The Japanese men's national basketball team has competed in several Olympic Games and has produced several NBA players, including Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe.

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

Japanese anime has gained a huge following outside of Japan and has become an important part of global popular culture, with many anime conventions and fan events held around the world.