Famous Japanese Thing

20. Raw horse meat is a popular entree in Japan. Sliced thinly and eaten raw it is called basashi it is pictured above. 19. Over 70% of Japan consists of mountains. The country also has over 200 volcanoes. 18. A musk melon (similar to a cantaloupe) can sell for over 31,473 yen ($300.00). 17. The literacy rate in Japan is almost 100%. 16. There are vending machines in Japan that dispense beer!

15. Japanese people have an average life-expectancy that is 4 years longer than Americans. Maybe Americans should eat more basashi! 14. Some men in Japan shave their heads as a form of apology. 13. Japan has the second lowest homicide rate in the world, but is also home to the extremely spookysuicide forest, aokigahara. One occupant of the forest is pictured above. 12. Japan has produced 15 Nobel laureates (in chemistry, medicine and physics), 3 Fields medalists and one Gauss Prize laureate. 11. Younger sumo-wrestlers are traditionally required to clean and bathe the veteran sumo-wrestlers at their wrestling stablesincluding all the hard-to-reach places.