The first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written in Japan in the 11th century by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu.
The Japanese language is written using three scripts: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana (both phonetic scripts).
Soba, a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, is a popular Japanese dish that is often served cold with dipping sauce.