The Japanese macaque, also known as the snow monkey, is the northernmost-living non-human primate and is famous for its habit of bathing in hot springs during the winter.

Astro Boy, created by Osamu Tezuka in 1963, is considered the first modern anime and helped to popularize the genre both in Japan and around the world.

The Todaiji Temple in Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world's largest bronze statue of Buddha.