Chronological Table of Japanese Politics and Culture

(from The East Magazine http://www.theeast.co.jp/)

Date

Event

Non-Earthenware Age (Pre-Jomon)

20,000 B.C.

Hunting and Fishing with stone implements made by striking

Jomon Period

8,000 B.C.

Hunting with stone implements made by grinding

Straw-rope patterned earthenware used

Yayoi Period

300 B.C.

Rice cultivation begins

57 A.D.

King of country of Na in Japan offers tribute to Later Han Dynasty in China

188 (?)

Himiko becomes queen of the country of Yamatai

300

The Yamato Court unifies Japan

Kofun Period

391

Japanese army fights three Korean countries

Asuka Period

538

Buddhism introduced into Japan

604

Constitution of 17 Articles

607

Horyuji Temple constructed

630

First envoys dispatched to T’ang Dynasty in China

645

Taika Reform

Nara Period

710

Nara established as capital

712

Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) compiled

720

Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan) compiled

741

Imperial edict for construction of kokubun-ji and kokubun-niji (state established provincial temples and convents.)

Heian Period

794

Kyoto established as capital

805

Saicho introduces Tendai sect

806

Kukai introduces Shingon sect

828

Kukai establishes Sugei-shuchi In (first public education institution)

857

Fujiwara power over Court increases

905

Kokin Waka-shu poetry anthology

1000

Makura no Shoshi (“The Pillow Book”) written

1011

Genji Monogatari (“Tales of Genji”) completed

1086

In (government by an ex-emperor) begins 

Samurai power increases

1167

Taira no Kiyomori becomes Dajo-daijin (Prime Minister)

1180 to 1185

Battles between the Minamoto and Taira

1190

Eisai propagates Renzai sect

Kamakura Period

1192

Minamoto no Yoritomo establishes Kamakura Shogunate

1219

Minatmoto no Sanetomo assassinated

1224

Jodo-shin-shu sect spreads

1227

Dogen introduces Soto sect of Zen

1253

Nichiren preaches the Lotus Sutra

1274

First Mongol invasion

1281

Second Mongol invasion

1331

Court splits into Northern and Southern Courts (Nan-boku Cho begins)

1331 to 1333

Kamakura Shogunate destroyed

Muromachi Period

1338

Ashikaga Takauji established Muromachi Shogunate

1392

Unification of Northern and Southern Courts

1406(?)

Zeami completes Kaden-sho (“Quintessance of Noh”)

1467 to 1477

Onin War; The Age of Civil Wars begins; Frequency of agrarian uprisings increases

1543

Introduction of firearms from Portugal

1549

Introduction of Christianity

1573

Oda Nobunaga banishes Ashikkaga shogun. Ashikaga Shogunate destroyed

Azuchi Momoyama Period

1573

Nobunaga assumes hegemony

1582

Nobunaga assassinated

1585

Toyotomi Hideyoshi unifies country

1587

Christianity prohibited

1600

Battle of Sekigahara

Edo Period

1603

Tokugawa Ieyasu establishes Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo

Kabuki plays performed

1614

Battle of Winter

1615

Battle of Summer

1637

Shimabara Rebellion

1639

National isolation policy enacted

1682

Koshku Ichidai Otoko (“The Man who Spent his Life at Love Affairs”)

1693

Narrow Road to the Deep North written by Basho

1702

47 loyal ronin avenge their lord’s death

1703

Ningyo-joruri (bunraku) by Chikamatsu Monzae-mon performed

1853

Commodore Perry lands in Japan

1854

Japan concludes treaties with America, Britain and Russia

1855

Japan concludes amity treaties with France and Holland

1867

Tokugawa Shogunate destroyed

Meiji Period

1868

Meiji Restoration