Shimane Public High School Entrance Examination - Social Studies study plan

Label all 47 prefectures and the 8 regions on a blank map of Japan from memory, scoring at least 45/47 on a self-check.

Explain in writing how latitude, ocean currents, and seasonal winds produce Japan's climate zones, naming at least four climate zone names and one representative prefecture for each.

Read three climate graphs (temperature and precipitation) and correctly identify the climate zone and likely seasonal precipitation pattern for each.

Describe Japan's population distribution and identify three causes of concentration in the Pacific Belt, citing specific figures you look up yourself.

Classify Japan's primary, secondary, and tertiary industries and state the approximate share of each in employment and GDP, citing figures you verify yourself.

Explain the difference between intensive and extensive agriculture and place rice farming, fruit growing, and dairy farming in the correct category with a Japanese region example for each.

Interpret a bar or line graph showing change in Japan's industrial structure over time and write two accurate conclusions from it.

Identify three reasons for the decline of a specific Japanese regional industry (for example, a fishing or textile area) and summarize them in bullet points.

Locate Shimane Prefecture's position within the Chūgoku region and name its capital, its neighboring prefectures, and the sea that borders it, without notes.

Describe the natural features of the Chūgoku region, including the Chūgoku Mountains, the San'in and Sanyō sides, and how the divide affects climate and settlement.

Explain the significance of the Shimane Peninsula, Lake Shinji, and the Hii River plain to local life and economy, listing at least three points.

Compare the San'in and Sanyō sides on climate, population density, and transport links, and state two reasons for the differences.

Identify two notable industries or cultural assets of Shimane Prefecture and explain their regional importance.

Place the major periods of ancient and medieval Japan on a timeline with start and end years, and state one defining event for each period.

Explain how Chinese influence shaped early Japanese state formation, naming at least three specific borrowings and one adaptation.

Describe the rise of the samurai and the shift of power from the court to warrior governments, naming two warrior governments and their founders.

Read a short excerpt from a historical source or chronicle and identify the period it describes, citing two clues from the text.

Explain the role of Buddhism in ancient and medieval politics and culture with two concrete examples.

Explain the political and social changes of the Azuchi–Momoyama period, naming at least three specific policies and their effects.

Describe the main features of Edo-period society and government, including the status system and the sankin-kōtai system, in your own words.

Explain the Edo-period policy of national isolation and identify two consequences for trade and knowledge exchange.

Trace the development of Edo-period commerce and culture, naming two urban centers and two cultural forms associated with them.

Compare the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods on one axis, such as central control or social mobility, in a short written comparison.

Sequence the events leading from the opening of Japan to the Meiji Restoration, naming at least five events with dates.

Explain the main reforms of the Meiji period in politics, economy, and education, and state one effect of each.

Describe Japan's path to becoming a modern imperial power and its consequences, naming two wars or treaties and their outcomes.

Explain the causes and course of World War II from a Japanese perspective and identify two turning points.

Summarize postwar reconstruction and economic growth, naming two reforms and two factors behind rapid growth.

State the three principles of the Constitution of Japan and explain each with one concrete example of how it affects daily life.

Explain the separation of powers and describe the role of the Diet, Cabinet, and courts, naming one check each branch holds over another.

Describe fundamental human rights and give two examples of when rights may be restricted, explaining the reasoning.

Explain the structure and functions of national and local government, including taxation and public services, with two examples of each.

Describe Japan's role in international organizations and one current global issue, stating two positions and the evidence for each.

Explain key economic concepts, including supply and demand, market mechanisms, and the role of government in the economy, with one Japanese example of each.

Interpret a table or graph on trade, prices, or the labor force and write two accurate conclusions supported by specific numbers.

Summarize Japan's major trade partners and imports and exports, and explain two reasons for the pattern.

Write a short structured answer to a data-interpretation question, stating a claim, citing data, and explaining the reasoning.

Complete a timed full-length practice set under exam conditions and record your score by domain.