Japan : Interesting things world should know

Raw horse meat is a popular food in Japan.

More than 70% of Japan consists of mountains, including more than 200 volcanoes.

Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan, is an active volcano (although scientists have not reached a consensus on what defines "active").

There are four different writing systems in Japan; Romaji, Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji.

Coffee is very popular and Japan imports approximately 85% of Jamaica's annual coffee production.

Japan's literacy rate is almost 100%.

Sumo is Japan's national sport, although baseball is also very popular. Sumo wrestlers eat a stew called Chankonabe to fatten up. Many restaurants in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo serve this nabe (Japanese word for stew).

Most toilets in Japan have a built-in bidet system for spraying your backside. These are known as washlets and are now the norm in homes and nicer restrooms.

However, in some train stations and other public restrooms you may still find the traditional Japanese "floor toilet".

Japan is the world’s largest consumer of Amazon rain forest timber.

Vending machines in Japan sell beer, hot and cold canned coffee, cigarettes, and other items.

On average there are around 1,500 earthquakes every year in Japan.

Average life expectancy in Japan is one of the highest in the world. Japanese people live an average of 4 years longer than Americans.

Japan is the largest automobile producer in the world.

The term karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.

Rampant inbreeding of dogs has resulted in one of the highest rate of genetic defects in the world for canines.

Some Japanese companies conduct a morning exercise session for the workers to prepare them for the day's work.