To understand Japanese food, it is necessary to have geographical and historical context. The history of Japan is strongly dictated by its geography: the society that developed on this chain of volcanic islands was strongly influenced by the Asian continent. Japan is close enough to the Asian mainland to be influenced by Asian culture, yet far enough off the coast not to be affected directly by continental events. The types of foodstuffs the Japanese people ate, though often derived from Asiatic continental sources, were modified by Japan’s relative isolation, by the environment of fertile volcanic valleys watered by monsoon rains and artificial irrigation, and by reliance on the sea. The nonmaterial component of food will also be discussed: the ideas and sentiments that the Japanese have about their surroundings powerfully influenced their foodways. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE The geography and climate of Japan have not changed materially throughout Japanese history, with the exception of the arable areas (only about 15 percent of the land is arable), which were gradually brought under the plow.
Geography Japan is a group of more than 3,600 islands stretching 3,500 km long, roughly the area of California, but without its expanse of habitable ter- rain. Steep mountains make up over 80 percent of the four main islands, in the order north to south, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The major cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe are on Honshu island. Sapporo and Nagasaki are two major cities on Hokkaido and Kyushu, respectively.
