GEOGRAPfllCAL SKETCH OF JAPAN 9 



commercial countries in the Eiist. There are more than sixty ports 

 open for foreign trade. Yokoliama and Kobe stand at the head of the 

 list, accounting for three-fourths of the total trade. The United 

 States of America and China are our most important customers, while 

 we, on the other hand, buy a great deal of merchandise from the 

 United States of America, the British Empire, and also from India, 

 France and Germany. 



II. Regional Descriptions. 



Now let us treat each of the more important islands in detail. 



i. Honsliu, a. Ou district : — Tlie fundamental form of the 

 Japanese islands is outlined by two great mountain systems, which 

 meet in central Honshu and are called the nortliern and southern arcs. 

 These arcs consist of inner and outer zones of mountains. The outer 

 zone of the northern arc of Honshu lies along the coast of the Pacitic 

 and is divided into two spindleshaped mountain groups, Kitakami 

 and Abukuma. These mountains are formed of such older geologic 

 formations as Archcan, Palaeozoic and Mesozoic, associated with various 

 kinds of old eruptive rocks. The Kitakami group on the north is 

 sharply separated from the central range by the tectonic valleys of 

 Mabechi and Kitakami. Its external features show no regularity as a 

 mountain system, which can be observed merely in its inner stratified 

 structure. The network of numerous valleys extending in various 

 directions, which have resulted from erosion, divide the district into 

 an irregular group of mountains and hills, of which Hayachine, the 

 highest peak, measures 1914 m. 



As a result of recent submergence, the coast of this region is very 

 deeply indented with numerous small inlets of the ria^ type ; and 

 such bays as Miyako, Kamaishi, Onagawa, etc., afford for vessels well 

 protected anchorages. The well-known iron mine of Kaniaishi is on 

 the head of the bay of the same name. Near Oshika Peninsula on 

 the south, separated from the mainland by a narrow passage of water, 

 is the granitic island of Kinkazan, whose lofty peak is the sailor's 

 landmark. Dissected and waveworn Matsushima, a group of a hund- 

 red small islands in the Bay of Sendai, is noted for its beautiful 

 scenery. In a small plain on the shore of this bay is Sendai, an old 

 castle city and now the seat of a university with large faculties. 



