History of Japan – Japanese History: an overview by era
Early Japan until 710  Nara Period 710-794 Heian Period 794-1192 Kamakura Period 1192-1336 Muromachi Period 1336-1573 Azuchi-Momoyama Period 1573-1603 Edo Period 1603-1868 Meiji Period 1868-1912 Taisho and Early Showa Period 1912-1945 Postwar Period 1945-Present
Early Japanese history until 710
The earliest human settlements in Japan are estimated to date from the
Ice Age, about 30,000 years ago. At that time all four main Japanese islands
were linked. The southernmost island of Kyushu was joined to the Korean
peninsula and the northernmost island of Hokkaido to Siberia. Read more.
Nara Period Japanese History 710-794
From 710 the capital was the patterned Chinese-style city of Nara:
an incongruous island of Chineseness in a landscape of pit dwellings,
signifying the aristocracy’s break from tribal culture. Buddhism continued
to grow in power, and in 738 the Emperor Shomu, in an attempt to counter
a smallpox epidemic and social unrest, founded the Buddhist temple of
Todaiji and ordered for it the creation of a 16m (53-foot) high gilt
bronze Buddha. Read
more
Heian Period Japanese History 794-1192
The first Heian Emperor Kammu was probably the most powerful
of any Emperor before or since, but after his death in 806 the Fujiwara
increased in political power by providing the imperial house with Fujiwara
concubines and imperial consorts, thus forging marriage bonds that gave
Fujiwara nobles access to the highest Court administrative positions. Read more.
Kamakura Period Japanese History 1192-1333
In August 1192 Minamoto Yoritomo was appointed seii taishogun
('barabarian-subduing generalissimo') or, more briefly, Shogun, under
the new Emperor Go-Toba. He was different from previous 'advisors' to
the Emperor (i.e. regents) in that he exercised his power from the town
of Kamakura, his Kanto (i.e. present Tokyo area) power base, not Heian
(Kyoto). Read more
Muromachi Period Japanese History 1336-1573
Go-Daigo managed to flee Kyoto in January 1337 and establish his own
junior line court in the mountain wilderness of Yoshino, south of Kyoto.
Meanwhile the Northern (senior line) Court presided in Kyoto, controlled
by Ashikaga Takauji. Unlike the previous Bakufu, under the Hojo, the
new Bakufu under Takauji felt obliged to remain in Kyoto and exert direct
control. The next few decades were spent trying to solve the succession
dispute by fighting the junior line Southern Court. Read
more.
Azuchi-Momoyama Period Japanese History 1573-1603
The Azuchi-Momoyama era began as a contest among the most powerful daimyo to
install an Ashikaga successor of their choice in the Muromachi Bakufu.
The determined and ruthless daimyo Oda Nobunaga was successful in entering
Kyoto and setting up Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th Shogun. He then embarked
on the subjugation of the whole of the Japan. Read
more.
Edo Period Japanese History 1603-1868
(Work in progress)
Meiji Period Japanese History 1868-1912
(Work in progress)
Taisho and Early Showa Period Japanese History 1912-1945
(Work in progress)
Postwar Period Japanese History 1945-Present
(Work in progress)
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