25 fun facts about Japan that you should know

Find out what makes Japan special: 25 fun facts about Japan that will blow your mind!

Japan is on many people’s bucket list. In fact, the number of tourists that visit Japan has increased exponentially during the last years. Maybe it is because of its millenary culture, with impressing temples, castles, and history merged with the modern and futuristic look of the large cities. Of because of Mount Fuji, the snow monkeys, or the Japanese Alps Ski resorts. Maybe it is because of their cuisine, the sushi, Ramen and Kobe beef.  But Japan is much more than that, and there are lots of fun facts to prove it.

In fact, Japan has many unique and distinctive features, most of them unknown for most of the tourists. These are 25 fun facts and curiosities about Japan.

1. The average annual delay of the Shinkansen is of 24 seconds

Japan is well-known for its high speed trains. However, they are also very punctual, with an average delay of just 24 seconds per train.

2. There are around 4.2 million vending machines in Japan

Although this number is decreasing, it is still one of the countries with more vending machines in the world. In fact, even at the smallest village in Japan, it is possible to find one of those. The best part is that beverages are at their optimal temperature! Hot coffee anyone?

3. Geisha means “person of the arts”

Despite some western beliefs about what geishas actually do, they are much more than women dressed in traditional ropes. If you are lucky you might see them in Kyoto or Kanazawa!

4. 35 million people live in the Tokyo metropolitan area

This makes it the largest metropolitan area in the world. For its size, though, it is quite easy to move around with its well-organized public transport system. Thanks, Japan!

5. Immigration only accounts for 2% of Japan population

It is not an easy task to get a residency permit in Japan. It is seen as a very modern country in many aspects, but it is still quite closed when it comes to immigration. Thus, most of the western faces you see around are most likely tourists.

6. Japan has 1500 tremors per year

It is very common to experience a tremor during your trip to Japan. Most of them are just barely noticeable, and the country is well prepared for them. If you wake up randomly in the middle of the night, this might very well be the reason!

7. Japan’s tallest mountain is Mount Fuji

Not a big surprise this one, right? Fujisan is 3776 meters above the sea level (12.388 ft). It is almost impossible to climb it during winter due to the snow and cold weather. The hiking season goes from July to Mid-September.

8. Japan has 126.8 million inhabitants

Despite being a small country, Japan cities are very densely populated. However, it is still possible to find quiet authentic countryside villages. Areas like the Kii Peninsula, the Japanese Alps, or Lake Kawaguchi are well prepared for tourism but also authentic and relatively unexplored.

9. Japan is a constitutional monarchy

The political system of the country is something not many people know about (and fewer are interested). Also, Japan still has an Emperor, beloved and respected for almost every Japanese.

10. Kyoto has around 1600 temples

Many say that when you see the temples in Kyoto, all the other ones will look small and simple. It is quite true. However, the real deal is finding little temples in lost alleys. A unique experience!

11. Japan consists of around 6800 islands

In fact, Japan is an archipielago of 6852 islands. 421 of them are inhabited, meaning that most of them are virgin islands.

12. Japan has around 3000 McDonalds

Just like in any other country, there are some local delicacies in Japanese McDonalds. I tried the Chicken Teriyaki burger, and it was surprisingly tasty. If you are in Japan, though, don’t eat in fast-food restaurants. Local places are cheaper and food quality is amazing!

13. Kill Bill and James Bond were filmed in Japan

Not only Quentin Tarantino used Japan for its movie. Himeji castle is a must-visit destination if you like James Bond. The “you only live twice” movie features it, and it is very recognizable! Try visiting during spring, with the cherry blossom at its maximum.

14. Japan consists of 47 prefectures

Tokyo is the most populated one, with over 13.5 million people (not the metropolitan area, just Tokyo prefecture). The least populated one is Tottori, a small prefecture whose capital has less than 200.000 inhabitants.

15. One of the safest countries in the world

It is well known that Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. Despite not being on the top of the list, the feeling of safety that you have there can’t be found anywhere in the world. It’s like you can just leave your money on the street and no one will take it!

16. Cherry blossom is the national flower

Spring in Japan is a very special season. The parks are dressed in pink due to the cherry blossom. Thus, they made it Japan’s National Flower.

17. The largest Japanese community outside Japan is in Brazil

Ture story! Around 1.5 million Japanese descendants are based in Brazil. This is one of those statistics that I can’t get off my head…

18. Japan’s currency is the YEN

Forget your Dollars or Euros. Japan uses the Yen, and although it is a very modern country many places don’t accept credit cards yet. 1000 yen is around 10 dollars or 8 euros.

19. Karaoke means empty orchestra

One of the things everyone should do when visiting Japan is having a karaoke night. The name karaoke itself is something very interesting, meaning empty orchestra. If you like How I Met Your Mother as I do, you might have already known this. Do you remember who said it? Leave it in the comments below!

20. Baseball is Japan’s number 1 sport

Japanese people love baseball. The top five of most popular sports is completed by football (soccer), golf, sumo and tennis. If you pay attention, there are baseball fields everywhere!

21. 4 & 9 are bad luck numbers in Japan

Number four in Japanese is pronounced like death. A similar thing happens with number nine, which has a sound similar to agony or torture. Number 13 is also seen as a bad luck number but it is a western importation.

22. 24 billion chopsticks are used every year in Japan

Luckily some of them are reusable. In a country where everyone uses chopsticks, the total number escalates to a whopping 24 billion total. If you don’t know how to use them, practise a bit before getting there! Oh, and chopsticks might be a good souvenir. Another Japan fun fact: slurp while eating noodles!

23. Nihon is Japan in Japanese

Also known as nippon, it means sun origin. This might well be the reason why it is also known as the land of the Rising Sun!

24. There are 70 Fanta flavours in Japan

Tropical Mango, Ultra Lemon… those are just some of the weird Fanta flavours that can only be found in Japan. 23 of the 70 flavours are exclusive of this amazing country! The Fanta Ume is one of the weirdest things I have ever drunk.

25. There are more than 200 Kit Kat flavours in Japan

This is a well-known fact. Japan is heaven for Kit Kat lovers. It is a unique experience, with flavours like Green Tea, Strawberry cake or Wasabi. This last one was surprisingly tasty!

These are 25 fun facts about Japan. Although most of them seem useless to know (except for winning Trivia questions), they reveal a lot about Japanese culture: punctuality, privacy, innovation,… these are the little details that if you know about them, your trip to Japan will be even more special.

This article is part of my Japan travel guide, available here, with photography spots, detailed budgets, general travel tips and much more. If you like to travel and photography follow me on Instagram! To get in touch with me, drop me a line at hello@aniolvisuals.com. Thank you for reading my 25 fun facts about Japan article. Find below other related articles that might be of interest.