Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are a national symbol of Japan and are celebrated each spring with picnics and festivals.

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 Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century saw the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the modernization of Japan.