Japan is a unique country in that it is and island country, also known as Shimaguni. The chain of islands are made up of several thousand smaller islands, and four main islands: Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu. The island country of Japan is located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 120 miles off the coast of East Asia; and covers an area of about 142,000 square miles. The country would be considered somewhat narrow from west to east, but covers quite a distance from north to south (stretching from 24 degrees north latitude to 46 degrees north latitude). The overall area of Japan is slightly smaller than the state of Montana, but has a population of about 127 million, compared to Montana's population of just below 1 million.
With a population of 2.5 million, Osaka (大阪, Ōsaka) is Japan's third largest city. Osaka is the home of attractions such as: Universal Studios (a popular theme park), Osaka Aquarium, Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Taisha (one of Japan's oldest shrines), and Mino Park (a great place to see fall colors- which by the way is my favorite season!).
