Ten Fun Facts About Japan
Beyond Japan’s cherry blossoms, mesmerising mountains and irresistible cuisine, there’s a whole world of quirks and curiosities to discover. From costly melons to illegal dancing, read on to discover our ten favourite fun facts about Japan...
1. Life expectancy in Japan is high
As of September 2024, there were over 95,000 centenarians in Japan (people aged 100 or over). An unusually high percentage of these live in Okinawa, one of the world’s ‘Blue Zones’. These are areas where a population has a higher life expectancy than the global average, often attributed to an active lifestyle, a healthy diet and an unbreakable positive attitude.
Image by Romain Laprade.
2. Japanese melons can cost a fortune
Melons are a serious affair in Japan. Due to their labour-intensive cultivation (including hand-pollination) and lengthy growing time (hundreds of days), a single melon in a supermarket can cost you around £20. The super luxurious Yubari King melons, grown exclusively in Yubari, Hokkaido, can set you back around £300. In 2019, a pair of these famous fruits even sold for £35,000.…
3. Loudly slurping noodles is polite
Forget everything you’ve been taught about Western table manners; loudly slurping your noodles is not only accepted but actively encouraged in Japan. Noisy mealtimes are considered a sign of enjoyment and a compliment to the chef (while also helping to cool down the noodles). From a scientific standpoint, slurping is believed to aerate the noodles and add extra oomph to the flavour.
4. Sumo is recognised as the national sport of Japan
Our next fun fact about Japan is all about sport. Despite basketball being the country’s most popular, sumo wrestling is recognised as the country’s national sport. It was founded over 1,500 years ago as part of Shinto rituals, performed at shrines in the hope of bringing bountiful harvests.
Image by Hosea Huang / Pexels.
5. Japan experiences more than 1,500 earthquakes per year
Japan sits on the Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity, making it one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. It experiences around 1,500 earthquakes annually, although most are (luckily) too mild to be felt. In preparation for larger quakes, most of Japan’s buildings are built on shock absorbers, while skyscrapers use pendulums at the top to counteract movement during earthquakes.
6. Many Japanese streets do not have names
Addresses are instead created by prefecture, city, ward, neighbourhood, block, building number and apartment number. The block-based system allows for better delivery organisation (and lots of confused tourists).
7. Late-night dancing was illegal in Japan until 2015
For almost 70 years, letting loose on the dancefloor in Japan was illegal. This old law, known as Fueiho Law, was implemented to crack down on prostitution in clubs. However, public backlash led to the ban being lifted in 2015 and saw Japan’s nightlife boom once again.
8. The Japanese believe that black cats bring good luck
While seen as a bad omen in other countries, black cats in Japan are thought to bring good luck. Historically, sailors owned them to ensure safe sailing, and in folklore, single Japanese women with black cats were thought to attract more suitors – crazy cat lady who?
9. It's considered rude in Japan to say ‘no’ to someone directly
Japanese culture has a strong emphasis on avoiding conflict, which goes as far as considering ‘no’ as confrontational. Instead, they’ll give vague responses, offer another option or give a hesitant smile. Confusing, right? Not as much as you’d think; it’s pretty much the English equivalent of saying, ‘I’ll think about it’...
10. The Japanese name for the country is ‘Nihon’ or ‘Nippon’, which means ‘sun origin’
Because Japan is east of the Asian mainland (and therefore appears to be where the sun rises), the Chinese referred to it as ‘Riben’, meaning ‘origin of the sun’. This name was later adapted into Japanese, with ‘Nihon’ or ‘Nippon’ becoming the country’s official name. It later inspired the famous nickname, ‘Land of the Rising Sun’.
