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 Japan national baseball team has won two World Baseball Classic championships and has been a dominant force in international baseball.

Shonen Jump, a weekly manga magazine published by Shueisha, has been a major influence on the development of anime and manga culture in Japan, and has produced many popular anime series such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto.