The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.

The Kamakura period, which lasted from the 12th to the 14th century, was a time of political upheaval and marked the rise of the shogunate.

The bullet train (Shinkansen), which began operation in 1964, was the first high-speed train system in the world and is still one of the fastest.