A vegetation map reconstructed for the Japanese Archipelago (based upon pollen data from 28 sites and plant macrofossil data from 33 sites) at the time of last glacial maximum shows that coniferous forests covered extensive areas of the land. Boreal
conifer forests occupied the modern cool-temperature deciduous broadleaf and mid-temperate conifer forest zones, and temperate coniferous forests, the present warm-temperate evergreen (laurilignosa) forest zone.
The Japanese Archipelago was almost entirely covered by coniferous forests during the last glacial maximum. Northern Hokkaido was distinguished by coniferous parkland and tundra vegetation, while southern Hokkaido and northernmost Honsku were
covered by northern boreal coniferous forests... The reduced mean August temperature inferred from the floral assemblages showed a latitudinal gradient 20,000 yr ago| it was 8-9C in northern Hokkaido, 7.7-8.7C in northernmost Honshu, 7.28.4 C