the Nile River

The Nile River runs through the African continent and is said to be about 6,650 kilometers long, making it the longest river in the world. It has been historically significant, having nurtured many civilizations, including ancient Egyptian civilization. In Arabic, “Nile” means “river,” and its simplicity evokes a sense of history.

Japan

Didn’t you think slippers were a cultural import from the West? Surprisingly, the answer is Japan. It’s said they were made by Risaburo Tokuno, a Tokyo tailor, during the opening of the country in the 19th century.

China

China is the country with the highest beer consumption in the world. Because China has a very large population, its per capita consumption does not surpass that of some other countries, but the nation’s total beer consumption is overwhelming. China has many domestic beer manufacturers and regionally limited craft beers, and a beer culture is taking root, especially among younger generations. In particular, consumption tends to surge during the summer and at events, and the country maintains a world-leading level of beer consumption every year.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s official name is “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” This official name is very long and is among the longest of any country in the world. Although it is often shortened to “the UK” in international contexts, the full name distinctly reflects the nation’s history as a kingdom and its geographical composition. It is also used in international official documents, and its length sometimes becomes a topic of conversation.

gold bar

Interestingly, the word “nugget,” popular in fast food and lunch boxes, also means a lump of gold or metal. It’s said the meaning comes from their golden-fried look and shape, reminiscent of gold nuggets. Taken literally, “chicken nugget” would mean something like a “natural gold nugget.”

8800m

Mount Everest, one of the Himalayas, has an exact elevation of 8,848 meters. It is twice the height of Mount Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan.

Because it’s a color that excites people.

In bullfighting, cattle can only distinguish colors like white and black, and they simply react to the danger signaled by the fluttering movement of the cape; in reality, the cape can be any color. They say a red cape is used because humans imagine the color of blood, which excites them and makes them more aggressive.