THE JAPANESE FLAG
The Japanese flag is called Hinomaru, meaning "circle of the sun" The red circle in the middle representing the sun symbolizes the Japanese nationalism. This officially became the flag in 1870. There is a legend that says that the emperor of Japan is a descendant of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun. Sometimes, Japan is called Nihon or Nippon by its people which means "source of the sun." This is the reason why Japan is also known as the "Land of the Rising Sun."
Japan's National Anthem
"Kimigayo" is the national anthem of Japan and the world's oldest lyrics in a national anthem. It is also one of the world's shortest national anthems currently in use with a length of 11 measures and 32 characters. From 1868 to 1945, it served as the national anthem of the Empire of Japan. The current melody was chosen in 1880 and replaced an unpopular one used eleven years earlier.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia