Japan's isolationist policy during the Edo period limited contact with the outside world but allowed for the development of unique cultural practices and traditions.

Takoyaki, a dish made with small balls of batter filled with chopped octopus, is a popular Japanese street food.

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.