Culture of Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Japan

This Wikipedia entry is an excellent place to start learning about the culture of Japan. Follow the links on the page to further explore topics of interest.

Kids Web Japan

http://web-jpn.org/kidsweb/index.html

Kids Web Japan is a site that introduces Japan to schoolchildren aged between 10 and 14 who live in other countries. We would be delighted if this site was used as a supplementary source of information for school lessons on Japan or by families to learn about Japan together. Kids Web Japan is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and operated by a Japanese nongovernmental organization.

Origami Club

http://www.origami-club.com/en/

Origami Club is aninformation site about origami for everyone.

San Jose Taiko KidsWeb

http://www.taiko.org/kidsweb/index.html

Find out about Taiko drumming. See pictures and listen to taiko drum music. Read their answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Hina Matsuri or Doll Festival

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinamatsuri

Easy to use information about this Japanese festival. We read a book, A Carp For Kimiko, that features Doll Day as part of the story. We also celebrate it in our classroom on Tuesday of the last week of the Japan Unit.

Hina Matsuri

http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/webmaga/2005spring/hina.html

A very colorful, fun web page. It explains and colorfully illustrates how the dolls are arranged. It also has directions for making origami dolls.

Japan

http://www.amphi.com/%7Epsteffen/fmf/

Learn about Japan from a teacher who visited and took lots of pictures. Activities!

TIME For Kids: Japan

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/hh/goplaces/main/0,28375,555016,00.html

Time Magazine For Kids has a simple web site about Japan. Sections include: Sightseeing Guide, History Timeline, Native Lingo, A Day in the Life, Japan Challenge, and Post Cards.

Mama Lisa's World: Japanese Children's Songs and Nursery Rhymes

http://www.mamalisa.com/world/japan.html

You can listen to Japanese children's songs and nursery rhymes online and read the lyrics too. Available in English, French, and Spanish.

Country of Japan Coloring Pages

http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/japan/posters/index.htm

Print color or black and white posters. Click on the link on the bottom of the page to get 10 coloring pages.

A Kid's Life in Japan

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212302/japan.html

Read a 10 year old Japanese child's account of their day.

Japanese Numbers

http://genkienglish.net/genkijapan/learnjapanesenumbers.htm

This is a great little song, set to a hip-hop beat, to help you learn the Japanese numbers 1-20.