The Miyajima Island in Hiroshima is famous for its giant torii gate that appears to float on the water at high tide, and is considered one of Japan's most scenic spots.

The Japanese giant salamander is one of the world's largest amphibians and is native to Japan's freshwater rivers and streams.

The Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century saw the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the modernization of Japan.