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2023-07-03 20:33 dustin  
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THE JAPANESE "HINOMARU" FLAG ("HI NO MARU" = "circular SUN") IS SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL: THE (crimson) RED CIRCLE SYMBOLIZES THE SUN, WHICH IS OF COURSE VERY SUITABLE FOR THE "LAND OF THE RISING SUN"! :D  
  
THE SUN HAS A VERY IMPORTANT MEANING FOR THE COUNTRY:  
  
| JAPAN'S GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION IN THE FAR EAST IS NATURALLY THE REASON WHY IT'S CALLED "LAND OF THE RISING SUN".   
| the reference to the sun is even manifested in the word "japan" itself, which historically goes back to chinese "jih pun", which literally means "rise of the sun"! (jih = sun, pun = origin) so in fact, it was in china where the name "land of the rising sun" was used first - this makes sense because from china's perspective, the sun rises "in japan"! also the native japanese word "nippon" has the same meaning.  
| THE SUN ALSO PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY: THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN IS SAID TO BE A DESCENDANT OF AMATERASU, THE GODDESS OF THE SUN ACCORDING TO THE JAPANESE shinto religion.  
  
WHILE THE FLAG IS COMMONLY CALLED "HINOMARU" IN- AND OUTSIDE JAPAN, ITS OFFICIAL NAME IS "NISSHOKI" (FLAG OF THE SUN).  
  
in fact, the hinomaru flag was officially declared to be japan's national flag only in 1999! until then, japan had no official national flag, although hinomaru had widely been known as japan's symbol long before.  
  
inside japan, there are actually two different pronounciations of the home country: while 2/3 of the japanese say "nihon", the remaining 1/3 say "nippon". the japanese spelling, however, is the same in both cases.

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2023-07-03 20:44 Piter  
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japan, honda :D

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2023-07-03 23:19 dustin  
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edmundo honda from street fighter? good fighter, although i prefer the other japanese, ryu. ha-do-ken! :d

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2023-07-04 12:59 Piter  
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rather honda motor co. named after Soichiro Honda :-)

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2023-07-06 20:55 dustin  
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ah, i see :) sushi is also great yummi :d

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2023-07-06 20:55 dustin  
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and nintendo of course ;)