Kumamoto Entrance Social Studies study plan

Name and locate all 47 prefectures on a blank map of Japan, and group them into the eight traditional regions (Hokkaidō, Tōhoku, Kantō, Chūbu, Kinki, Chūgoku, Shikoku, Kyūshū-Okinawa).

Explain how the Japanese archipelago's position on plate boundaries produces its mountain ranges, plains, and volcanic and earthquake features, and describe the formation of three major plains (Kantō, Nōbi, Osaka).

Describe the climate divisions of Japan (Pacific side, Sea of Japan side, Seto Inland Sea, Hokkaidō, Nansei Islands) and predict seasonal weather for a given city from its location.

Draw a labeled sketch map showing the Japan Alps, major rivers (Shinano, Tone, Ishikari), and three large plains, and annotate each with one human-geography consequence (e.g., delta population, flood control, snowmelt irrigation).

Explain the distribution of Japan's major industrial belts (Keihin, Hanshin, Chūkyō, Kitakyūshū) in terms of ports, reclaimed land, labor, and transport links.

Compare primary, secondary, and tertiary sector shares over time using published statistics, and state two reasons for the shift toward services.

Describe Japan's population trends, including low birth rate, aging, urban concentration around the three major metropolitan areas, and depopulation in rural regions.

Interpret a population pyramid and a prefecture-level population change table, and identify which prefectures are growing and why.

Explain the geography of agriculture and fishing in Japan (rice, fruit, vegetables, dairy, aquaculture) and how climate and terrain constrain them.

Identify all continents, major oceans, and 30 key countries and capitals on a blank world map, and state each country's approximate latitude zone.

Classify the world's major climate types (tropical, dry, temperate, cold, polar, highland) and match them to representative regions and vegetation.

Explain the relationship between latitude, ocean currents, prevailing winds, and altitude in producing regional climates, using at least two contrasting examples.

Describe the distribution of key resources (oil, natural gas, iron ore, coal, rare earths) and name the leading producing regions for each.

Summarize three international organizations or frameworks (UN, regional economic blocs, climate agreements) and what each does.

Sequence the major periods of Japanese ancient and medieval history (Jōmon, Yayoi, Kofun, Asuka, Nara, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, Sengoku) on a timeline with approximate dates.

Explain the political significance of the Taika Reforms, the ritsuryō system, and the establishment of Nara and Heian as capitals.

Describe the rise of the warrior class and the shift of power from the court to the Kamakura and Muromachi shogunates, naming key figures and conflicts.

Explain the role of Buddhism and Shintō in ancient and medieval politics and culture, and identify two representative cultural achievements of each era.

Read a short excerpt of a historical source (e.g., a chronicle or legal code) and state what it reveals about political authority.

Explain how Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu each consolidated power, and identify the policies each used (castle towns, land surveys, sword hunts, national unification).

Describe the structure of the Edo shogunate, including the bakuhan system, sankin kōtai, and the class order (shinōkōshō).

Explain the sakoku maritime restrictions and how they affected trade, Christianity, and foreign relations, while noting limited contacts through Nagasaki and the Ryūkyū and Korean missions.

Describe Edo-period economic and cultural developments, including monetization, urban growth, education (terakoya), and Genroku and later commoner culture.

Explain the internal and external pressures that led to the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, including famines, financial strain, and the arrival of foreign ships.

Sequence the major events of modern Japanese history from the Meiji Restoration through the postwar period, with approximate dates for at least 20 events.

Explain the political, economic, and social reforms of the Meiji period (abolition of domains, conscription, land tax reform, industrial promotion) and their consequences.

Describe Japan's imperial expansion, the causes and course of the wars of the early twentieth century, and the wartime experience of civilians.

Explain the postwar occupation reforms, the new constitution, and Japan's economic growth and its social costs.

Connect world events (world wars, the Cold War, decolonization, globalization) to their effects on Japan and on international relations.

Explain the three principles of the Japanese Constitution (popular sovereignty, fundamental human rights, pacifism) and identify which articles establish each.

Describe the separation of powers among the Diet, Cabinet, and courts, and explain how the Constitution can be amended.

List the core human rights guaranteed by the Constitution and give one current example or debate for each of three of them.

Explain how the Japanese economy works, including the roles of the market, government, taxation, public finance, and the Bank of Japan, and describe the national budget and social security.

Describe Japan's role in international society, including ODA, UN peacekeeping, and trade agreements, and explain one global issue (e.g., climate change or resource security) in terms of causes and responses.

Practice reading maps, graphs, and tables under time pressure, and state the specific reading skill each item tests (scale, legend, axis, unit, trend, comparison).

Interpret historical sources and statistics by distinguishing fact from interpretation and identifying the source's viewpoint and limits.

Diagnose your three weakest domains from earlier self-tests and re-study each with targeted notes.

Complete two full-length timed practice sets and record your score by domain to identify remaining gaps.

Build a one-page exam-day checklist covering common traps in graph reading, date confusions, and constitutional article mix-ups.