Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most famous and influential anime directors of all time, has created many classic anime films such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle.

The Japanese language is written using three scripts: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana (both phonetic scripts).

Basketball is growing in popularity in Japan, with several professional teams and the national team competing at the highest level.