10 Interesting Facts About Japan

Write By: Elizabeth Published In: DIYthinker Magazine Hits: 8809

The "Land of the Rising Sun" is a country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also been quick to adopt and created the latest modern fashions and trends.

1. Name

  • In Japanese, Japan is called “Nihon” or “Nippon”, meaning sun origin.

 

 

2.Pacific Ring of Fire

  • The Pacific Ring of Fire is the area which very prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Japan’s mountains are a part of the volcanic mountains included in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
  • Japan is covered with mountains up to an extent of 70%, out of which at least 200 of them are volcanic.
  • Mt.Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and is volcanically active.

3.Footwear

  • The entrance to a house is usually raised six inches to indicate that one should remove their shoes and put on slippers.
  • The floor of room having tatami mat is raised an inch or two to indicate that you are supposed to walk barefoot and remove your slippers.
  • If ever, you have to use the restroom at someone else’s house, you would have to wear special slippers meant for the restroom.

 

4.Sumo

  • Sumo is the national sport of Japan.
  • Sumo wrestlers eat Chankonabe, a kind of a stew to fatten themselves up. It is even available in many restaurants in the district of Ryogoku of Tokyo.
  • Apart from Sumo wrestling, Japan is home to a variety of martial arts. Karate, Judo, Ninjutsu, Jujutsu, Kendo and Aikido are some to name.

5. Delicacies

  • The traditional Japanese breakfast includes rice topped with natto, which are fermented soy beans.
  • Japanese eat squids, octopuses, eel, all varieties of fishes, crabs, prawns, etc.
  • Beer is dispensed through vending machines.
  • A well grown musk melon may fetch $300 in Japan.

6.Fish

  • The Tsukiji market is the world’s largest fish market.
  • Whale meat is not a delicacy in Japan, though many believe the contrary. The taste is said to remind older people of the Second World War. Whaling is banned, but Japan claims to do it for research purposes.
  • The poisonous fish Fugu is being produced in fish farms as non poisonous varieties. This would help avoid the intense 7 – 10 years of intense training a chef has to undergo, to be qualified to cook it.

7.Noodles

  • Ramen noodles are popular food in Japan.
  • In Japan, noodles are eaten somewhat loudly by slurping them. The slurping is an acknowledgement to the cook as to say the food is delicious. The slurping also helps cool the food down.

8.Literacy

  • Japan can be really proud of the fact that it has almost 100 percent literacy.
  • Japan has four different writing systems namely Romaji, Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji.

9.Hello Kitty

  • Hello Kitty originated in Japan, in the seventies.

 

10.Laureates

  • Japan boasts of 15 Nobel Prize Laureates when it comes to physics, chemistry and medicine. It also produced 3 Fields Medalists and 1 Gauss Prize Laureate.



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