The Japanese flying squirrel is a small arboreal mammal that is native to Japan's forests and is known for its gliding ability.

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

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