The first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written in Japan in the 11th century by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu.
The Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a famous example of Japanese Buddhist architecture.
The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.
