Bustling cities, delicious food, fascinating culture and a seriously explosive landscape! Get ready for the trip of a lifetime with our facts about Japan…

japan facts

Facts about Japan

Official Name: Japan
Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy with parliamentary government
Capital: Tokyo
Population: 126, 048, 450
Official Language: Japanese
Money: Japanese yen
Area: 377,835 square kilometres
Major Mountain Ranges: Japanese Alps
Major Rivers: Biwa, Inawashiro, Kasumigaura

Japanese flag

japan flag

japan map

Japan: geography and landscape

Japan is an archipelago, or string of islands, on the eastern edge of Asia. There are four main islands – Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. There are also nearly 4,000 smaller islands, too! Japan’s nearest mainland neighbours are the Siberian region of Russia in the north, and Korea and China farther south.

Almost four-fifths of Japan is covered with mountains. The Japanese Alps run down the centre of the largest island, Honshu. The highest peak and Japan’s most famous mountain is Mount Fuji, a cone-shaped volcano considered sacred by many Japanese.

If you love learning about our world, you'll love The World's Most Amazing Places! is written on the post, which shows a Nat Geo Kids book called The World's Most Amazing Places

Japan can be a dangerous place. Three of the tectonic plates that form the Earth‘s crust meet nearby and often move against each other, causing earthquakes. More than a thousand earthquakes hit Japan every year. Japan also has about 200 volcanoes, 60 of which are still active.

Japan’s wildlife and nature

The Japanese people have a deep affection for the beauty of the landscape. The ancient Shinto religion says natural features like mountains, waterfalls and forests have their own spirit or soul.

Japan is home to some wonderful wildlife! Some of the country’s most incredible creatures include the sika deer, red-crowned crane, stellar’s sea eagle and one of the coolest critters on the planet…the Japanese macaque monkey!

japan facts

Most of Japan is covered by countryside – but with more than 100 million people living in such a small place, sadly, wildlife has suffered. Although pollution is now tightly controlled, over the years, road building and other human activities have harmed natural habitats. Today, about 136 species in Japan are listed as endangered.

Off the coast of this incredible country, the warm Tsushima Current flows from the south into the Sea of Japan, where it meets a colder current from the north. As a result of the mixing of different waters, the seas around Japan are very rich in fish and other sea life. Cool!

The history of Japan

People first came to Japan about 30,000 years ago. At the time, the main islands were connected to Siberia and Korea by bridges of dry land, allowing people to cross on foot. The first society, called the Jomon culture, arose about 12,000 years ago. Around the same time, the Ainu people arrived by boat from Siberia. The Jomon and Ainu survived for thousands of years, hunting, fishing and gathering plants.

In 300 B.C., the Yayoi people came to Honshu Island from Korea and China. The Yayoi were skilled weavers, tool makers and farmers, and they were the first people in Japan to cultivate rice in flooded paddy fields.

In 660 B.C., Japan’s first emperor, Jimmu Tenno, came to power. For many years following, Japan was governed by a string of emperors, until the 12th century A.D. when military rulers, called shoguns, took control by force.

japan facts

Europeans first arrived in Japan in 1543, bringing with them a range of new technologies and cultural practices, including the Christian religion. But in 1635, the ruling shogun closed Japan to foreigners and forbade Japanese to travel abroad, beginning a state of isolation that would last more than 200 years. In 1868, the shoguns were overthrown and emperors returned. This was a time of great change and modernisation for Japan.

During World War I (1914-1917), Japan fought on the side of the Allies (Britain, France, Belgium, Russia and the USA). But in World War II, Japan’s military leaders sided with the Axis powers, joining forces with Germany and Italy.

Japanese people and culture

The Japanese are famous for their willingness to work very hard. Children are taught to show respect for others, especially parents and bosses. They learn to do what’s best for their family or company and worry less about their own needs.

Japanese cuisine consists of lots of rice, fish and vegetables. With little fat and lots of vitamins and minerals, their food is very healthy. It’s believed their nutritious diet is what makes the Japanese, on average, one of the longest living populations in the world!

japan facts

Japan’s government and economy

Japan is the only country in the world with a reigning emperor. Emperors have no real power, but they are still respected as a symbol of the country’s traditions and unity.

World War II devastated Japan’s economy, but the Japanese people’s hard work and clever innovation turned things around. Today, Japan has the third largest economy in the world. The country’s high-tech industry makes some of the most popular electronic products and vehicles in the world.

japan facts

What did you make of these cool facts about Japan? Let us know in a comment, below!

Image credits: Japanese garden: Pod666, Dreamstime. People in a busy shopping district: Sean Pavone, Shutterstock. Japanese Shinto shrine: Sean Pavone, Dreamstime. All other images: Getty Images UK
Likes

LEAVE A COMMENT

THANK YOU

Your comment will be checked and approved shortly.

WELL DONE,
YOUR COMMENT
HAS BEEN ADDED!

COMMENTS

  • Sasa

    WOW LOT'S OF FACTS ABOUT JAPAN!

  • Hi

    Very Detailed. :) Will help a lot on my poster!

  • good work

  • Kai

    Amazing work. ☺️

  • Charlie

    Helped a lot for my school project thanks ;)

  • ayla carroll

    wow these are amazing facts!Very mind blowing.

  • Anouk

    great information it really helped me with my assignment id definitely recommend!

  • manchester untied

    cool

  • Claudia

    Ye, pretty good!

  • Su_Myat

    Wow

  • Kenuli

    It was helpful

  • Katy

  • mylee

    I like noodles

  • Wow!

  • charlotte

  • Thanks for the facts

  • Sophia

    it was amazing facts

  • k

    Japan is cool

  • Hridhaan

    This is an awesome website. I learned heaps of stuff. I recommend this to every child who is studying on Japan.

  • amy

    Very inderesting info never new that japan could be so big and with lots of people

  • ok

  • Wow

  • livi

    OMG SO MUCH INFO LOVE IT

  • livi

    love

  • ...

    WOW

  • Mason dyer

    wow this is so cool thanks

  • it helped out alot thank you

  • April

    cool

  • Elijah. s

    i love it

  • Savvy

    Wow I never knew all that amazing

  • suzie

  • muse

    hi

  • jet.walmsley

  • Pop

  • hello

  • He

    So cool

  • sienna

  • So cool

    SO SO SO COOL

  • alice.jarygreen

    you are the best

  • furrytinaaa

    thanks for the facts keep your hard work up!

  • cool/cats

    WOW

  • kyle

    cooooooool

  • zapppy

    really good

  • htet sithu win

    this give me general knowledge and make me to go there .thank you very much for give me the knowledge.

  • kitty

    this was cool

  • i h

    so cool

  • sussy deku

  • Bear

    Hi

  • Aizzy

  • billy-bob

  • hi

    cool website, helped me with exams

  • Ivy

    Cool! I love Japan!

  • Us

  • Destiny

  • pennkill0346

    hi

  • Hi

  • Pens

  • hi

  • hi

  • Hi

    This is ery good

  • jabklkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

  • cool

  • :))))))

  • Eli

    Cool let’s take action wow lol

  • Fantabulous!!!!!!!!

  • HI

  • Skylar

    Had to make a report this made it very fun!

  • Athi

    Nice facts!!! but we should take action!!! the less endangered animals the better!

  • Nobody

    NOICE!

  • NOICE!!

  • Cool

  • cool

  • ...

    This is very help full!

  • Hi

    Hi

  • Pices

    this really helped me thankyou sooo much

  • hi

  • michael

    wow cool

  • Micheal smithy

    cool

  • Jenifer

    Japan sounds fun.

  • salam

  • sirdan

    i love japan!

  • Reagan McGinley

    that was very helpful to learn cultrue

  • hi

  • uwu

    n i c e

  • hi

  • hi

    cool

  • miaa

    hello

  • Pau

    cool

  • Mia

    cool

  • penelope

    i like it

  • Jeff

    interesting

  • Paula

    lol

  • jeffrey

    awesome

  • Jeff

    i want to go

  • sergio

    cool

  • Jeff

    Cool

  • diego

    wow

  • kylan

    ???

  • nnnnnnnnnn

    awsome

  • kylan

    awesome!!!!!!

  • kylan

    awesome!!!!!!!

  • no

  • kylan

    cool

  • chloe

    so cool

  • Radical

  • jeff

    lollipops

  • Wow!

  • Habib Bother

    nice

  • sugar

    i like china more

  • LOL

  • japan

  • Cool!

  • This was INTERESTING!

  • tyler and hayden

    it was very helpful

  • hi

    funny

  • lmiolnky

    sooo cool

  • colliewollie543

    i lovejapan

  • Riya kumari

    Wow! Explanation

  • Victoria

    Cool!

  • Jesse

    I never knew about this many facts about japan. I knew some though.

  • apatitehappymouse

    interesting!

  • WOW

  • Vishnu

    Cool

  • turtle shark

    japan is my favourite country!

  • Georgia

    Cool!! The only thing I’d say is there isn’t enough info...

  • aditya

    woo hoo

  • aditya

    woo hoo

  • Nintendo@Mario

    I am Japanese. I was very happy because there were people who wanted to go to Japan.

  • seinakan

    i love japan

  • Angelina

    I love this!

  • hi

    g'day mate

  • Smart Guy

    These facts are quite intriguing. I think I’ll add them to my personal research folder!! P.S I LOVE school!!

  • Onako

    Japan is so interesting

  • Kilo

    I never knew Japan had the 3rd largest economy. Amazing!

  • Hiba

    I learned so much about Japan, a number one go to about anything

  • jPAN

    i LOVE Japan

  • taco elephant

    this is very helpful because me and my class are learning about japan this term and we are making paper cranes for a girl named sadako who tried to make 1000 paper cranes to make a wish to cure herself but she only made 644 then pasted away

  • Hayley

    The facts about Japan on this website are very good and I think that Japan is a great place

  • Lulu

    I am doing a project about japan and this is helpful

  • lulu

    wow i love japan

  • jack

    cool

  • Apple

    My dad knows how to speak Japanese because we have a friend in Japan

  • Elly

    Cool!

  • Charlotte

    I never thought researching could be so fun! With the click of my mouse great facts and information appeared on my screen and I very pleased with the quality of this website. :)

  • Charlie

    I am working on a information report about Japan and it was very helpful and it had great facts

  • Mandeep

    I love facts!!!!!!!!!

  • Someone

    Thank you for the info!

  • lollipop

    it was really cool now i know about japan

  • heaven

    this is so cool!

  • peter

    it is good

  • Pete

    I want to go to Japan

  • poppypanda

    i love japan

  • Lizzie-Hearts

    Am Chinese Its Close To Japan

  • catmac1

    that is really interesting!! what is the animal of Japan?

  • FirelordZuko

    I really want to go to Japan

More Like Countries

Countries

France facts

Learn about one of Europe’s most amazing countries!
Countries

Azerbaijan facts!

How much do you know about this fascinating country…?
Countries
SPONSORED

Escape to the Azores with Activities Abroad

From lava lands to swimming with dolphins – enjoy an amazing family holiday to the Azores!
Countries

30 cool facts about China!

Join us on a journey through this incredible country…