World's most popular emoji ranking shows something missing from Japan's top picks
In Japan, yearly observances such as Wagashi Day, Good Bath Day, and Boobs Day are always a source of fun for aficionados of their particular themes. However, Japan isn't the only country with such quasi-holidays. In fact, some such celebrations are global affairs, such as World Emoji Day, which fell on July 17.
In observance of World Emoji Day, Baidu Japan, the Japanese division of Chinese tech firm Baidu, maker of the Simeji emoji keyboard app, conducted a tally of the most-used emoji among Simeji users across 16 different countries, Japan, the U.S., UK, France, Russia, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Argentina, Mexico, Iraq, Egypt, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and India, during the first half of 2025.
When everything was added up, the most-used emoji across that entire user base was…
…this specific crying face. Those twin tear cascades were the most commonly used emoji in 12 of the 16 countries, including Japan, the U.S., and the UK. What's more, out of the four remaining countries, three of them, France, Iraq, and Egypt, had different crying faces as their favorites, with Russia the only country with no tears in its number-one emoji.
▼ Top five emoji for Japan, U.S., UK and France (first row), Russia, Spain, Italy and Turkey (second row), Argentina, Mexico, Iraq and Egypt (third row), and Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and India (fourth row)
So why is the crying face so widely used across different regions, languages, and communication cultures? Baidu Japan thinks it's because of how versatile that exact emoji is. The free-flowing tears are a strong show of emotion, but the overall expression (the shape and position of the eyebrows, eyes, and mouth) and pretty noncommittal. Those could be tears of joy, laughter, gratitude, empathy, or sadness, depending on the context, or even some mix of those that's hard to convey in words, making an emoji an especially effective and appealing way to send those sentiments to somebody on the other end of a text chat. Some of that also applies to the crying faces that were the top picks for France, Iraq and Egypt, but the expressions on their number-one emoji seem to be either smiling or wincing, which sort of limits how useful they are for expressing more tender or sympathetic feelings.
As further proof of how versatile crying emoji are, aside from Argentina and Mexico every country had at least two in their top five, and some had three. But while crying faces showed up across the board, Japan's top five results were unique in the three different ways.
Japan's number two and three emoji didn't show up in any other country's top five. It's not hard to imagine the reason for the disparity with sweat drops. In Japan, stylized sweat drops have been used as a symbol for hurried, panicked, or emphatic action in manga/anime and graphic art for several decades, but it's not uncommon for the emoji to be used/seen as a symbol of a different sort of bodily fluid among online communities in other countries, one with much narrower situational applicability.
As for the double exclamation points, they don't have any unique significance in Japan, but their popularity could be related to how one of the most common ways to show surprise in Japanese is to let out an elongated 'E—-eeeee,' with a rising intonation. However, that same sound, but with a dropping intonation, instead indicates disapproval or doubt that what the other person said is true, and since intonation isn't something that can be conveyed in Japanese writing, using an emoji to show that you're surprised is sometimes a safer choice.
And the third way Japan's results are unique? It's the only country with no hearts, either as stand-alone emoji or as elements (such as a face with hearts for eyes) in its top five.
The easy explanation here is that Japanese people are less likely to directly say 'I love you' than people in many other cultures, but there's a little more to it than that. While people in some countries may use the heart emoji to express familial love, in Japan they're almost exclusively used to express romantic love. A Japanese grandma, for example, isn't likely to send her out-of-prefecture grandchild a text that says 'Happy birthday, sweetie! Grandma misses you,' nor would said grandkid respond with, 'Thanks, Grandma! I miss you too ' With a narrower range of usable situations, it's not surprising that Japan uses fewer heart emoji, but it doesn't necessarily mean that Japanese people don't care about love (after all, they've got multiple words for it).
Source: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- The three ways to say 'love' in Japanese, and when to use them
-- What's the real meaning of Japan's 'burning tofu' emoji?
-- Keyboard app shares most common emoji by country, Japan's are completely different from others
External Link
https://soranews24.com/2025/07/20/worlds-most-popular-emoji-ranking-shows-something-missing-from-japans-top-picks/
© SoraNews24
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SoraNews24
a day ago
- SoraNews24
Immerse yourself in all things Heisei era at the Neo Heisei Retro exhibition now open in Shibuya
'I didn't choose the Heisei retro life–the Heisei retro life chose me.' While modern Japan primarily uses the Gregorian calendar for most things, a complementary system of Japanese era names known nengo is also in use. These era names correspond to the reign of each emperor, with each year within an era receiving its own number as well. For instance, 2025 can also be referred to as Reiwa 7, as it's the seventh year since Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne on May 1, 2019. The three most recent Japanese eras are the Reiwa era (2019-present), the Heisei era (1989-2019), and the Showa era (1926-1989). A concept called 'Showa retro' has been around for a while, referring to an appreciation for the nostalgic artifacts, music, lifestyles, and other cultural embodiments of the Showa era. In more recent years, however, the term 'Heisei retro' has also begun popping up for a similar appreciation of all things Heisei. ▼ As a millennial whose formative years were spent in the Heisei era, I was equal parts delighted and shocked to start seeing displays like this collection of Heisei-era music hits popping up in stores (are the things I like really old enough to be considered 'retro' now??). © SoraNews24 For anyone who's feeling like taking a little stroll down the Heisei-era lane, there's no better place to visit than the special Neo Heisei Retro Exhibition currently running from July 24 to August 31 at the Seibu Shibuya Store in Tokyo's Shibuya district, a fitting location as the mecca of youth culture and trends back in the Heisei day. The exhibition is the brainchild of one Mero Yamashita, a Heisei-era enthusiast and self-appointed guardian of all things Heisei. ▼ Mero Yamashita was born in 1981 and spent his formative years in the onset of the Heisei era. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NEO平成レトロ展 (@neoheisei_retro) The exhibition's opening day was attended by official ambassadors and musical unit Chi⭐︎Q. The duo, composed of Ippei Kyuma and Mamoru Daichi, debuted as 'psychic idols' on April 1, 1989, the official first day of the Heisei era. They enjoyed a ribbon-cutting ceremony and playing around with some of the 300 Heisei-era items on display. Diving more into the contents of the event, the exhibition is comprised of nine different sections centered on common themes. The walls are also decorated with 'neo Heisei retro' designs–illustrations meant to evoke the feeling of Heisei from a modern Reiwa lens–which are befitting of the exhibition's main slogan: 'Towards a 'Heisei' that's nostalgic but new somewhere in your memories.' For instance, there are areas dedicated to digital cameras and the garakei mobile flip-phones that were unique to Japan at the time. You can even hold one of the phones in your hand and see if your muscle memory takes over. Other featured gadgets include pagers, music players, and transparent goods that were all the rage back then. The entertainment section is sure to be a big hit by bringing you right back to the hottest gaming systems, CDs, and toys (like Tamagotchi!) of the time. There's even a section devoted to Heisei fashion trends such as kogyaru style and more. Contemporary fashion magazines are also on display. Finally, some of the more interactive elements of the exhibition include a quiz area to test your knowledge on whether something is from the Heisei era or the Showa era, as well as a community journal where you can share your favorite Heisei memories with others. Of course, in true Japanese exhibition fashion, there's also event-exclusive merchandise for purchase, including goods like stickers with common Heisei-era slang and buzzwords. Tickets for the Neo Heisei Retro Exhibition cost 1,800 yen (US$12.12) for general admission and can be purchased at Lawson Ticket or TBS Tickets in advance. On weekends and other days expected to have high traffic, tickets may be valid on a timed-entry system at the start of every hour. For more on how some brands such as Sanrio has also leaned into the Heisei era, check out this piece as well. Exhibition information Neo Heisei Retro Exhibition / NEO平成レトロ展 Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Udagawa-cho 21-1, Seibu Shibuya Store, A Building, 2nd floor event space 東京都渋谷区宇田川町 21-1 西武渋谷店 A館2F イベントスペース Duration: July 24-August 31, 2025 Open: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (last entry at 7:30 p.m.) Website Source: Shibuya Keizai Shimbun Images: SoraNews24, PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
SoraNews24
3 days ago
- SoraNews24
What is Japan's new 'summer matcha' ice cream flavor from confectioner Morinaga?【Taste test】
More matcha from Mow Matcha. Japan has an array of seasonal sweets flavors, and summer is no exception. Some of these are connected to produce that's in season, like watermelon and peach, while others flavors are summer favorites because of their refreshing or cooling sensations, like mint chocolate and lemon. But we were puzzled when, on our most recent dessert run, we saw that one of our options was 'summer matcha.' Matcha has become such a staple flavor of the Japanese sweets scene that it's really a year-round thing, and the green tea harvest season starts in spring. Adding to the mystery is the fact that Morinaga, the makers of the Mow brand of ice cream, are selling both the limited-time Mow Uji Matcha Summer Scent Matcha at the same time as their always-on-sale regular Mow Uji Matcha flavor. ▼ Summer matcha on the left, year-round matcha on the right. And if you're wondering about the brand's name, 'Mow,' pronounced with a long O like in 'mow the lawn,' is the onomatopoeia in Japanese for the sound of a cow mooing. So yes, we were puzzled by the unexpected appearance of 'summer matcha,' but also curious. More than anything else, we were hungry, and one of the philosophical pillars that SoraNews24 is built on is that whenever the possibility to do so arises, one should always pursue the truth by eating double desserts, so that's what we set out to do. Popping the tops off of both cups, we could see that the Summer Scent Matcha's shade of green was a touch deeper than the regular version's. We figure that's a result of how while both flavors source their matcha from the Kyoto Prefecture town of Uji, the Summer Scent boasts that its matcha comes from specialized tea merchant Marukyu Koyamaen. Grabbing two spoons, so as not to mix their flavors, we then took a taste of each… …and… …couldn't immediately tell the difference. In and of itself, this wasn't such a huge problem, since it's hard to get upset about not being able to instantly differentiate between 'delicious' and 'delicious,' which were our first impressions of both Mow matcha flavors. Still, there has to be something that's supposed to set one apart from the other, right? As is so often the case in life, it turned out that the correct course of action was to keep eating ice cream. Making our way closer to the bottom of the cups, the sadness that we now had less ice cream than we did just a few moments before was counterbalanced by the newfound knowledge that Mow's Summer Scent and regular matcha flavors are, in fact, different. The regular version, pictured above, starts with a sharper hit of green tea bitterness, and the strong matcha notes continue down to its core. After a few bites, the bitterness never disappears from your palate until sometime after you've completely finished the cup, making for a mature, soothing flavor profile. Meanwhile, the Summer Scent Matcha, while still having a properly pronounced green tea taste, is gentler. It leads with more sweet and creamy flavors, for a lighter, more refreshing effect, which meshes with the idea of making a more 'summery' matcha flavor, which Morinaga says was its goal. We don't have any equipment with which to measure whether or not the Summer Scent Matcha is actually more fragrant than the regular Mow Matcha, but with the bitterness being less insistent and attention-grabbing, we did feel like we could notice a stronger tea aroma too. Price-wise, we paid 184 yen (US$1.30) for the limited-time Mow Summer Scent Matcha and 102 yen for the regular matcha, though we found the latter at a discounted price during a multi-market grocery shopping trip, so the price differential probably isn't usually that large. To really appreciate the differences between the Summer Scent and regular Mow matcha, it's probably easiest to eat them both in the same sitting, so we recommend either saving extra room for dessert or enlisting a friend to split the two cups half-and-half with…or maybe inviting three of your friends if you want to add the two different Häagen-Dazs Japan green tea ice creams to your bill of fare as well. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
4 days ago
- SoraNews24
Visiting Hokkaido's adorable and awesome Asahikawa rice paddy art【Photos】
Mascot characters, a hometown hero, and creative ice cream make this a great place to pull over in Japan's northernmost prefecture. Once you get out of the city centers, Hokkaido Prefecture has some of the most expansively wide-open spaces in all of Japan. But if you're driving through the rural farmland of the town of Asahikawa right now, at one spot you'll probably notice more cars parked than at the average field in the area. This is the parking lot for JA Taisetsu, a small produce market and space for local community events. As for why there's an observation platform next to the main building? That's so that you can climb the steps up to the top… …and observe… …the amazing rice field art! Though most rice stalks turn a golden light brown in the fall around harvesting time and the grains are then polished (ground, actually) to a white color, depending on the specific type of rice the plants can appear as a variety of hues, from pale green to dark brown, during the summer months. Because of that, artistically minded agriculturists can, with careful planning and precise hand-planting, make mosaics out of the crops. Planting takes place in the spring, though, and it's not until months later that the plants will have matured and the full artistic effect can be appreciated. But right now this year's Asahikawa rice paddy art is reaching its peak beauty, or perhaps its peak adorableness is the better description. The town changes the design every year, but for 2025 it features Asappi, Asahikawa's polar bear/spotted seal mascot character, and Attakasu-kun, the hawk goodwill ambassador for Takasucho, the district of Asahikawa that includes the rice paddy art field. Also represented in this year's paddy is Haruka Kitaguchi, the Asahikawa-born track and field athlete who won the gold medal in the women's javelin throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics. There's no admission fee charged to walk up to the top of the observation deck and take in the view, and while you're up there you can also see all the way to the the Daisetsuzan mountain range. There is, however, a donation box for those who'd like to voluntarily contribute to the rice paddy art's development and maintenance. Another way you can show your support is to buy something at the attached shop that's periodically open. On our visit, we treated ourselves to some hojicha (roasted green tea) ice cream with grains of locally grown rice in it, and also picked up some corn soup packets to take home, all of which was delicious. ▼ The location of the paddy As a living work of public art, Asahikawa's 2025 rice paddy art won't last forever, but it should still be looking good through mid-August. And if you want to experience even more of this unique art style, there's a paddy worth checking out in baseball star Shohei Ohtani's hometown in Iwate Prefecture too. Location information JA Taisetsu Rice Paddy Art / Aたいせつ田んぼアート Address: Hokkaido, Asahikawa, Higashi Takasu, Route 7 Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
