Japan is an island country in the Pacific Ocean with a population of around 126 million (the 11th largest population in the world).Neon skyscrapers and pop culture are highlights of its crowded capital, Tokyo. There is more to Japan, this island nation, than the westernized modern country makes it seem at first glance.It has managed to perfectly balance its technological progress and cultural roots at the same time. Japan is located alongside the northwest Pacific Ocean. The neighboring nation of Japan is Taiwan. There have been many aquatic regions surrounding Japan. These water bodies are the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the Sea of Okhotsk. The currency of Japan is the yen. Japan is a democratic country with a prime minister as the head of the country.Japan’s culture is very respectful. The people are highly respected and have very good manners. A unique way of respecting elders, unique table manners, unique greetings, and unique gestures are all famous Japanese traditions that are well-known around the world. The cultural aspect is mostly influenced by the Chinese. Shinto and Buddhism are the two famous and abundantly followed religions in Japan.Japanese people value time and are highly punctual. Cleanliness, hard-working nature, and politeness in Japan are some of the great etiquettes of these people. Japanese culture has cinema, Japanese television dramas, Japanese cuisine, Japanese anime, Japanese manga, music, doujinshi, dance, and video games. Japanese manga and anime are very popular around the world.If you liked learning these facts about Japan then why not take a look at Japanese government facts, or Japanese cherry blossom tree.Japanese LanguageJust like every other country in this world, Japan has its own language, Japanese. There have been a total of three different types of Japanese scripts known today.These are Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. The Japanese language is believed to be really easy to understand and learn to speak, however written Japanese might be difficult to master. There are around 128 million people speaking Japan in the country itself, in Asia, and around the world.The people of Japan call the Japanese language ‘Nihongo’ which is in the Kanji script. However, it is surprising to note that the people or government of Japan does not recognize Japanese as one of its official languages. This Japanese language is called the ‘de facto’ national language in Japan. Japanese people tend to prioritize the Japanese language more than any other language in the country.Japanese FoodJapanese cuisine is famous all over the world. Around the world, Japan is famous for its traditional Japanese food, in particular sushi.Visiting Japan will surely make you fall in love with the awesome traditional cuisines that people love to try. Apart from the well-known traditional sushi dish, Japan has some other interesting dishes to try. Any Japanese diet will include sushi. Some great traditional Japanese cuisines are sashimi, unagi, tempura, soba (buckwheat noodles), udon (wheat noodles), rice balls (traditionally called Onigiri), famous chicken skewers grilled (yakitori), sukiyaki, oden, and miso soup.These dishes are really famous in Japan as well as outside of Japan. Some other dishes that are not necessarily of Japanese origin but are famous in Japan among Japanese people are gyoza, ramen, okonomiyaki (a staple cuisine in Japan), yakiniku, and Shabu-Shabu (hotpot dish). These Japanese dishes will leave you licking your fingers. Nobody should miss out on some square melons and sushi from a Japanese restaurant.Noodles are loudly slurped when eaten as it is indicative that the meal is delicious. Slurping also helps to cool down the hot noodles. In short, it is a sign of good manners! When talking about noodles and Japan, one is inevitably reminded of chopsticks. Did you know chopsticks are the spoons of this country? That can be said because around 24 billion chopsticks are used every year!It is also a place known as the capital of solo dining. It is because it has become quite the norm to request a table for a single person.The Japanese have a dish that consists of raw horse meat known as basashi.The farmers grow square watermelons so that it is easier to stack and store them.80% of Jamaica’s coffee production is bought by Japan, indicating the beverage’s popularity in Japan.Japan’s Biggest CitiesJapan is known for having the most beautiful and highly developed cities in the world. The development pace of Japan is worth noticing. Japan is known for developing quickly, even after destruction.Japan’s capital city Tokyo is the largest city known in the country. The Japanese population is 89,00,000. After Tokyo, the second biggest city in Japan is Yokohama which has a population of 36,00,000.The third biggest city in Japan is Osaka which has a total of 26,00,000 people residing in the city. Apart from these big cities, some other well-known big cities of Japan are Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. Sapporo is also considered to be one of largest cities in Japan. However, if you want to know the richest cities in Japan, then it is important to know that this list does not represent the richest cities. Some of the richest cities of Japan are Tokyo, Aichi, Osaka, and Yamaguchi.The world’s oldest business finds its home in Japan in Asia. Called Kongo Gumi, it was established in the year 578. Constructing temples and shrines is its speciality. The popularity of the anime industry can be seen by the fact that Japan accounts for 60% of the world’s animation-based entertainment. There are more than 130 voice acting Japanese schools.Did you know that the number four is considered extremely unlucky? It is because it is similar to the Japanese word for death. Their buildings don’t have a fourth floor and items are sold in sets of three and five.Japanese trains are known to be some of the most punctual. The average delay is 18 seconds!Japanese schoolchildren have hectic classes and the nation is in seventh place in the education rankings.Typical Japanese houses, even in big cities like Tokyo, have raised floors to allow air circulation.Famous Japanese PeopleJapan has some of the most famous personalities who are famous around the world for the awesome works that have been done by these people.You will surely recognize or have heard some of these names at least once in your life. Some famous Japanese people are Hayao Miyazaki who is an animation director, Ken Watanabe who is a famous actor, and Hiroyuki Sanada who is also a famous actor. A Japanese well-known artist named Yoko Ono is also famous for their awesome contributions to the art world. She was also the wife of John Lennon from The Beatles.Haruhi Murakami is also a famous personality who is a writer in Japan. Japanese soccer player Shinji Kagawa is highly famous for how great a soccer player he is. Mari Osaka, younger sister to Naomi Osaka, is a famous tennis player.Animals in JapanEver heard of the famous dog named Hachi? There is a famous story about the master and the dog. Hachi is a Shiba dog breed that is famous in Japan. So what are some other animals which are native to Japan and are endemic too?The Iriomote cat is a popular cat in Japan. Japanese macaque, Japanese giant salamander, Japanese raccoon dog, and bonin flying fox are some of the special animals in Japan. You can even see a Japanese serow which is beautiful and looks just like a sheep. Ever heard of a flying squirrel? Well, if someone is visiting Japan, then you may sport a Japanese dwarf flying squirrel. Japanese black bears, Japanese wolf, Japanese macaques, Japanese sea lions, and Japanese badgers are some other unique animals to witness in Japan.Apart from animals, tropical fish in the ’tamazon’ is one of the popular species in Tokyo. In the spring season, you can see some interesting wildlife present in Tokyo. If you are planning to find some activities for children to do in Tokyo, Urban Safari could be an interesting choice.Children will love to see snow monkeys in Tokyo, the national animal of Japan. Mount Fuji of the Japanese islands is home to 37 species of mammals according to recent records. One of the interesting facts about Mount Fuji is that 100 species use the the foot of the mountain as their normal breeding ground.Crime Rate In JapanVisiting a new country or even deciding to move to a new country means you want to know everything about it. One of the most deciding factors is the crime rate. Crime rates determine how safe the nation is.Some studies show that Japan has the lowest level of crime rate in the world. However, other statistics show that Japan is ranked sixth in the world, with a 2.85 million crime rate. If the statistics are taken per 1000 capita then Japan ranks 36th in the world. For severe crimes which involve violence like gun crimes, Japan ranks 158 in the world rankings.However, you can have a safe journey through Japan. However, it is important to look out for pickpocketing. Tokyo, is in fact, the safest of all metro cities. The low crime rate in the islands indicates people’s behavior and nature. There is also a saying that if you forget your wallet in a place, you can still go back there find it in the same spot!There is a large number of older populations, around 28%. More than 70,000 individuals of the population are above the age of 100. In contrast, Japan’s birth rate is low.Vending Machines in JapanVending machine businesses are a great way of making a profit in Japan. Normally, you could earn around an average of 40,000 yen (Japanese currency) a month by operating a machine business. Japan has vending machines that provide everything from live crabs, sodas, to soup! There is one machine for every 24 people. This means there are almost around 5 million units.There have been some famous unique machines that people want to witness while while visiting Japan. Some of these vending machines are ice cream cookie sandwich machine, Ice cream push up top vending machines, corn soup machine, soft drinks vending machine, vending tea machines, snacks vending machines, miso soup vending machines, chicken breast vending machines, and Takoyaki vending machines. Japan is know for the great selection of vending machines it has.Vending machine food can be considered healthy and is also cheap. However, Japanese people think that these machines are unhealthy and that it is a type of fast food. The people in Japan can be very welcoming if you know how to behave properly and respectful of the culture. However, Japanese people seem to appreciate it a lot if someone can speak Japanese. Overall, you will enjoy this beautiful and peaceful place.Did You Know…Despite its modernization, about 70% of this nation is made up of mountains and forests. Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain and there are over 100 active volcanoes to add to the list.And if you decide to take another way, say, die by jumping in front of a train, you will be in for a surprise. Your family will be charged a disruption fee! Did you know that the Japanese survivor of the Titanic was called a coward for not dying with others? The Japanese have designated shoes and slippers when at home and when outside. They also have separate slippers for bathrooms to not contaminate the house.Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is one of the more interesting locations to visit. What makes it more special is its conical shape. You can find lots of wild animals here.The Japanese Alps are in central Honshu. There are three main ranges called Hida, Kiso, and Akaishi.Japan is in the Pacific Ring of Fire which includes other countries such as Australia, Indonesia, the United States, and the Philippines. This area is prone to volcanoes and earthquakes because the tectonic plates are highly active in this area.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for facts about Japan then why not take a look at terrace farming in Japan, or Japanese cherry blossom tree.
Japan is an island country in the Pacific Ocean with a population of around 126 million (the 11th largest population in the world).
