Japan
- Region
- Asia
- Area
- 377,930 km²
- Capital
- Tokyo
- ISO
- JP
What the flag means
The Hinomaru is a flag shaped like the sun, and it is also linked to the country’s name, Nihon ("origin of the sun"). The colors have no meaning set by law, but red is sometimes explained as the sun or passion, and white as purity.
Fun facts
- FlagThe diameter of the red circle on Japan’s flag, the “Hinomaru,” is set at 3/5 of the flag’s height.
- GeographyLake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, covers about 1/6 of the area of Shiga Prefecture.
- CultureInstant ramen was invented in Japan in 1958.
- CultureThe word “emoji” was born on Japanese mobile phones and passed into English unchanged.
Neighboring countries
No land borders (island country)
