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

The Todaiji Temple in Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world's largest bronze statue of Buddha.

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