The Japanese macaque, also known as the snow monkey, is the northernmost-living non-human primate and is famous for its habit of bathing in hot springs during the winter.

The Japanese wagtail is a small bird that is found throughout Japan's rivers and streams and is known for its distinctive bobbing tail.

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