokyo.
Key Stage 1 All About Tokyo Key Stage 2 All About Older children might prefer to look at
PowerPoint Tokyo PowerPoint this Tokyo Informational PowerPoint
Facts about Tokyo are

also displayed beautifully
on these posters.

Now that you have learned a little about As described in the PowerPoints above,
Tokyo, why not challenge yourself to this Tokyo is home to Japan’s Imperial Palace.
Tokyo-Themed Word Search? Perhaps you’d like to colour your own
picture of the Imperial Palace?
“Tokyo Imperial Palace” by Pierre Blaché is licensed under CC0 1.0
Did you know that the 2020 Olympic Games were awarded to the city of Tokyo, although
they didn’t take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were planned to take
place in 2021 instead. I was very proud that my country was chosen to host the games.
Learn about Japan’s long history of sport in the following resources.
Key Stage 1 The History of Key Stage 2 The History of The History of Sports
Sport in Japan PowerPoint Sport in Japan PowerPoint in Japan PowerPoint

Being the largest city in the world,

Tokyo certainly needs to have efficient
transport systems for people to move
around it. Tokyo is at the centre of
Japan’s bullet train network, known as
the Shinkansen, which are high-speed
railway lines. Running at speeds of up
to 320 kilometres per hour, these are
the fastest high-speed trains in the
world and they connect the three most
populated islands of Japan: Honshu,
Kyushu and Hokkaido.
“Misty Japanese Sports” by Alfred Grupstra is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
Perhaps you’d like to celebrate Japan’s legendary train system by colouring in this Bullet
Train Colouring Page?
Looming over the city of Tokyo is Japan’s Mount Fuji.

It is regarded by the Japanese as a sacred site and
is a symbol of national pride. It is technically an
active volcano but has not erupted since 1707.
Be careful if you decide to climb it - another eruption is
long overdue!
“JRW 500 series Shinkansen at Okayama Station 2012-11-28”

by Kazokuda is licensed under CC0 1.0
Check out this Key Stage 2 All

About Mount Fuji PowerPoint
to learn more about our sacred
mountain.
“JMt.Fuji, Japan” by momentumdashphotos is licensed under CC0 1.0

Or perhaps you’d like to know more about mountains and volcanoes in general? If so, have
a look at the following:
• Mountains PowerPoint
• Diagram of a Mountain
Labelling Activity
• Geological Processes Modelling Mats
• All About Volcanoes Information

PowerPoint
• Key Stage 2 Parts of Volcano

Labelling Activity
• Volcano Cross Section Paper Model
• Make Your Own Volcano Science Activity
Phew,
I’ve really enjoyed our time in Tokyo
and there is so much more we could cover, but I really
think it’s time to move on to the next location on our
tour. Watashi to kite, which translates as
‘come with me!’

Location 5: Yokohama
We have travelled 20 miles south-west from Tokyo to reach Japan’s second largest city,
Yokohama. Yokohama has been an important centre for industry, business and international
trade since ancient times.
“Aerial view of Diamond Princess with Yokohama City” by Hovering Cat is licensed under CC0 1.0
Yokohama was virtually destroyed in 1923 by a devastating earthquake. In fact, as well as

being home to an active volcano, Japan experiences regular earthquakes and other natural
disasters related to tectonic activity. Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning ‘harbour wave’.
Learn more about tsunamis here.

Discover more about earthquakes by having a look at these resources.
Key Stage 2 Earthquakes Earthquakes Information

Differentiated Reading Comprehension PowerPoint
Earthquake Simulation Earthquake Cross-Section Earthquakes Data

Science Experiment Labelling Activity Handling Maths Activity
While you are visiting Japan, it would be a good idea for you
to learn how to keep yourself safe in case an earthquake hits.
This is what we do in Japan to prepare ourselves for
earthquakes.
• Earthquake Preparation in Japan PowerPoint
• Earthquake Preparation in Japan Fact File
Now that you have learned more about earthquakes and how we can protect ourselves,
perhaps you’d like to Design Your Own Earthquake Safe City in Japan or Design an
Earthquake-Proof Building. Perhaps you could work with a group of friends to build an
Earthquake Safe Tower?
Now that we’ve survived an earthquake, let’s head west on Honshu to the next location
on our tour.

Location 6: Nagoya
Nagoya is situated in a bay. In 1610, the shōgun (meaning ‘army commander’) Tokugawa
Leyasu moved the capital of his shōgunate from Kiyosu to Nagoya and built the famous
Nagoya Castle which still stands today.
“Many Themes RR - 2113 - starrystarrynight” by Bluriel is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
A shōgun was a military leader in charge of samurai warriors in ancient Japan. Even
though the shōgun was appointed by, and technically worked for, the Emperor, they were
often more powerful than the Emperor and had more control over the running of the
country. To find out more about shōguns, have a look at the following:
Shōgun Powerpoint Shōgun Fact File Japanese Shōgun Presentation

Samurai were warriors commanded specifically by the shōgun in service of the Emperor.
Ninjas were warriors who were willing to serve anyone able to pay them enough for their
services. A ninja could also be a samurai.
Here is a fun Ninja Top Cards Game for you to play, or perhaps you’d like to colour in a
samurai warrior instead?
Collect the pieces of a samurai warrior’s outfit by practising your spelling, punctuation
and grammar.
• Key Stage 3 and GCSE SPaG Samurai - Spelling Activity Pack
• Key Stage 3 and GCSE SPaG Samurai - Punctuation Activity Pack
• Key Stage 3 and GCSE SPaG Samurai - Grammar Activity Pack
Wow, you would make an

impressive Japanese warrior!
I’m getting out of here!
“Samurai in Armour” by The Public Domain Review is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

Location 7: Osaka
Next we reach
Osaka towards the
south of Honshu.
Osaka is the third
largest city in
Japan and was
the birthplace of
Osamu Tezuka,
also known as the
‘Father of Manga’
or the ‘Walt
Disney of Japan’.
“Osaka City Central Public Hall” by vmokry is licensed under CC0 1.0
Manga is the distinctive artistic style used in Japanese comic books and graphic novels.
The term ‘anime’ refers to animations using this style. Twinkl has lots of information about
manga and anime. Why not have a go at drawing some manga-style comic strips yourself?
All About Japanese Manga Japanese Art: Manga Japanese Art Activity: How to
Information PowerPoint Information Powerpoint Draw a Manga Character
The Art of Comic Books

Superheroes Colouring Sheets Comic Book Templates

Many stories told in manga and anime are based on traditional Japanese folklore and
myths. For example, the manga series Golden Boy is based on the mythical hero Kintaro.
You can also find out about the mythical story of Momotaro here.
One of the most important artists in Japanese

history was Hokusai, famous for ukiyo-e,
which translates to ‘pictures of the floating
world’, which he printed using wooden
blocks. Learn more about Hokusai and his art
by looking at the following resources.
Hokusai Fact Cards
Hokusai Photo Pack

and Prompt Questions
“Yamauba und Kintaro, aus der Serie” by

Die Tugend der japanischen volkstümlichen Musik vund Gesang
is licensed under CC0 1.0
Now that we have learned about Japanese art, it is time to leave the ‘floating world’ behind
us and rejoin the real world for the next stop on our tour.

Location 8: Hiroshima
The next stop on our tour is the city of Hiroshima, a port on the south of the island of Honshu.
Hiroshima was founded as a castle town in the late 1500s, and has been an important
military base for Japan since then. Hiroshima was the first city ever to be struck by an
atomic bomb in the final days of the Second World War, when the United States attempted
to end the war following the Japanese attack on the US naval base, Pearl Harbor. The city
was completely destroyed and more than 70,000 people were killed instantly, with many
more dying later from the effects of radiation.
“1945 - Hiroshima” by Alfredo Grados is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
To learn more about the events of Pearl Harbor and the role of Japan in the Second World
War, explore some of the following resources.
• Key Stage 2 Pearl Harbor Differentiated Reading Comprehension
• Key Stage 2 All About VJ Day PowerPoint
• Key Stage 2 VJ Day Cloze Activity
• VJ Day Differentiated Cloze Activity

Sadako Sasaki was a girl from Hiroshima, who survived the initial bomb blast, but became
sick from leukaemia afterwards. While on her sickbed, she folded thousands of paper cranes
using the traditional Japanese art of origami. Sadako Sasaki and origami cranes have since
become important symbols of peace. To hear more about Sadako Sasaki’s story, have a look
at the following resources.
Sadako Sasaki
Sadako Sasaki PowerPoint Sadako Sasaki Fact Sheet
Colouring Pages
Sadako Sasaki’s Story Differentiated

Reading Comprehension
The place in Hiroshima where the bomb exploded is now
a park called Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. There is a
museum and several monuments as a memorial to those
who died. The Atomic Bomb Dome is the ruins of one of
very few buildings that was left standing after the blast.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day occurs annually

on 6th August to mark the anniversary of the
atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.
This Memorial Day Powerpoint contains
information about the day and points out various
museums and monuments that exist within
the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, created to
remember the victims of the attack. Alternatively,
you can read more about it in this Hiroshima
Peace Day Fact File.
Learn how to make an Origami Paper Crane -

we call these ‘orizuru’ in Japanese. If you enjoy
making these, there are many more Japanese-
Style Origami projects available to download
from Twinkl!
“A-bomb dome, Hiroshima, Japan” by Mustang Joe is licensed under CC0 1.0

Location 9: Nagasaki
We have finally left the island of Honshu
and sailed south-west across to Kyushu
Island. Our destination here is the port
city of Nagasaki on the western coast of
the island. Nagasaki was the second city
after Hiroshima to be hit by the US with an
atomic bomb in the Second World War. The
bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki was
more powerful, but because the city was
smaller than Hiroshima, fewer people died
in this blast. In the same way as Hiroshima,
Nagasaki has a Peace Memorial Park and
monuments to commemorate the victims of
the bombing.
“WWII: Atom Bomb, Nagasaki, August 1945” by pingnews.com is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
The US decided to bomb the city of Nagasaki because of its importance to the Japanese Imperial
Navy as a shipbuilding port. Nagasaki had historically been the most important port in terms
of international trade. When Japan was under shōgunate control, the country was closed off
to foreign trade, except for the port of Nagasaki.
Japanese isolation ended in 1853 along with the end of shōgunate rule, marking the beginning
of the Meiji Period when the US navy sailed into Tokyo harbour. This is when the country began
to open itself up to outside influence. Around this time, a Scottish trader, called Thomas Blake
Glover, became instrumental in helping to build Japan’s shipbuilding industry and founding the
company that would later become Mitsubishi. He is remembered in Japan for his contribution
to the beginnings of modern Japan. Learn more about his activities in these resources.
Thomas Blake Thomas Blake Glover

Thomas Blake Glover Fact File
Glover PowerPoint Sequencing Cards
We are now approaching the final location on our tour of Japan - the ancient city of Kyoto! To
reach here we need to return to Honshu.

Location 10: Kyoto

The beautiful ancient city of Kyoto on the island of Honshu was the capital of Japan for over
a thousand years. The name ‘Kyoto’ literally means a capital city. It is the spiritual and
cultural heartland of Japan, full of Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and historical sites,
such as the Kinkaku-ji Buddhist Temple, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
“The Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan” by Mustang Joe is licensed under CC0 1.0
Being a centre of huge cultural significance, Kyoto is a

great place on our tour to learn more about the many
artistic and cultural traditions in Japan. Cherry blossom
trees are very important culturally in Japan and they
are everywhere. Have a look at this Japanese Cherry
Blossom Art PowerPoint to see how the Japanese see
it as a source of inspiration.
Learn about the traditional art of repairing pottery,

called Kintsukuroi, through this Japanese Art Activity.

A traditional Japanese robe is called a kimono. These are often very intricately embroidered with
floral designs.
“The kimono” by Bernard Spragg is licensed under CC PDM 1.0
One of Japan’s favourite cultural and literary pursuits is the writing of haiku poetry.
Find out about haiku in the following resources.
Lockdown Poetry:
Haiku Poems PowerPoint
Writing a Haiku
We have now reached
the end of our guided
tour of Japan. I hope you
have enjoyed it as much
as I have!
What Now?
In order to process all you have learned about Japan, why not Or you could relax
complete one of the following comparison booklets to consider with this simple Japan
how our culture compares to that of your home country. Word Search.
• England and Japan Comparison Study
• Scotland and Japan Comparison Study
• Wales and Japan Comparison Study
• My Country and Japan Worksheet

If you still haven’t had enough of learning about Japan, you could challenge yourself to try
and learn some of the language. There are so many resources available to help you learn
the Japanese language, too many to list here, but here is a selection of them.
Japanese Worksheet for Japanese Greetings

Japanese Numbers
Beginners Word Cards
Japanese Greetings First Conversations

PowerPoint in Japanese
Ganbarou - good luck!

Thanks again for joining me, all the best for your
future expeditions and sayonara (goodbye)!

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Japan Virtual Tour Guide

Start of the Tour around Japan

An Information This CBeebies Go Jetter

Find out more about

Page 1 of 25 visit twinkl.com

You may want to use some Japanese Page Borders to present

Learn more about the geography of Japan by completing this

Page 2 of 25 visit twinkl.com

“NIIGATA CITY.jpg” by Availablelot is licensed under CC0 1.0

Key Stage 1 Comprehension Key Stage 2 Comprehension Interactive PDF Comprehension

Key Stage 1 PowerPoint Key Stage 2 Japan Key Stage 3 Japan

Page 3 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Making a Cup of Tea How to Make a Cup of

Design a Teapot Design a Teacup

Page 4 of 25 visit twinkl.com

“Daisetsuzan Mountains Hokkaido” by larryfaerie is licensed under CC0 1.0

Key Stage 1 PowerPoint All

Page 5 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Japan is said to have been the home of the most

Hachikō The Faithful Dog

“Yuki - first grade” by Weezlhed is licensed under CC0 1.0

Hachikō Differentiated Reading

Page 6 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Orihime and Hikoboshi are the

“tim-hieu-le-hoi-nguu-lan-chuc-nu-tanabata-cua-nhat-ban-2” by cu.pin0105 is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

Page 7 of 25 visit twinkl.com

You can learn more about Japanese gods by looking at

Learn more about the Tanabata Matsuri Star Festival

Why not have a go at making your own Tanzaku Strip?

Or a Tanabata Star Decoration?

Page 8 of 25 visit twinkl.com

People celebrate Kodomo No Hi by making paper

Perhaps you would like to learn the Koinobori Song?

All this travelling is making me hungry. Let’s learn

You can learn more about other Japanese

Now that we’ve learned lots about Japanese

“Koinobori in Miura” by Dmitri Popov is licensed under CC0 1.0

Page 9 of 25 visit twinkl.com

“Smooth Tokyo” by romainguy is licensed under CC0 1.0

Facts about Tokyo are

Page 10 of 25 visit twinkl.com

“Tokyo Imperial Palace” by Pierre Blaché is licensed under CC0 1.0

Learn about Japan’s long history of sport in the following resources.

Page 11 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Being the largest city in the world,

Looming over the city of Tokyo is Japan’s Mount Fuji.

“JRW 500 series Shinkansen at Okayama Station 2012-11-28”

Check out this Key Stage 2 All

“JMt.Fuji, Japan” by momentumdashphotos is licensed under CC0 1.0

Page 12 of 25 visit twinkl.com

• Geological Processes Modelling Mats

• All About Volcanoes Information

• Key Stage 2 Parts of Volcano

• Volcano Cross Section Paper Model

• Make Your Own Volcano Science Activity

Page 13 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Yokohama was virtually destroyed in 1923 by a devastating earthquake. In fact, as well as

Page 14 of 25 visit twinkl.com

Discover more about earthquakes by having a look at these resources.

Key Stage 2 Earthquakes Earthquakes Information