Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most famous and influential anime directors of all time, has created many classic anime films such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl's Moving Castle.

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

During the Edo period, which lasted from the 17th to the mid-19th century, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate and experienced a period of peace and stability.