Hey Dada,” my six-year-old says. “When did Japan start believing in Pokemon?” It’s day three of our journey through the land of the rising sun and we’re getting to the big questions.

4. The wooden strip was excavated in 2001 from a site thought to be the location of an "Emon-fu" guards' office that was part of the central government in Japan's ancient capital of Fujiwara-kyo.