8 Random Facts & Trivia about Japan

Would you like to know more about Japan? Well, maybe you already know much, but did you know about these things? How many of these did you know of? Here are 8 random facts & trivia about Japan!

1. Japan has the second lowest homicide rate in the world, but it is also home to the famous "suicide forest” Aokigahara that is found at the base of Fujiyama. It is the 2nd most popular place in the world for suicides, after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

2. Yaeba, or crooked teeth, are considered attractive in Japan. It is actually so "attractive" that girls go to the dentist to have their teeth purposefully unstraightened.

3. Raw horse meat is considered a delicacy in Japan. It is called basashi and is sliced thinly and eaten raw. The Japanese consume about 7,461 tons of horsemeat each year.

4. There exists more pets than children in Japan.

5. The world's oldest company, Kongou Gumi, was from Japan. It operated for over 1400 years, between 578 AD to 2006.

Above: Yaeba, or crooked teeth.

6. More paper is used for printing manga than toilet paper.

7. I have written about Geishas on my blog, and I described them as women... but something interesting to know is that the first ever Geishas were men.

8. The government runs speed-dating services, and there are even romance mangas with stories about this.

Above: Manga collection.

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