Japan - Facts

•         Raw horse meat is a popular food in Japan.
•         Sometimes the trains are so crowded railway staff are employed to cram passengers inside.
•         Many couples in Japan celebrate Christmas like Valentine's Day.  It is definitely more of a "lovers" holiday in Japan.
•         Poorly written English can be found everywhere, including T-shirts and other fashion items.
•         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").
•         Religion does not play a big role in the lives of most Japanese and many do not understand the difference between Shintoism and Buddhism.  However, there are also many Japanese who do understand the difference.
•         A nice musk melon, similar to a cantaloupe, may sell for over $300US.  For example, a nice specimen of Yubari melon.  These are often physically perfect, not like their American counterparts with dark smudges and scars.
•         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".

•