This article explores 20 fun facts about Japan, from its geography and culture to its economy and technology. It is composed of 6,852 islands with a total area of 377,944 square kilometers (145,925 square miles). Japanese culture includes activities such as tea ceremonies, flower arranging (ikebana), martial arts (judo and karate), calligraphy (shodo) and origami paper folding art. The official language spoken in Japan is Japanese but there are also many regional dialects including Okinawan, Kagoshima-ben and Tohoku-ben. Japanese cuisine includes a variety of dishes from sushi to ramen noodles to tempura fried vegetables or fish served with rice or noodles. Japan has long been known for its innovative technology ranging from robotics to high speed bullet trains called Shinkansen which can reach speeds up to 320 km/hr (200 mph). The majority of people living in Japan identify themselves as Shinto or Buddhist but there are also followers