Japan is certainly near the top of my travel bucket list. The food, culture, history would be my main reasons to go, in addition to it being an absolutely gorgeous country. According to the site World Strides, here are 12 interesting facts about Japan.
1. There are approximately 6,852 islands that make up Japan
-These islands were originally attached to the East coast of Asia, until tectonic plate activity split them off into the body of water now known as the Sea of Japan. Earthquakes tend to be common here because Japan is located in the area known as the Ring of Fire because of the high percentage of volcanoes located in the country
2. In the Japanese language, words come in different order than in English
-Japanese language puts sentences in order of subject, verb, object. Such as "I write words" in English would be written as "I words write" in Japanese
3. Nara, Japan is home to wild deer that run free
-These creatures were once considered heaven-sent creatures. Now considered a national treasure, people who visit Nara Park can purchase crackers sold on site and offer them crackers in exchange for respectful bows
4. The samurai were the most powerful warriors in all of Japan
-From the 12th century to the 19th century, when feudalism ended, the Samurai were the most powerful warriors in all of Japan. They earned respect with their expert swordsmanship, fighting skills. These warriors had a license to kill, with the power to destroy any threat to their honor. They would commit seppuku (ritual suicide) if they should bring shame or dishonor to their lord
5. Bowing is how respect is shown in Japan
-It's customary to bow before someone to show respect. Japanese locals work hard to get it right. The lower the bow, the higher respect one shows
6. Kimono is a traditional form of dress in Japan
-When one thinks of Japan, kimono are one of the things that come to mind. It's not said in the plural form of kimonos. It's said as one item-kimono. That is the proper way of referring to the iconic clothing item. This clothing item is worn by both men and women. It's a long robe-like dress wrapped around the body, the left side always covering the right. The belt that keeps it in place and secure is called an obi. A single kimono can cost up to $10,000
7. Geisha are one of the more iconic sights in Japan
-Geisha are often made up in elaborate kimono with equally elaborate hairstyles. They, with their white painted faces, have been entertaining people in Japan since the 18th century. The white powder makeup covers the face and neck, leaving a W shaped area of uncovered space on the neck. This is considered incredibly alluring to men in Japan
8. Traditional Japanese rooms have straw mats called tatami
-These rooms will have traditional rooms with straw mats called tatami. They will be edged in fabric and sometimes even silk. Room size is determined by the number of mats used to cover the space. The length of the mat is always twice the width, making it more long than wide
9. Japan has bathing monkeys
-Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, are native to Japan, where they can survive in the colder climates. The Nagano Prefecture is home to the Jigokudani Monkey Park, where the snow monkeys can be seen bathing in the water
10. The Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest seafood market in the world
-This is the world's largest seafood market. This market has over 60,000 people employed and is open at 3:00 am. The iconic wholesale tuna auctions begin at 5:00 am
11. Japan hosted the second summer Olympic Games in 2020
-The motto for the Olympic games was "Discover Tokyo" and the mascot was a blue and white superhero with the power to teleport. It was chosen by Japanese school kids
12. Japan is known for its beautiful gardens
-It's considered art of the highest order to maintain immaculate and beautiful gardens in Japan. "Borrowed scenery" is a concept that is considered important in garden design. This refers to the garden taking elements from outside the limits of the garden to form backdrop, such as mountains or forests
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