Four Facts You May Not Know About Japan

1. The Most Popular Soft Drink in Japan is Ramune

Ramune is a soda that originated in Kobe, Japan by a man named Alexander Cameron Sim. He was a Scottish pharmacist who was living in Kobe, and advertised his soda product which then became popular in the country when he introduced it in 1884.  Out of all the flavors they have, my two favorites are lychee and watermelon and you can get them at Asia Plaza located in Cleveland, Ohio.  

2. They Have a Few Different Islands Where There Are More Cats Than Humans Living There 

Aoshima is said to be the most known cat island they have.  Originally, the island was based around fishing. The fisherman decided that they wanted to bring in cats so they could control the rodent population on their boats.  These cats then stayed on the island and had offspring which then dramatically expanded their population.  

3. The Four Largest Islands Make Up 97% of the Country 

Out of the 6,852 islands, the four largest ones are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku.  The most populated island there is Honshu where the capital, Tokyo, is located. 

4. Karaoke was Invented in Japan 

Karaoke is a device that has pre-recorded songs and instead of the actual singer singing that song, the person using it will be singing into a microphone.  The word Karaoke translates in English to “empty orchestra.”  Karaoke was first invented in 1971 in Kobe, Japan by Daisuke Inoue.  He is known as a businessman and also won Ig Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for his invention, as it “provided a new way for people to learn to tolerate each other.” 

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