Japan consists of four major islands and around 3,900 smaller ones. The main islands are Hokkaido in the north, the large central island of Honshu (home of Tokyo), and the smaller southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu. These dramatic islands are made up of steep mountains, deep verdant valleys, lakes and winding rivers flowing into large deltas and bustling harbors. Most of the country’s mountains are volcanic causing Japan to be one of the most seismically active regions of the world. However, serious earthquakes and tsunamis only occur several times in a century. For the most part, Japan registers only small tremors. From all this geological activity, the country is blessed with an abundance of healing hot springs and spectacular scenery.