The Hells of Beppu in Beppu, a city on the island of Kyushu, are a series of hot springs that are too hot for bathing, but are a unique and interesting sight to see.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan's northeast coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

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