Bento boxes, a type of lunchbox that contains various Japanese dishes such as rice, fish, vegetables, and meat, are a popular way to enjoy Japanese food on the go.

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

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