From an annual p***s festival to the world’s highest density of vending machines, these are the most interesting facts about Japan.
Fast facts
Official name: Japan
Population: 123.7 million
Area: 377,915 sq km
Capital city: Tokyo
Major languages: Japanese
Major religions: Shintoism, Buddhism
Time zone: UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Interesting facts about Japan
1. Japan is an island nation located in Eastern Asia in the North Pacific Ocean.
2. Japan is made up of four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu as well as a further 6,848 smaller islands and islets.
3. Japan is located on the Ring of Fire, an arc of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean. A tremor occurs in Japan around every five minutes, and each year, there are up to 2,000 earthquakes that can be felt by people – the densest seismic network in the world.
4. Japan has been inhabited for around 30,000 years. Originally, its main islands were connected to Siberia and Korea by bridges of dry land which allowed people to migrate across on foot.
5. Japan followed a policy of national seclusion known as sakoku (literally “closed country”) for over 200 years from the 1630s to 1867. During this time, foreign nationals were barred from entering Japan, Christianity and international travel were forbidden and relations and trade between Japan and other countries were severely restricted.
6. Adopted in 1999, Japan’s flag features a red disc on a white background. The red disc – called Hinomaru – denotes the sun, a traditional symbol of Japan. The white represents purity and honesty.
7. Japan’s name means “where the sun originates” or “Land of the Rising Sun”. In Japanese, the name is Nippon or Nihon. The English word for Japan comes from the Chinese name for the country, “Cipangu”.
8. The capital, Tokyo, was originally known as Edo, meaning “estuary” in Japanese. In 1868, its name was changed to Tokyo meaning “eastern capital”.
9. Tokyo is considered the world’s largest city, with 37 million residents in the metropolitan area and 14 million in the city proper.
10. At just 1.34 per 100,000 people, Japan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world with the number of births consistently falling since 1973. A 2023 data showed that the number of births in Japan fell 5.1% from a year earlier to 758,631. Experts have suggested that by 2070, the country’s population could drop to about 87 million.
11. At 84 years, Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
12. As such, Japan is considered a “super-aged” nation, meaning more than 20% of its population is older than 65. It’s the world’s fastest-aging country.
13. Around half the world’s zippers are made in Japan. Founded in 1934, the Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha – YKK – company produces around 7 billion zippers a year.
14. With over 5 million, Japan has the highest density of vending machines in the world – one for every 23 people.
15. Busy trains in Japan (particularly in Tokyo) employ “pushers” known as oshiya. Attendants were employed to physically push people onto packed trains at busy stations. Since 2000, the practice has become less widespread due to improved congestion.
16. Japan has an annual p***s festival. Dating from the 17th century, the Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) sees a 2.5m (8.2ft) tall pink p***s paraded through streets, vegetables carved into suggestive shapes as well as p***s-themed paraphernalia such as lollipops and lucky charms sold.
17. In 2012, a “cuddle cafe” called Soineya (sleep together shop) opened in Tokyo. Patrons pay around 3,000 Yen ($23) for a twenty-minute cuddle.
18. Japan is home to many of the world’s oldest companies. Kongo Gumi, a construction company founded back in 578, is believed to have been the world’s oldest business surviving over 1,400 years before it went into liquidation in 2006.
19. Japan’s national sport is sumo wrestling. The sport, up to 2,000 years old, sees near-naked wrestlers weighing on average 136kg (300lb) – but sometimes up to 272kg (613lb) – try to knock opponents down or out of the ring – known as a dohyō.
20. Japanese melons can cost over $100 USD. Known as “high-end fruit”, a single melon can sell for upwards of 15,000 Yen ($120), a bunch of grapes for 8,000 Yen ($63) and premium white strawberries for 3,000 Yen ($23) each.
21. Japan has 25 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
22. The most famous of which is Japan’s most sacred mountain, Mount Fuji. At 3,776m (12,388ft), it is the country’s highest peak. Around 300,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year.
23. Japanese scientists created a completely organic way to make ice cream retain its shape and not melt for up to three hours.
24. In 1904, Japan became the first Asian country in modern times to defeat a European power when it overcame Russia in Manchuria.
25. There is a highway in Japan that passes through a building. The Hanshin Expressway has an offramp that passes through the 16-story Gate Tower Building in Osaka.
26. Japan has the world’s fourth-largest economy behind the USA, China and Germany. Its GDP is 4.2 trillion, while Germany is at 4.4 trillion USD.
27. Japan is the only modern nation to refer to its head of state as emperor. Since 2019, Emperor Naruhito is the current and 126th emperor in a line that extends back to the country’s founding in 600 BC by Emperor Jimmu. As such, it is the world’s oldest hereditary monarchy.
28. In 1945, Japan became the first and only country to ever have a nuclear weapon deployed outside testing on its territory. The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were both bombed, killing around 224,000 people in total and bringing about an abrupt end to the Second World War in Asia.
29. The world’s deepest underwater postbox is in Japan, located 10m (32ft 9in) beneath the surface of Susami Bay.
30. Japan is among the top-ranking countries when it comes to powerful passports. The Japanese passport can easily access 194 destinations.
31. Japan has one of the world’s lowest murder rates. The latest figures show it records just 0.23 intentional homicides per 100,000 people – the fourth-lowest in the world.
32. Japan is one of the least obese nations. Most notably, it ranks third least obese country in the world by female population.
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Every effort has been made to verify these facts about Japan using primary sources. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.