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.

Kendo, a martial art that uses bamboo swords and protective armor, is a popular sport in Japan and is often taught in schools.

In Japan, there is a tradition of eating KFC for Christmas dinner, which started as a marketing campaign in the 1970s.