Prehistoric and Ancient Japan
– Hunter-gatherers arrived in Japan during the Paleolithic period, around 38-40,000 years ago.
– Evidence of human habitation in Japan dates back to 32,000 years ago in Okinawa and up to 20,000 years ago in Ishigaki Island.
– The Jōmon period, from roughly 13,000 BC to about 1,000 BC, was characterized by a predominantly hunter-gatherer culture.
– Jōmon pottery, decorated with cord markings, is among the oldest in East Asia and the world.
– The Yayoi people from the Asian mainland brought fundamental transformations to Japan during the Yayoi period.
– The Yayoi period brought significant transformations to Japan, including the development of rice cultivation and metallurgy.
– The Yayoi people, originating from the Asian mainland, introduced bronze and iron weapons and tools to Japan.
– They also introduced weaving, silk production, new woodworking methods, glassmaking technology, and new architectural styles.
– The Yayoi gradually supplanted the Jōmon people and fused with the indigenous population, resulting in a small genetic admixture.
– The spread of Yayoi technologies can be attributed to migration and cultural diffusion, supported by genetic and linguistic studies.
Rise of Centralized Government
– Between the 4th and 9th centuries, Japan’s many kingdoms and tribes gradually came under a centralized government.
– The imperial dynasty, established during this time, continues to this day in a ceremonial role.
– The Heian period, from 794 to 1185, marked the establishment of a new imperial capital in Kyoto and a golden age of classical Japanese culture.
– Japanese religious life during this period was a mix of native Shinto practices and Buddhism.
– The power of the imperial house declined over time, passing to civilian aristocrats and then to military clans and their samurai armies.
– Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunified Japan in the late 16th century.
– Tokugawa Ieyasu became the shōgun and established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo (modern Tokyo) in the early 17th century.
– The Tokugawa shogunate imposed a strict class system and isolated Japan from the outside world.
– Portugal’s arrival in 1543 and the American Perry Expedition in 1853-54 ended Japan’s seclusion and led to the fall of the shogunate.
– The Meiji period (1868-1912) saw Japan transform into a modern empire, adopting Western models and becoming a great power.
Jōmon Period
– The Jōmon period lasted from roughly 13,000 BC to about 1,000 BC.
– Jōmon culture was characterized by a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and a considerable degree of sedentism and cultural complexity.
– Jōmon pottery, decorated with cord markings, is considered one of the oldest pottery styles in East Asia and the world.
– Edward S. Morse, an American scholar, first applied the term ‘Jōmon’ to this period after discovering pottery shards in 1877.
– Jōmon culture saw the development of various pottery styles and the creation of intricate clay figurines called dogū.
Heian Period
– Capital moved to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto) in 794.
– Political power passed to the Fujiwara clan.
– Smallpox epidemic killed almost half of the population between 812 and 814 CE.
– Fujiwara no Yoshifusa declared regent in 858.
– Fujiwara no Michinaga governed during the peak of the clan’s power.
– Imperial court became self-absorbed with power struggles and artistic pursuits.
– Neglected administration of government outside the capital.
– Land nationalization decayed as noble families and religious orders secured tax-exempt status for their private manors.
– More land controlled by shōen owners than the central government.
– Shōen owners set up their own armies of samurai warriors.
– Cultural and artistic achievements during this period.
Kamakura Shogunate and Muromachi Period
– Yoritomo selected provincial governors known as shugo and jitō from his close vassals.
– The shogunate allowed vassals to maintain their own armies and administer law and order in their provinces.
– The Jōkyū War in 1221 was a failed rebellion against the shogunate.
– Samurai armies of Japan faced two full-scale invasions by Kublai Khan of the Mongol Empire in 1274 and 1281.
– The Japanese fought the Mongols to a standstill until the Mongol fleet was destroyed by typhoons called kamikaze.
– Ashikaga Takauji rebelled against Emperor Go-Daigo’s attempt to monopolize power.
– Takauji captured Kyoto and installed Emperor Kōmyō as a rival to Go-Daigo.
– The Muromachi shogunate faced challenges in maintaining authority over subordinate governors.
– Ashikaga Yoshimitsu expanded the power of the shogunate and brokered a deal to end the civil war between the Northern and Southern Courts.
– The shogunate kept the emperor and his court under tight control.
– The Ōnin War in 1467 led to the burning of Kyoto and a power struggle among daimyōs.
– Daimyōs ruled independent states throughout Japan, diminishing the shogun’s power.
– Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen were powerful daimyōs during this period.
– The ninja, skilled spies and assassins, were hired by daimyōs and became the subject of legends.
– Peasants and warrior monks affiliated with Buddhist temples also raised their own armies. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Japan
