Fun Facts
... about places I want to visit.
JAPAN:
Full Name
Japan (Nihon)
Capital City
Tokyo
Area
377,835 sq km
145,882 sq miles
Population
127,000,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Japanese (official)
- Set aside several years if you want to learn to read Japanese. Japan has one of the most complex writing systems in the world, using three different scripts (four if you include the increasingly used Roman script romaji). Fortunately, for visitors to Japan, it's not all bad news. Unlike other Asian languages, Japanese is not tonal and the pronunciation system is fairly easy to master. In fact, with a little effort, getting together a repertoire of travellers' phrases should be no trouble - the only problem will be understanding what people say back to you.
Religion
Shintō, Buddhism, Christianity.
Currency
Yen (¥)
Electricity
100V 50HzHz
--- In Japan ---
KYOTO:
Area
610 sq km
236 sq miles
Population
1,500,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
- Weather-wise, spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit Kyoto, although they're also popular times for tourists and school groups. Having said that, although the summers (June-Aug) can be muggy, it's still a nice time to be there. If you're really out to avoid crowds, winter (Dec-Feb) - though very cold - might be just your ticket. Holidays and festivals are celebrated with crowded gusto in Kyoto, so cherry-blossom season in April and Golden Week (late April/early May) are great times to be in the city.
NAGOYA:
Area
5,150 sq km
1,988 sq miles
Population
2,184,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
OSAKA:
Area
221 sq km
85 sq miles
Population
2,600,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Japanese (official)
---
SOUTH KOREA:
Full Name
Republic of Korea
Capital City
Seoul (pop 10.3 million)
- The worst times to be in Seoul as a traveller are during holiday periods, in particular July and August. Accommodation is expensive, transport is crowded and people are everywhere. Especially avoid Lunar New Year (first day of the first moon).
Area
99,373 sq km
38,368 sq miles
Population
48,000,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Korean (official)
Religion
25% Christianity, 25% Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, 50% none.
Currency
Republic of Korean Won (W)
Electricity
220V 60HzHz
- On ferries heading in or out of South Korea, you'll see people wearing small pieces of sticking plaster behind their ears. This is kimitae, supposedly a cure for sea-sickness, available from local pharmacies.
- In Korea, the number four is considered very unlucky, as it sounds just like the Korean word for death (as). Most hotels don't have a fourth floor, and hospitals never do.
---
IRELAND:
Full Name
Éire (Republic of Ireland)
Capital City
Dublin
Area
70,300 sq km
27,143 sq miles
Population
3,969,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC 0 ()
Daylight Saving Start
last Sunday in March
Daylight Saving End
last Sunday in October
Languages
*English* (official)
Although English is the main language of Ireland, it's spoken with a mellifluous lilt and a peculiar way of structuring sentences, to be sure.
*Gaelic* (official)
There remain areas of western and southern Ireland, known as the Gaeltacht, where Irish (Gaelic) is the native language - they include parts of Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal and the Aran Islands. There are around 83,000 native speakers. Since Independence in 1921, the Republic of Ireland has declared itself to be bilingual, and many documents and road signs are printed in both Gaelic and English.
Religion
90% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant
Currency
Euro (Euro)
Electricity
230V 50HzHz
--- In Ireland ---
BELFAST
- Built in 1870 for the third Marquess of Donegall, in the Scottish Baronial style made fashionable by Queen Victoria's recently built Balmoral, the multiturreted pomp of Belfast Castle commands the eastern slopes of Cave Hill. It was presented to the City of Belfast in 1934.
Extensive renovation between 1978 and 1988 left the interior comfortably modern rather than intriguingly antique, and the castle is now a popular venue for wedding receptions. Upstairs is the Cave Hill Visitor Centre with displays on the folklore, history, archaeology and natural history of the park. Downstairs is the Cellar Restaurant and a small antiques shop.
Legend has it that the castle's residents will experience good fortune only as long as a white cat lives there, a tale commemorated in the formal gardens by nine portrayals of cats in mosaic, painting, sculpture and garden furniture.
CORK
DUBLIN
GALWAY (Gaillimh)
KNOCK
---
England:
--- More to Come
JAPAN:
Full Name
Japan (Nihon)
Capital City
Tokyo
Area
377,835 sq km
145,882 sq miles
Population
127,000,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Japanese (official)
- Set aside several years if you want to learn to read Japanese. Japan has one of the most complex writing systems in the world, using three different scripts (four if you include the increasingly used Roman script romaji). Fortunately, for visitors to Japan, it's not all bad news. Unlike other Asian languages, Japanese is not tonal and the pronunciation system is fairly easy to master. In fact, with a little effort, getting together a repertoire of travellers' phrases should be no trouble - the only problem will be understanding what people say back to you.
Religion
Shintō, Buddhism, Christianity.
Currency
Yen (¥)
Electricity
100V 50HzHz
--- In Japan ---
KYOTO:
Area
610 sq km
236 sq miles
Population
1,500,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
- Weather-wise, spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit Kyoto, although they're also popular times for tourists and school groups. Having said that, although the summers (June-Aug) can be muggy, it's still a nice time to be there. If you're really out to avoid crowds, winter (Dec-Feb) - though very cold - might be just your ticket. Holidays and festivals are celebrated with crowded gusto in Kyoto, so cherry-blossom season in April and Golden Week (late April/early May) are great times to be in the city.
NAGOYA:
Area
5,150 sq km
1,988 sq miles
Population
2,184,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
OSAKA:
Area
221 sq km
85 sq miles
Population
2,600,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Japanese (official)
---
SOUTH KOREA:
Full Name
Republic of Korea
Capital City
Seoul (pop 10.3 million)
- The worst times to be in Seoul as a traveller are during holiday periods, in particular July and August. Accommodation is expensive, transport is crowded and people are everywhere. Especially avoid Lunar New Year (first day of the first moon).
Area
99,373 sq km
38,368 sq miles
Population
48,000,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +9 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Languages
Korean (official)
Religion
25% Christianity, 25% Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, 50% none.
Currency
Republic of Korean Won (W)
Electricity
220V 60HzHz
- On ferries heading in or out of South Korea, you'll see people wearing small pieces of sticking plaster behind their ears. This is kimitae, supposedly a cure for sea-sickness, available from local pharmacies.
- In Korea, the number four is considered very unlucky, as it sounds just like the Korean word for death (as). Most hotels don't have a fourth floor, and hospitals never do.
---
IRELAND:
Full Name
Éire (Republic of Ireland)
Capital City
Dublin
Area
70,300 sq km
27,143 sq miles
Population
3,969,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC 0 ()
Daylight Saving Start
last Sunday in March
Daylight Saving End
last Sunday in October
Languages
*English* (official)
Although English is the main language of Ireland, it's spoken with a mellifluous lilt and a peculiar way of structuring sentences, to be sure.
*Gaelic* (official)
There remain areas of western and southern Ireland, known as the Gaeltacht, where Irish (Gaelic) is the native language - they include parts of Kerry, Galway, Mayo, Donegal and the Aran Islands. There are around 83,000 native speakers. Since Independence in 1921, the Republic of Ireland has declared itself to be bilingual, and many documents and road signs are printed in both Gaelic and English.
Religion
90% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant
Currency
Euro (Euro)
Electricity
230V 50HzHz
--- In Ireland ---
BELFAST
- Built in 1870 for the third Marquess of Donegall, in the Scottish Baronial style made fashionable by Queen Victoria's recently built Balmoral, the multiturreted pomp of Belfast Castle commands the eastern slopes of Cave Hill. It was presented to the City of Belfast in 1934.
Extensive renovation between 1978 and 1988 left the interior comfortably modern rather than intriguingly antique, and the castle is now a popular venue for wedding receptions. Upstairs is the Cave Hill Visitor Centre with displays on the folklore, history, archaeology and natural history of the park. Downstairs is the Cellar Restaurant and a small antiques shop.
Legend has it that the castle's residents will experience good fortune only as long as a white cat lives there, a tale commemorated in the formal gardens by nine portrayals of cats in mosaic, painting, sculpture and garden furniture.
CORK
DUBLIN
GALWAY (Gaillimh)
KNOCK
---
England:
--- More to Come