20 minutes

A giraffe sleeps only 20 minutes a day! There are two main reasons: first, they need to eat a large amount to maintain their bodies, which takes a lot of time; second, as herbivores, giraffes are at risk of being attacked by carnivores. They may sleep for 20 minutes, but the time they spend in deep sleep is said to be even shorter.

fat

The fat in a camel’s hump is used as energy when it goes long periods without food in the desert. Because the hump is closer to the sun, it is also said to help shield the body from sunlight. There are even dishes that use camel hump.

Woof

Many of you might have found it surprisingly unexpected. A zebra’s call actually sounds quite a lot like a dog. It seems you rarely get to hear it in zoos, but there are videos online, so if you’re interested, be sure to check them out.

8 pieces

Regions that do not face the sea are called landlocked prefectures. There are eight of them: Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shiga, and Nara. There’s a mnemonic to remember them: “Gusatto Yanagi Shinaru.”

white

When it comes to pandas, their distinctive black-and-white coloring comes to mind. They’re also hugely popular as characters, like Tarepanda and the Shopping Panda. As for a panda’s tail, its color is not black but white. Since there are character pandas with white bodies and black tails, many people might have assumed the tail was black.

Napolitan (Japanese-style ketchup pasta)

It is said to be a menu created by Shigetada Irie, the executive chef of Hotel New Grand in Yokohama, who was inspired by the meals of the occupying forces after World War II. Because pasta with tomato sauce was often referred to as Neapolitan style, it came to be called “Napolitan.”

about tenfold

Gorillas have grip strength about ten times that of humans. It’s estimated to be around 400–500 kg, with a Guinness record of 600 kg. A human could practically be crushed like a twig. Some zoos reportedly have exhibits that let you understand a gorilla’s strength, so be sure to check them out if you can.

swordfish

The marlin is the fastest creature living in the water. As a pelagic migratory fish, it has a lot of muscle, and it’s said to reduce water resistance with oil secreted from a gland near its bill. The sailfish, considered the fastest, has large fins and can change direction quickly.

heel

When you hear the English term “heel of the bread,” as a Japanese person you kind of feel like, “We were still being too soft about it,” right? I mean, if it’s a heel, you might not want to eat it. No, no—because it’s crunchy and crisp, you know? Maybe this way of putting it is actually more accurate.

eggplant

You might have some idea about Mount Fuji and the hawk, but some may wonder why the eggplant is included. There are various theories: its auspicious association with the word “to accomplish” (nasu) due to the sound of its name, the fact that it was an expensive vegetable at the time, and that Tokugawa Ieyasu favored it.