Karaoke, a popular form of entertainment in Japan, originated in Kobe in the 1970s.

The Taisho period, which lasted from 1912 to 1926, was marked by political instability and social change, including the rise of labor unions and women's rights movements.

The Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century were repelled by a combination of strategic planning and a typhoon that destroyed the invading fleet.