Japanreadingresponse!

EveryyearJapangetsabout1,500earthquakesayear.Thekidsat schoolpracticeearthquakedrillsandlearntostaycalmandmoveinan orderlyway.Japanhashightechsystemsforpredictingearthquakesbut sometimesthey'renotalwaysreliable. SpringtimeisthemostpleasanttimeoftheyearinJapan.The Japanesemarkthecomingofspringwithsakurazensen,meaningthe cherryblossomfront.InFebruary,weatherforecastersstartannouncing whenandwherethecherrytreeswillbloom.Thefirstblossomsbloomin thesouthinthelateMarch.Thenthecherryblossomfrontmovesfarther north.HokkaidoscherriesbloominmidMay. Inthesummertimeitisveryrainy.Thebaiuortheplumrainslastfora monthbegininearlyJuneinthesouthandmovenorth.Nextcomethehot humiddaysofmidsummer.TheshurinrainsbegininthelateAugustand lastthroughSeptember.Septemberisthetyphoonseason.Theword typhooncomesfromtheJapanesewordtaifumeaningwindthatblows overTaiwanandtowardChina.Likehurricanes,typhoonsbeginoverthe

ocean,gatheringstrengthandspeed.Whenthetyphoonhitslandtheir highwindsandviolentrainscanuproottrees. WhenitsOctobertheairiscoolandcrispandthemountainsidesare ablazewiththeredandgoldofchangingleaves.Japanhasashortfalland winterbeginsinNovember.BylateFebruary,warmerairdriftsin,paving thewayforanothercherryblossomspring.InJapantheloveforanimals areadeepseatedtraditionamongtheJapanese.Infolkloreanimalsare reveredasprotectors,mischiefmakers,ormessengersofthegods. PlantsalsoholdaspecialplaceinJapaneseculturetoo. Chrysanthemums,twistedpinesandblossomingtreeshaveappearedin theJapaneseartforhundredsofyears.Cherryblossomviewingparties arefavoriteeventsinthespringtime.Forestscoverabouttwothirdsof Japan.Oak,birch,maple,elm,beech,andothertreescoverhillsidesin centralHonshu.Inthespringtimewildflowerscoverthehillsides,while cherryandplumtreesareblossoming.Evergreensgrowonhigh mountainsinthenorth.Oncoldrockymountainstheygroweerie,twisted shapes.