Kendo, a martial art that uses bamboo swords and protective armor, is a popular sport in Japan and is often taught in schools.

The Japanese giant salamander is one of the world's largest amphibians and is native to Japan's freshwater rivers and streams.

Mobile Suit Gundam, created by Yoshiyuki Tomino in 1979, is a popular anime series that helped to popularize the mecha genre of anime, which features giant robots.