The origin of the famous saying "Land of the Rising Sun", comes from the translation of “Nihon”, the name the Japanese people use when talking about their country. The word Nihon is composed by two Japanese words: Ni (日), which means day, and Hon (本), which means origin.
Some people believe, Japan is known as the country of origin of the sun because of different religious theories, and others because of its geographical location.
Japan is known worldwide for its traditional arts, including tea ceremonies, calligraphy and flower arranging. The country has a legacy of distinctive gardens, sculpture and poetry. Japan is home to more than a dozen UNESCO World Heritage sites and is the birthplace of sushi, one of its most famous culinary exports.
These are some facts that made Japan famous and one of most successful countries in the world:
Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is the highest volcano in Japan, and one of the most famous sights in this country. It is best known for its symmetrical cone, which is covered in snow approximately five months out of the year. And it is considered a symbol of Japan, which is why it is often featured in photographs and other art relating to this stunning country.
Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s Three Holy Mountains – the other two are Mount Tate and Mount Haku. And it is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The volcano is surrounded by lakes and gorgeous, untouched nature. It is definitely worth visiting if you’re ever in the country – the view of Mount Fuji is so breathtaking that even UNESCO agreed it has been inspiring poets and artists for centuries.
Japanese sushi
We are sure many of you have tried sushi at least once in your life, and if you haven´t we truly recommend you to give it a chance. For the ones who have, we must tell you that Japanese sushi tastes way different that the one made in your country, which is an adaptation to the food of your area.
The sushi of Japan is a dish prepared with vinegared rice, salt and sugar (not much) and then different ingredients can be added, from seafood (very common) to raw vegetables or even tropical fruits.
Ninjas
Ninjas have become so popular in the pop culture and in the modern area that they have lost their true essence. Nowadays, everyone believes that ninjas are skilled warriors who can fight and move really fast being very silent and extremely talented.
Well, the truth is far from what we have seen in cartoons and movies.
It´s true that ninjas have its origin in Japan, but they were notable to walk in the water or make themselves invisible. Ninjas were like mercenaries in the feudal area of Japan, they were signed to do a espionage job or to do surprising attacks.
They became so popular that now there are even museums just talking about them, like the Ninja Museum of Igaryu.
Anime and Manga
Pokemon, Yugioh, Dragon Ball, Sonic, One Piece… We are sure that most of you heard about any of these popular Japanese cartoons. The Japanese comics and cartoons, (better known as Manga and Anime) are not only famous in Japan, but all over the world.
The origin of Manga comes from the 12th century, but the Anime is newer (20th century).
Although both are known for being Japanese, you should keep in mind that the authentic meaning of anime and manga in the Japanese language is comics or animated cartoons. They don´t distinguish if it comes from Japan or not.
Of course, anime and manga are on of the most famous Japanese things. Just so you can have an idea of its importance, its industry generates more than billions every year. Plus, the number of anime and manga fanatics is growing very quick.
Cherry Blossom season
One of the main reasons to visit Japan is to admire the incredible Blossom Japanese season. There is nothing like seeing the temples of Japan surrounded with a pink atmosphere generated by the cherry trees (Sakura).
Many travelers plan their trips for this special season, but it actually changes every year and is different in each area of Japan.
Generally the best time of the year to enjoy Cherry Blossom in Japan is between the end of March and the beginning of May, but in some areas you may be able to see it in February or even in late May.
The blossom season only lasts about 2 weeks, so we recommend you going to Yoshino, Himeji Castle, Hirosaki Castle or Fuji Five Lakes as they are considered for the majority the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan.
Capsule hotels
Believe it or not, capsule hotels are one of the most famous things about Japan. There are people who love it and others who hate it. While in Europe and in the US is very common to see huge hotel rooms, in Japan is totally different, they have hotels with very tiny rooms.
The size varies from 1.2 to 2 meters (from 4 to 6 feet), which is definitely small for a room. Although you may be able to stand on your knees, we can already tell you that you won´t be able to stand up, so if you are claustrophobic… ¡Don´t try them!
The reason why travelers choose this type of hotels is their prices, which are between ¥2,000 and ¥6,000 (a very cheap price in Japan). Would you try sleeping at any of these rooms?
Japanese Onsens or hot springs
Japan is a volcanically active country, so it has lots of springs with geothermally heated groundwater – hot springs. The Japanese term is onsen, and it also extends to communal baths and ryokans with hot springs.
Onsens are traditionally located outdoors, but nowadays you can find plenty of indoor ones throughout the country. You can find most of these in areas close to volcanoes, especially around Mt. Fuji and Mt. Hakone.
An interesting (and potentially useful) fact about onsens is that around half of them ban people with tattoos. This was an attempt to keep out Yakuza members, as they are known for being heavily tattooed. So, if you have ink on you, you will need to do some research in order to find a tattoo-friendly hot spring.
Sumo Wrestling
Sumo is a type of full contact wrestling that originated in Japan. And it is the only country where it can be practiced professionally even today, despite all the controversies that surround it.
Sumo wrestlers are usually required to live in communal training stables, and most aspects of their lives are dictated by tradition. This includes everything from what they can eat, to what they have to wear when in public.
If you’re ever in Japan, definitely try to get a ticket for a Sumo match. The sport is popular not just in this country but worldwide, and there’s nothing like watching a match live.
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Crossing is the busiest intersection in the entire world and one of Tokyo’s most famous sights. Even if you don’t exactly know what Shibuya Crossing is, chances are you’ve already seen it in a movie. It is featured in most movies set in Tokyo – Lost in Translation and Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift are the two most famous ones.
It is a must-see if you are ever in this stunning city. And it’s something you can hardly miss if you want to explore Shibuya City, since it marks the entrance in this ancient Tokyo district.
Shibuya Crossing is actually an excellent embodiment of Tokyo – crowds coming from every direction, surrounded by skyscrapers with huge TV screens. And bright neon lights everywhere, regardless of the time of day.
Geisha
Geisha are a big part of Japanese tradition and culture, and something that the country is definitely famous for. They are women who entertain through various forms of art, singing and dancing. Many modern geishas live in geisha houses called okiya, especially during their training.
They traditionally wear kimonos and oshiroi makeup. Oshiroi literally stands for white powder, which refers to the very pale complexion of geisha. Geisha also wear a type of wooden sandals that resemble flip flops, known as geta. But not all geisha wear these – maiko (geisha in training) wear geta that have no teeth on the bottom, and they are called okobo.
There is a misconception in the Western world that geisha are the Eastern equivalent of prostitutes – they are not. This is mostly because of interactions with oiran courtesans, who wore clothes and makeup similar to those of geisha.
Japanese Calligraphy
The Japanese calligraphy is known as “Shodo”, which means “The way of writing”.
You can distinguish three different types of Japanese characters: The Kanji, the Hiragana and the Katakana.
The Chinese Kanji is the language known as old Japanese, and it was the first written form in Japan.
It was brought to Japan by the Chinese civilization.
Hiragana and Katakana are more modern, and they were created to simplify the Japanese language while using the old Chinese symbols.
The use of brush stokes, and the different complicated symbols have become the Japanese calligraphy into more than just a way of communicating, it´s an art that takes decades to learn.
Origami
Origami, or commonly known all over the world as the art of folding paper. The origami is an art technique that consists of creating a sculpture with just a simple sheet of paper.
The Origami has its origin in Japan, it was created during the Edo period (163-1867). Although there are uncountable ways of making art by folding paper, the authentic origami does not allow cuts, glue, or markings on the paper.
The Japanese Origami has become so popular that nowadays you will be able to even find folding paper contests where creators make unique constructions as buildings, dragons, or characters from movies and tv shows.
Tokyo Skytree
After Mount Fuji, the Tokyo Skytree is the most emblematic place in all Japan, and it´s by far the most touristic building in the whole country. The Tokyo Skytree is of course, located in Tokyo and it´s the main element of the city´s landscape.
The Tokyo Skytree is one of the most popular things in Japan, so we truly recommend you visiting it. You won´t regret it!
With a height of 634 meters (2,080 feet) is the third tallest tower in the world, right after the Petronius and the Burj Khalifa (829 meters). Once you go up the tower, you will find two different viewpoints, the first one located at 350 meters and the second one at 450 meters, from there you can see an incredible view of the city of Tokyo.
Vending Machines
Japan is pretty famous for its insane vending machines. From pretty normal ones that give you frozen Coca Cola, to those that give you fresh underwear. There are even puppy and kitten vending machine – the animals are kept in boxes, and you can buy them by inserting money in the machine. Don’t worry, it’s nowhere near as claustrophobic as a normal vending machine.
Compared to those last two, the rest of them seem pretty tame. Other things you can get from vending machines in Japan include flowers, hamburgers, fresh fruits, eggs, hot meals, fortunes (yup), lobsters, party decorations, ties and so much.
Kimonos
The kimonos are known all over the world as one of the most iconic and traditional dressing styles, and everyone knows they are a symbol of Japan. The significance of kimono in Japanese culture is huge, imagine how important it is that until the 19th century absolutely everyone wore it in Japan.
Nowadays, the kimonos are still very popular, although not everyone dresses with it, the geishas, the sumo wrestlers and the majority of the elder people still wear it every single day of the week.
There are different types of kimonos, some of them are for men and the majority are for women. Depending on the color, the length of the sleeve and other factors, the kimono will represent something about your status on the society.
interesting post....Beautiful things to see in a country too far away for me