Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
means of considerations or avenues of approach to each of the regions: (a) the natural
environment, (b) the historical background, (c) industries, (d) environmental problems
and environmental protection, (e) population and urban and rural settlement, (f)
livelihood and culture, and (g) linkages with other regions.
Each of the seven consideration or approaches should be chosen for each of the
regions studies, which means that at a minimum Japan should be divided into seven
regions. Moreover, taking into account the instructional perspective and geographic
location of the school, educators could conceivably divide the country into more than
seven regions, but in whichever case, teachers are directed to be able to deal with
all seven of the approaches (a) through (g) in the course of covering all the regions
of Japan.
In studying Japan's local regions, it is necessary to fi rst think about the regional
divisions and the order in which the regions should be taught. General textbooks
and other materials often begin with the Kyushu region (including Okinawa) and
proceed northward, in order. However, the National Junior High School Social
Studies Education Research Association (
2010
), at their 2010 Sendai-Miyagi con-
ference, proposed a lesson plan in which the order of instruction begins with the
Tohoku region, and proceeds through the regions of Kyushu, followed by Chugoku,
Shikoku, Kinki region, Chubu region, Hokkaido, and Kanto, before fi nishing with a
survey of the local area. The order in which regions are taught follows past tradition
where the study of the local area came before the study of the other regions of Japan.
From that period on, with the perspective of creating a linkage between regions, the
instruction of the various regions commenced with the Tohoku region. The study of
Japan's regions ends with Kanto since it is where Tokyo, the destination for most
school study-trip excursions, is located. This order was proposed giving consider-
ation to that historical background and regional circumstances.
Next, in order to clarify the characteristics of the individual regions, it is impor-
tant which geographical phenomena are chosen as the core topic. At present, there
are four companies that publish geography textbooks.
2
Table
3.3
shows the combi-
nations of each of the seven approaches along with the regions in which they are
associated with in the various textbooks. The Tokyo Metropolitan Junior High
School Social Studies Education Research Association (
2011
), proposed the combi-
nation that matches example 1 in Table
3.3
.The purpose is to heighten students'
interest and enthusiasm while guiding their grasp of geographical characteristics.
To begin with, the Kyushu region would be studied through an approach centered
on (a) the natural environment, which is the basis of the geographical way of
looking and thinking. Finally, the Kanto region, where one third of Japan's population
is concentrated is dealt with under (e) population and urban and rural settlement.
The rational for putting the Kanto region last among the 'various regions of Japan'
is that by studying about a region with a large settled area last, the geographical
characteristics and issues that were highlighted there could be organically tied to
2
The four publishers of junior high school Social Studies (with geography content) textbook
passed the 2011 textbook approval process are: Tokyo Book Publishing, Inc.; Educational
Publishing, Inc.; Teikoku Shoin, Inc.; and Nihon Bunkyo Publishing, Inc.
