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

The earliest known Japanese animation was produced in 1907, and the first feature-length anime film was released in 1945.

Sword Art Online, created by Reki Kawahara in 2009, is a popular anime and light novel series that takes place in a virtual reality MMORPG world.