Kendo, a martial art that uses bamboo swords and protective armor, is a popular sport in Japan and is often taught in schools.

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

In Japan, there is a sport called bo-taoshi that involves two teams trying to knock down each other's pole.