Human-Environment Interactions

People in Japan are much closer to the oceans constantly, meaning that the temperatures tend to not shift as much as they would in, say, the United States. Seasonal climates are generally the same, so people only need to wear what is appropriate for that time of the year. Being so close to the ocean and having limited land to farm also affects what people eat; Japanese people tend to eat a lot more seafood and easily grown crops, such as rice. The Japanese have adapted to their limited usable land by building many compact cities. Most of these cities are on the coasts of the Japanese islands, and they tend to not be able to expand their population. More than sixty percent of Japan lives on relatively three percent of Japan’s land, on the narrow coastal plains. The Japanese people have also changed their houses, which are much smaller and sparsely furnished by American standards, with beds that can often fold up for storage during the day. People in big cities, like Tokyo, often live in apartments. Some Japanese people try to escape the crowded city life and move to suburbs or rural areas, but that often results in large commutes to work and school.