Stretching from north to south, Japan is an archipelago that benefits from the influence of the Pacific Ocean on its east coast and the Sea of Japan on its west coast. The Land of the Rising Sun, with its four main islands and more than 3,000 smaller islands nearby, has a very contrasting climate. Located in the northern hemisphere, Japan is bathed by warm and cold currents that meet near its coasts, which greatly influence the weather. While northern Japan enjoys a boreal climate, the south has a subtropical or even tropical climate. Japan has four distinct seasons, the length and intensity of which can vary depending on the region.