Boulder is a city in north central Colorado, located at an altitude of 1,629 meters (5,344 feet) at 40^o North latitude and 105^o West longitude. It is located in the western United States and is situated between the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and the mid-western plains. Boulder is 36 miles northwest of the city of Denver, Colorado. Unlike Japan, which is surrounded by water, Boulder is landlocked.

Japan is an Asian country located 500 miles east of South Korea at its farthest point. Unlike Boulder, Japan is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Its capital, Tokyo, is located at 36^o North latitude and 140^o East longitude. Japan's neighbor to the Northwest is Russia.