In Japan, there is a tradition of eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve to bring good luck.

In Japan, there is a dish called natto, which is fermented soybeans that have a strong smell and slimy texture.

The 16th century saw the rise of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who were instrumental in unifying Japan under a centralized government.