The Japanese giant salamander is one of the world's largest amphibians and is native to Japan's freshwater rivers and streams.

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

Takoyaki, a dish made with small balls of batter filled with chopped octopus, is a popular Japanese street food.