Japan is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north toward the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, and Taiwan in the south.
Japan is a part of the Ring of Fire, and spans an archipelago of 6852 islands covering 377,975 square kilometers (145,937 sq mi); the five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Tokyo is the nation’s capital and largest city, followed by Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kobe, and Kyoto.
Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world, as well as one of the most densely populated and urbanized. About three-fourths of the country’s terrain is mountainous, concentrating its population of 125.5 million on narrow coastal plains.
Japan is divided into 47 administrative prefectures and eight traditional regions. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, with more than 37.4 million residents.
List of facts
Japan has been inhabited since the Upper Paleolithic period (30,000 BC)
Japan consists of over 6,800 islands.
The five main islands of Japan are Hokkaido, Honshu , Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa
Japan is divided into 47 administrative prefectures and eight traditional regions
Japan is the eleventh most populous country in the world
The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, with more than 37.4 million residents.
The area of Japan covers 375,000 square kilometers.
Kyoto was once the capital of Japan.
Japan has a total of 13 cities with a population of over 1 million residents.
The name “Japan” comes from the Chinese characters for “sun” and “origin”, which can be read as “Nippon” or “Nihon” in Japanese.
The national anthem of Japan is called Kimigayo, which means “The Emperor’s Reign”.
The highest temperature ever measured in Japan, 41.1 °C was recorded on July 23, 2018
Japan’s national flag features a rectangular white banner with a solid red circle at its center
Japan has 111 active volcanoes
Japan has more than 3,000 McDonald’s restaurants, the largest number in any country outside the U.S
Tokyo’s main train station, is the busiest in the world with over 2 million people passing through it every day
Japanese people have a life expectancy of 83 years, which is one of the longest life expectancies in the world.
True Kobe beef comes from only 262 farms in the Tajima region, of which Kobe is the capital
Kabuki is a form of Japanese theatre that is known for its elaborate costumes and makeup.
Twenty-one percent of the Japanese population is over the age of 65, the highest proportion in the world.
Sumo wrestling is a popular sport in Japan and it is also considered to be a form of martial arts.
Japanese Trains are among the world’s most punctual: their average delay is just 18 seconds.
Karate is a popular form of martial arts to come from Okinawa, Japan.
Around 24 billion pairs of chopsticks are used in Japan each year.
Japanese currency is called the Yen.
Japan suffers 1,500 earthquakes every year.
Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan and it is a volcano
The samurai were a class of warrior in feudal Japan who were known for their skills in battle and their code of honour.
Japan consumes around 17 million tons of fish annually.
There are more than 50,000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan.
Green tea is the most popular beverage in Japan
Sake is a type of Japanese rice wine that is often served with sushi.
Sushi is a dish in Japan that is made with raw fish, rice, and seaweed.
Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding.
The bullet train is a high-speed train that can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour.
Late-night dancing was illegal in Japan until 2015.
The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake is actually the strongest to ever hit Japan killing 29,000 people.
The Japanese believe that the number 4 is unlucky.
the first Japanese Geisha were actually men
There are a total of 11 Pokemon Centers located in Japan
Baseball is the most popular sport in Japan.
Miso soup is a traditional soup made with miso paste, tofu, and seaweed.
In Japan there are more pets than children.
In Japan, 90+% of mobile phones are waterproof because people use them even in the shower.
Each spring, Japan has a festival that celebrates both the penis and female fertility called Kanamara Matsuri, or “Festival of the Steel Phallus
More than 5 billion servings of instant ramen noodles are consumed in Japan each year
Cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower
Japan and Russia still haven’t signed a peace treaty to end World War II due to a dispute over the Kuril Islands
During World War II, Japan bombed China with fleas infested with Bubonic plague
In Japan, black cats are considered good luck charms
In Japan, there is an island full of rabbits called Ōkunoshima
Japan is the largest automobile producer in the world, and the Japanese company Toyota is the third largest automaker in the world.
Raw horse meat is considered a delicacy in Japan
In Japan, Kentucky Fried Chicken is a typical Christmas Eve feast
The Japanese word banzai literally means “10 thousand years” and was traditionally used to wish the emperor a long life.
The imperial family of Japan descends from an unbroken lineage of nearly 2,000 years.
The Japanese archipelago is 67% forests
Japan leads the world in robotics production and use
There are 175 airports in Japan as of 2013
Japan has over 70 flavors of Fanta
Napping at works is welcomed in Japan. Sleeping on the job commonly indicates that an employee is working hard to accomplish his tasks.
Japanese anime makes up 60% of the world’s animated entertainment.
People with tattoos cannot enter Japanese hot spring baths.
Over 2 billion manga magazines are sold in Japan annually.
In Japan, tipping a server is considered rude.
Square watermelons are grown by Japanese farmers for easier stack and store.
Japan has more than 4 million vending machines
If you commit suicide in Japan by jumping in front of a train, the family of the deceased will be charged a disruption fee.
There is almost no immigration in Japan. The population is 98.5% ethnic Japanese.
