Japan is a country that is rich in culture, traditions, and history. Here are ten fascinating facts about Japan that you may not have known before:
- The Japanese language has three different writing systems: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Kanji is based on Chinese characters and is used for nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
- Japan is home to the world’s oldest company that is still in operation. The construction company, Kongo Gumi, was founded in 578 AD and remained in business until it was absorbed by another company in 2006.
- The Japanese are known for their love of seafood. They consume over 80 kg of seafood per person each year, which is the highest in the world.
- Japan is famous for its traditional hot springs, called onsen. There are over 3,000 onsen throughout the country, and many Japanese people believe that soaking in them can help to cure various ailments.
- Japan has the world’s busiest train station, Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, which serves over two million passengers every day.
- The Japanese are passionate about baseball and have their own professional baseball league. The Nippon Professional Baseball league is the second-most attended professional sports league in the world after Major League Baseball.
- Japan is one of the largest producers of automobiles in the world. Some of the most popular car brands in Japan include Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.
- The Japanese have a unique way of wrapping gifts called furoshiki. Furoshiki is a square piece of cloth that is used to wrap gifts, clothes, and other items.
- Japan has a unique vending machine culture, with over 5 million vending machines throughout the country. You can buy anything from hot and cold drinks, snacks, cigarettes, and even umbrellas from these vending machines.
- Japan is home to the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji, which was written by a woman named Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century.
These are just a few of the many fascinating facts about Japan. It’s a country that is full of surprises and is definitely worth a visit for anyone who is interested in learning more about its rich culture and history.