The first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written in Japan in the 11th century by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu.

The Hakone Ekiden, a long-distance relay race held annually between Tokyo and Hakone, is one of the most prestigious races in Japanese college athletics.

Ghost in the Shell, created by Masamune Shirow in 1989, is a popular anime and manga series that explores themes of cybernetics, artificial intelligence, and the nature of humanity.