Jomon Period (-300 BC)

 The early Japanese were mainly gatherers, hunters and fishers.

Yayoi Period (300 BC to 250 AD)
 Introduction of agriculture, social classes started to evolve, and parts of the country began to unite under powerful land owners.
 Chinese travellers during the Han and Wei dynasties reported that a queen called Himiko (or Pimiku) reigned over Japan at that time.
 The Yayoi period brought also the introduction of iron and other modern ideas from Korea into Japan.its pottery gave the period its
name.

Kofun Period (250 – 538)

 Japan is for the first time more or less united. Large tombs (kofun) were built for the deceased leaders.
 The emperor was ruler of Yamato Japan and resided in a capital that was moved frequently from one city to another.
 The Soga clan soon took over the actual political power, resulting in a system in which most of the emperors only acted as the
symbol of the state and performed Shinto rituals.

Asuka Period (538-710)

 538/552 Introduction of Buddhism.
 604 Prince Shotoku’s Constitution of seventeen articles is promulgated.
 645 The Taika reform is introduced. The Fujiwara era starts.

Nara Period (710 – 784)

 710, the first permanent Japanese capital was established in Nara
 784 The capital moves to Nagaoka.

Heian Period (794 – 1185)

 794 The capital moves to Heian (Kyoto).
 1016 Fujiwara Michinaga becomes regent, marking the peak of Fujiwara power.
 1159 The Taira clan under Taira Kiyomori takes over the power after the Heiji war.
 1175 The Buddhist Jodo sect (Pure land sect) is introduced.
 1180-85 In the Gempei War, the Minamoto clan puts an end to Taira supremacy.

Kamakura Period (1192 – 1333)

 Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government, the Kamakura Bakufu.
 1191 The Zen sect is introduced.
 1192 Minamoto Yoritomo is appointed shogun and establishes the Kamakura government in Kamakura.
 1221 The Jokyu Disturbance ends a struggle between Kamakura and Kyoto, resulting in the supremacy of the Hojo
regents in Kamakura.
 1232 A legal code, the Joei Shikimoku, is promulgated.
 1274 and 1281 The Mongols try to invade Japan twice, but fail mainly because of bad weather conditions.
 1333 The Kamakura government falls.

Muromachi Period (1338 – 1573)

 1334 Kemmu Restoration: the emperor restores power over Japan.
 1336 Ashikaga Takauji captures Kyoto.
 1337 The emperor flees and establishes the Southern court in Yoshino.
 1338 Takauji establishes the Muromachi government and a second emperor in Kyoto (Northern court).
 1392 Unification of the Southern and Northern courts.
 1467-1477 Onin war.
 1542 Portuguese introduce firearms and Christianity to Japan.
 1568 Nobunaga enters Kyoto.
 1573 The Muromachi government falls.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 – 1603)

 1575 The Takeda clan is defeated in the battle of Nagashino.
  1582 Nobunaga is murdered and succeeded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
 1588 Hideyoshi confiscates the weapons of farmers and religious institutions in the "Sword Hunt".
 1590 Japan is reunited after the fall of Odawara (Hojo).
 1592-98 Unsuccessful invasion of Korea.
 1598 Death of Hideyoshi.
 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats his rivals in the battle of Sekigahara.
Edo Period (1603 – 1868)
 1603 Ieyasu is appointed shogun and establishes the Tokugawa government in Edo (Tokyo).
 1615 The Toyotomi clan is destroyed after Ieyasu captures Osaka Castle.
 1639 Isolation of Japan from the rest of the world except for strictly regulated trade with China, Korea, the
Netherlands, the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ainu.
 1688-1703 Genroku era: popular culture flourishes.
 1792 The Russians unsuccessfully try to establish trade relations with Japan.
 1854 Commodore Matthew Perry forces the Japanese government to open a limited number of ports for trade.
Meiji Period (1868 – 1912)
 1868 Meiji Restoration.
 1868 The capital moves to Tokyo.
 1872 First railway line between Tokyo and Yokohama.
 1889 The Meiji Constitution is promulgated.
 1894-95 Sino-Japanese War.
 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War.
 1910 Annexation of Korea.
 1912 Death of Emperor Meiji.

Taisho Period (1912 - 1926)

 1914-18 Japan joins allied forces in WW1.
 1923 The Great Kanto Earthquake devastates Tokyo and Yokohama.
Showa Period (1926 – 1989)
 1931 Manchurian Incident.
 937 Second Sino-Japanese War starts.
 1941 Pacific War starts.
 1945 Japan surrenders after atomic bombs are dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 1946 The new constitution is promulgated.
 1952 The Allied Occupation of Japan ends.
 1956 Japan becomes member of the UN.
 1972 Normalization of relations with China.
 1973 Oil crisis.

Heisei Period (1989 – 2019)

 1992 Burst of the Bubble Economy.
 1995 The Great Hanshin Earthquake hits Kobe.
 1995 Sarin Gas attack in the Tokyo subway by Aum sect.
 2011 The Great East Japan Earthquake hits the Tohoku Region.

30 FACTS ABOUT JAPAN

1. Japanese People Are Often Shinto And Buddhist
2. Shinto Shrines Are Everywhere Across Japan
3. Praying At Shrines Involves Clapping
4. Eating Out By Yourself Is Totally Okay In Japan
5. Wearing Shoes Inside Is Not Normal
6. People Bathe Naked In Japan – Together
7. Everybody Reads Manga
8. A Lot Of People Play Videogames Too
9. Bowing Is Very Important In Japanese Culture
10. Putting Chopsticks In Your Food Should Be Avoided
11. People Wear Traditional Clothes A Lot In Summer
12. Traditionally, You Are One-Year-Old The Moment You’re Born In Japan
13. It’s good manners to slurp your noodles
14. There’s a Rabbit Island in Japan
15. The number four is extremely unlucky
16. Japanese trains are some of the most punctual in the world
17. Anti-ninja floors are a thing
18. Japan has one of the world’s lowest crime rates
19. One of the world’s highest suicide rates
20. Taking a power nap at work gets more and more common
21. There are cafes where you can pay to cuddle
22. There are maid cafes
23. Tokyo is the biggest city in the world
24. The Japanese live (almost) the longest in the world
25. The first anime produced by Japan was Nakamura Gatana
26. Anime was invented in Japan
27. Anime is pronounced as ani-me not animey
28. Japanese songs are often about depression and anxiety but people tend to mistake it as a energetic song because of the
beat
29. Nico nico-niii originates in Japan not South Korea
30. When inside the train, women should avoid japanese old business man because they tend to sexually harassment them.