60 Amazing Japan Facts that will fascinate you ( Part II ) | Amazing Facts 4U
People
- Amazingly Japan’s literacy rate is almost 100%.
- The fact is there is almost no immigration in Japan. The population is 98% ethnic Japanese.
- Japan suffers from a very low birth rate, making it one of the most rapidly aging societies in the world. In fact, the sales of adult diapers are greater than the sales of baby diapers.
- The two most common last names in Japan are Sato and Suzuki.
- There are 50000 people living in Japan who are 100 years of age or older. The fact is that Japanese adult diaper sales are almost the same as baby diapers.
- 23% of the Japanese population is over the age of 65.
- Okinawa Island in Japan has more than 450 people living above the age of 100 and it is known as the healthiest place on Earth.
- 49% of Japanese words are words borrowed from Chinese, and 9% come from English.
- 90 % of mobile phones sold in Japan are waterproof as people tend to use them even during showers.
- The amazing fact is that 98% of adoptions in Japan are of males between the ages of 25 to 30! Amazingly the reason is that whenever the son of the head of the company isn’t suited to take over the family business, he is replaced by an adopted son!
- Fact is sleeping on the job is acceptable in Japan. It is regarded as a sign of exhaustion after working hard! Some Japanese even fake a nap to appear dedicated to the job.
- Japan has the second-lowest homicide rate in the world. The homicide rate is 0.50 per 100,000 people.
- Amazingly in Japan, there are more pets than there are children under 15.
- The fact is that in Japan, teachers and students come together to clean the classrooms and cafeteria.
- People commonly wear masks in Japan, and they’re sold everywhere in various sizes and colors. If you’re sick, you wear a mask so you don’t spread your sickness.
- In Japan, it is not uncommon to eat rice at every meal, including breakfast.
- A very popular food in Japan is raw horse meat.
- The capsule hotel originated in Osaka, Japan. It features a set of extremely small capsules designed for basic overnight accommodation for those on a budget. Capsules are stacked side by side with one unit on top of another to maximize space.
- Amazingly there is a restaurant in Japan that uses monkeys as waiters.
- People make a loud “haaah” after each sip of hot tea.
- When eating food, you must slurp loudly. That indicates the food is delicious. Amazingly it is considered rude not to slurp.
- People routinely buy gifts for co-workers whenever you leave town, even if it’s just for a few hours.
- Some Japanese companies conduct a morning exercise session for the workers to prepare them for the day’s work.
- In Japan non-smoking areas are difficult to find in restaurants, including family restaurants. The fact is that anti-smoking laws are almost non-existent.
- The only foreign language taught and mandated in Japanese schools is English.
- 30% of single Japanese men in their 30′s have never dated a woman.
- The amazing fact is that many people in Japan are discriminated against because of their blood type. Employers often request it. Children at school have been split up by blood type. Japan’s softball team customizes training by player’s blood type. Companies have assignments according to the worker’s blood type.
- Amazingly golfers in Japan purchase insurance at $65/year for coverage of up to $3,000 in the event that they sink a hole-in-one, in which case tradition dictates that they must buy gifts and drinks for all their friends.
- Japanese women give chocolates to men on Valentine’s day. Men are supposed to return the favor a month later on White Day (March 14th).
- Bike riders wear gloves to protect themselves from the sun, but no helmets.
- Trains are so crowded that railway staff workers are employed to shove passengers inside before the doors close.
- Japanese Trains are among the world’s most punctual. The amazing fact is that the average delay is just 18 seconds. “Delay Certificates” are offered so that you can prove you’re late because of train delays.
- Naoto Matsumura is the most radioactive man on earth. He continues to live alone in the abandoned city of Tomioka (after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster) to care for the animals left behind there.
- Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese Consul in Lithuania during WWII. He saved 6,000 Jews from German-occupied Poland by writing them travel visas to Japan even after the Japanese government told him not to.
- Amazingly in January 2013, a 500 lb bluefin tuna fish was sold in Japan for $1.8 million.
- Japan is home to many different forms of martial arts. Karate, Judo, Sumo, Ninjutsu, Kendo, Jujutsu, and Aikido to name a few.
- The Yakuza (organized crime syndicates) operate openly in Japan. They have offices, make charitable donations, and even have large investments in mainstream companies.
- Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan.
Customs & Culture
- Amazingly there is no tipping at restaurants in Japan.
- When you have a bowl of food e.g. rice, you must pick it up and bring it up to your mouth to eat. If you don’t pick up the bowl, people think you are eating like a dog.
- The fact is that the streets in Japan do not have names.
- Crooked teeth are considered beautiful in Japan.
- Black cats are considered to bring good luck in Japan.
- Watermelon is considered a good gift to give a host in Japan. Square Watermelons are grown by Japanese farmers for easier stacking.
- Amazingly the number “four” is considered unlucky in Japan because it is pronounced the same as “death”.
- Many Japanese couples hold divorce ceremonies that are similar to weddings. The couples dress up in front of their friends and families, vow never to see each other again, and then smash a ring with a hammer.
- Amazingly the Japanese Masabumi Hosono who survived the Titanic crash was called a coward in his country for not dying with the other passengers.
- The amazing fact is that in Japan it’s considered extremely rude to blow your nose in public. Instead, people will just sit for hours and sniffle away.
- Animated Japanese films and television shows amazingly account for 60% of the world’s animation.
- In the Japanese language, there is a lack of a clear “R” sound.
- In Japan, you will find the Cat Cafe where you can go to drink coffee and hang out with cats for hours.
- Many Hot springs and public bathhouses in Japan ban customers with tattoos from entering.
- In Japan raised floors to help indicate when to take off shoes or slippers.
- “Namahage” is a Japanese custom, in which men dress up as demons and scare the living daylights out of children for being guilty of laziness or bad behavior, all while adults smile and laugh when their children scream and cry in terror.
- There exists a sword, a jewel, and a mirror that are all over 1,000 years old and extremely sacred to Japan. They are so important that their locations are theorized, but not confirmed. Their last sighting was in 1993 during Emperor Akihito’s enthronement, but even then they were wrapped in packages.
- The fact is Japanese universities hold memorial services for animals that die in laboratory testing.
- Japan has a social phenomenon known as Hikikomori where people completely isolate themselves from society. It is estimated that there are 3 million Hikikomoris in Japan.
- The amazing fact is that Japan alone produces 60 % of the world’s animated TV shows.
- In fact, there are close to 130 voice acting schools for animal voices.
- There are four different writing systems in Japan: romaji, katakana, hiragana, and kanji.
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