Japan is one of the countries that many envy. It is known for several qualities and its outstanding culture. We all know Japan is a very unique country and that not many places in the world can be compared with it. The culture, the history, food, and the place itself it’s something that you can’t find anywhere else. There are so many things about this country that remain unknown to the public. To illustrate better the lifestyle of Japan, below we have made a list of some of the most interesting facts that make Japan such a unique country.
One thing for sure, as soon as you check out how incredible this country is, you will want to pack your bags and move immediately. Scroll down below to see what we’re talking about.
1. Japan has the World’s Second-Highest Life Expectancy
Japan is pretty much in a tie with Hong Kong with an average life expectancy of 83.6 years old and 84 years old. Many people attribute Japan’s long life expectancy to its traditionally healthier diet when compared to western countries (think more fish and less red meat, more veggies, and smaller portions) how common it is for people to walk as part of their commute, and culture which places extreme importance on family.
2. 69% of Japan is Covered in Forest
When you think of Japan, you probably think of all the different cities there are in the country. Surprisingly the majority of Japan at 69%, is actually covered in forests. I still remember exploring my first forest in Japan in the Mount Fuji area. There was a sign that warned visitors to watch out for black bears and I honestly never thought black bears were roaming the forests in Japan until that moment.
3. Japan has the World’s Deepest Underwater Postbox
The deepest underwater postbox is located in Susami, which is a famous fishing town in Wakayama Prefecture and was recorded by Guinness World Records in 2002. The postbox is located 30 feet underwater and since 1999 has collected more than 32,000 pieces of mail.
4. Toreiyu Tsubasa Train In Japan Is Equipped With Footbaths So You Can Enjoy A Relaxing Trip
A popular onsen type in Japan is ashiyu, or foot bath. Foot baths are different from regular onsens because you can find them literally on the street. Usually they are free, or cost just a few dollars. The hot spring tub comes up to the knees, you don’t need to take off all of your clothes, but you still get the benefits of the hot spring experience. It is also great for people who can’t handle heat very well as it’s not as strong as a standard hot spring.
5. Tokyo Train Company Tsukuba Express Apologized For 20-Second-Early Departure
6. Ice cream that doesn’t melt
Hearing about an ice cream that doesn’t melt sounds impossible. Well, this ice cream will melt eventually, but it will be good for a few hours. The discovery was accidentally made while the scientists were experimenting with the chemistry in strawberries to assist farmers affected by the earthquake of 2011.
7. Japanese fans stayed behind after the FIFA world cup 2014 match to help clean up
8. It is a hiker’s paradise
Hiking is probably not on most people’s minds when they come to Japan, but it actually has a huge collection of mountains and trails to hike. Plus, because of the geographical diversity of the country, there is a huge selection of different types of hikes to go on. You can challenge yourself both physically and mentally by hiking up the majestic Mount Fuji, hike a UNESCO-recognized series of pilgrimage routes, or go trekking on some of the trails in the Japanese Alps
9. There’s a robot restaurant
The robot restaurant is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tokyo. It’s not your traditional Japanese restaurant, but rather a spectacle and the food here is secondary. The shows are loud and wild and they are changed every month, along with costumes and music. The shows are exciting, with bright lights, although not recommended for people sensitive to flashing lights. And, of course, everything is robot-themed.
10. A super healthy diet and delicious food
The Japanese diet is definitely known throughout the world as being one of the healthiest diets. With traditional diets staples that include plenty of rice, fish, and vegetables, people in Japan tend to eat less fatty foods richer in vitamins and minerals. Their diet is one of the factors to the long life expectancy in Japan.
11. Japan is the 3rd largest economy in the world
You might not think about it when you first think of Japan since its an island country, but it is the 3rd largest economy in the world. It’s pretty incredible to see how fast the country has grown especially since it had to recover from the devastation it suffered during WWII.
If you don’t live under a rock and have driven anywhere recently then you could probably guess that one of the country’s biggest product exports are automobiles with all the Hondas and Toyotas on the road.
12. The country has a huge number of onsens (hot springs)
Because of Japan’s geographic location and its volcanic activity, the country has about 2,300 Onsens to choose from located all around the country. It is said that the water from these hot springs can treat a variety of things including rheumatism, hypertension, fatigue, and chronic skin conditions like eczema.
I was lucky enough to have stayed at a ryokan in the Lake Kawaguchiko area so I got to experience a private Onsen while I was there. Hopefully, I can make it to some other Onsens on my next visits to Japan as I’ve always wanted to try the ones in Hakone out.
13. Japanese students cleaning the school after classes
14. Naps are encouraged in Japan
This doesn’t mean that you can just take a nap whenever you want during the workday, but napping at work is definitely acceptable in Japan as its a kind of sign that you have been working yourself into exhaustion.
If you have been to Japan before, then you’ll know that a lot of people nap in public, especially while on the train. All this napping is probably because Japanese workers are known to get a little amount of sleep every day (less than 6 hours).
15. People love having Christmas dinner at KFC
It sounds crazy when you first hear it, but almost 3.6 million Japanese have KFC for Christmas dinner. This is all thanks to the manager of the first KFC in the country Takeshi Okawara, who thought up of their famous marketing campaign to sell a Christmas Fried Chicken barrel to the people in Japan!
At the time, not many people celebrated Christmas in Japan and there wasn’t much of a Christmas tradition, so with the help of the marketing campaign, KFC became the tradition. That is one hell of a great marketing campaign!
16. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world.. Japan has a Safety Index score of 80.43, which is pretty much as safe as it gets!
17. There are cuddle cafes in Japan
More and more Japanese are finding it harder to date as people focus on their careers first. Because of this, some entrepreneurs have found an in-demand market for cuddle cafes, where you can visit, lie down by a partner, and pay for being able to cuddle them.
They are meant as a way to relax and reduce stress from the professional working life in the big cities of Japan.
You pay for the amount of time you want to cuddle and can even pay extra for additional services like staring into each other’s eyes for a certain amount of time, being able to lay your head in the other’s lap, and pillow talk
18. There are baby seats attached to the wall in most bathrooms
Many public toilets have baby holders attached to the wall so your hands are free and you can keep your eyes on the baby the whole time without fear of them running off or getting in some other trouble.
19.Japan has the busiest train station in the world
Tokyo’s famous Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station in the world. Almost 3.6 million people use it daily, which is a mind-numbing amount to think about. What is even more staggering is the amount of train usage when you look at Japan as a whole. Out of the top 51 busiest train stations in the world, only 6 are not in Japan!
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