The rice cooker, invented in the 1950s, has made cooking rice faster and more convenient for households worldwide.

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

Tokyo is Japan's largest city and the world's most populous metropolitan area, with over 37 million people.