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 tradition of eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve to bring good luck.

Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter sports in Japan, with the country hosting several major ski resorts and hosting international competitions.