Rising Sun

[Johnmof]

Does anyone know why Japan is known as the land of the rising sun? I appreciate that for Americans and Europeans the sun will come up from the East and Japan is to the east of us, but the sun will rise in the east for everyone, including Japan. I don't think they call America the land of the rising sun, even though that's where, for them, the sun rises. Just wondered.

[Octavius]

The written/drawn characters that make up Japan's name (meaning Nihon/Nippon or Nihon-koku / Nippon-koku) literally mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun."

[Octavius]

More detail:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Japan

[landie]

I guess it's as far east as you can get, which is where the sun rises.

Depends where you start from though.

[Stu in USA]

Actually here on the west coast of USA, Japan is the land of setting sun. Also landie as far East as you can get is in the middle of the Pacific, namely the International Date Line, or 180 degrees of longitude. I think.

[landie]

Yes, but they wouldn't call that 'The LAND of the rising Sun'.