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

Japan has a tradition of wrapping gifts in cloth called furoshiki, which can be reused and is more environmentally friendly.

Dashi, a type of stock made from fish and seaweed, is a key ingredient in many Japanese dishes and is often used to add flavor and umami.