Japan has the world’s third largest economy behind the US and China.
There are 127 million people living in the country.
There are four different writing systems in Japan: romaji, katakana, hiragana, and kanji. Japan imports about 85% of Jamaica’s total coffee production. Japan’s literacy rate is almost 100%. There is almost no immigration in Japan. The population is 98% ethnic Japanese. Sumo is Japan’s national sport.
There are 127 million people living in the country.
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| Photo by Kevin Dooley |
- The founding of Japan and the imperial line dates back to 660 BC. National Foundation Day is a national holiday and is celebrated on February 11th.
- More than 70% of Japan is mountainous terrain.
- There are over 200 volcanoes (108 of them active) in Japan.
- Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan (3,776.24 m), is also an active volcano.
- Zen Buddhism is the most common form of Buddhism in Japan.
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| Photo by Kanko |
- Baseball is also hugely popular in Japan due to the strong American presence after World War II.
- Slurping your food is a sign that the food is delicious and a compliment to the cook.
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| Photo by Pixabay |
- Japan is the world’s largest consumer of Amazon rainforest timber.
- There are over 1,500 earthquakes in Japan each year, though most of them are very minor.
- Japanese people live an average of 4 years longer than Americans.
- Tsukiji Market in Tokyo is the world’s largest fish market and the majority of fish in the world go through here.
- Japan still hunts whales under the premise of “research” though the meat does end up in supermarkets.
- The first Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji, was written by a Japanese noblewoman, Murasaki Shikibu, in 1007.
- In Japanese, karaoke means “empty orchestra.”
- Raised floors in Japanese houses indicate when to take off your shoes.
- Most Japanese ATMs don't accept foreign ATM cards. You have to use the machines at the Post Office or find a 7-11.
- It takes about 11 years of intensive training to become a fugu (blowfish) chef. Fugu chefs need to eat their own fish in order to pass the training and be certified to prepare the fish.
- In Japanese, geisha means “performing artist” and the first geishas were men.
- Many Japanese companies have morning exercise sessions for their workers.
- A very popular food in Japan is raw horse meat.
- Japan has the second-lowest homicide rate in the world. In 1989 Japan experienced 1.3 robberies and 1.1 murders per 100,000 population. Japanese authorities also solve 75.9% of robbery cases and 95.9% of homicide cases.
- Japan has produced 18 Nobel Prize winners.
- The Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, cut off the tip of the left pinky finger as punishment for someone’s first offence.
- Japan consists of approximately 6,800 islands.
- The four main islands — Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido — comprise 97% of Japan’s total land area.
- Japan has been inhabited since 30,000 B.C.
- Animated Japanese films and television shows (i.e. Anime) account for 60% of the world’s animation.
- There are close to 130 voice-acting schools for Anime voices.
- 23% of the Japanese population is over the age of 65.
- The greater Tokyo area is the largest metropolitan area in the world with over 35 million people.
- Tokyo city has 13 million people in it.
- Sushi used to be eaten as street food.
- The world’s most expensive tuna was sold in Japan for $735,000 USD.
- It is considered inappropriate to blow your nose in public.
- Japan has cafes where people can play with puppies and kittens.
- Japan boasts the longest reigning monarchy in the world.
- The only foreign language taught and mandated in Japanese schools is English.
- Japan is the only country in the world that has had atomic weapons used against it.
- The Japanese constitution includes an article completely renouncing war and aggression.
- In Japan, snowmen are made of two large snowballs, not three.
- Restaurants give you moist towels before your meal, as well as green tea.
- Haiku poetry is the shortest in the world, consisting of only three lines (in Japanese, haiku are traditionally printed in a single vertical line).
- Mount Everest’s oldest climber is Japanese – Mr. Yuichiro Miura was 70 when he reached the summit, and 75 when he made the climb a second time.
- Japanese samurai were ancient warriors of great honor and valor. They were considered the best warriors.
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| Photo by Nomadic Lass |
- A ninja was a covert mercenary in feudal Japan who specialized in unorthodox warfare.
- Japanese Sake is made from fermented rice.
- Tokyo is the most expensive city to live in the world (2013).
- The fortune cookie dates back to Kyoto, Japan during the 19th century.
- There are more than 1,600 temples in Kyoto.
