Sapporo is the largest city on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and is known for its winter sports and beer.

Shonen Jump, a weekly manga magazine published by Shueisha, has been a major influence on the development of anime and manga culture in Japan, and has produced many popular anime series such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto.

The Showa period, which lasted from 1926 to 1989, was marked by Japan's militarism and involvement in World War II.