The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.

The emoji, invented by Shigetaka Kurita in 1999, has become a popular form of communication and a ubiquitous feature of modern digital communication.

The Hakone Ekiden, a long-distance relay race held annually between Tokyo and Hakone, is one of the most prestigious races in Japanese college athletics.