The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 caused widespread destruction in Tokyo and killed over 100,000 people.

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

The Allied occupation of Japan following World War II brought about major political and social changes, including the drafting of a new constitution and the abolition of the samurai class.