Japan

The Japanese name for Japan is “Nihon” or “Nippon,” a word which means “sun origin.” Interestingly, Japan belongs to the continent of Asia but is made up of 6,852 islands. Japan sits along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” and as a result is connected to a lot of natural disasters due to several volcanoes dotted around the landscape, most notably the devastating tsunami in 2011. The ancient warriors of Japan are now celebrated all around the country. Named Samurai or bushi - a word that means to wait upon - they were known as the greatest warriors ruled by a stringent code of honor. Their teachings and vocabulary can be found to this day both in everyday life and in modern Japanese martial arts. Word for “Hello” in Japan: Kon’nichiwa