The Showa period, which lasted from 1926 to 1989, was marked by Japan's militarism and involvement in World War II.

Dashi, a type of stock made from fish and seaweed, is a key ingredient in many Japanese dishes and is often used to add flavor and umami.

The Japanese language is written using three scripts: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana (both phonetic scripts).