The airbag, which was co-invented by Yasuzaburo Kobori and Allen K. Breed in the 1980s, has become a standard safety feature in automobiles worldwide.

In Japan, there is a sport called bo-taoshi that involves two teams trying to knock down each other's pole.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, created by Nagaru Tanigawa in 2003, is a popular light novel series and anime that explores themes of existentialism, time travel, and alternate realities.