The Todaiji Temple in Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world's largest bronze statue of Buddha.

Kitakyushu is a major industrial city in southwestern Japan, located on the island of Kyushu, and is known for its steel and automotive industries.

The Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century were repelled by a combination of strategic planning and a typhoon that destroyed the invading fleet.