Wagyu beef, a type of high-quality beef that is known for its marbling and tenderness, is a popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine.

The Japanese river otter, once common throughout Japan, is now extinct due to habitat destruction and hunting.

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