I found out about this after seeing at talk at the RSA called Adventures in Numberland by author and journalist Alex Bellos.
Similar to the 'spelling bee' in America, in Japan kids learn to add numbers really quickly using the anzan method. They do this not by actually adding the numbers but by visualising an abacus in their head and then mentally adjusting it as the numbers are flashed in front of them. This method allows them to add up visually and to give the answer imediately without even really having to take in the actual digits.
Crazy!
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