Osaka is Japan's third-largest city and a major commercial and industrial hub, with a population of over 19 million people in the greater Osaka area.

Sword Art Online, created by Reki Kawahara in 2009, is a popular anime and light novel series that takes place in a virtual reality MMORPG world.

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.