The Japanese language is written using three scripts: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana (both phonetic scripts).

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

Yakitori, a dish made with skewered and grilled chicken, is a popular Japanese street food.