The Japanese murrelet is a small seabird that is native to Japan's coastal waters and is known for its distinctive black and white markings.

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 produced several successful Olympians, including swimmer Kosuke Kitajima and figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.