Transcript Eras in Japanese History - Highline Public Schools

Eras in Japanese History
Jomon
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10,000-300B.C.
Stone age hunters/gatherers
Pottery rope patterned
Sun Goddess = Amaterasu Omikami
People believe 600B.C. Jimmu (Devine Warrior)
founds Japanese Empire
Yayoi
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300B.C – 300A.D.
Rice, metalworking, potters wheel come from
China/Korea.
Yayoi is the place in Tokyo where wheel-turned
pottery found
Shinto oldest religion
 Kami = divine forces
 Have human characteristics (loyalty, wisdom,
etc.)
100-300 A.D. Clans form political units
Kofun (Yamato)
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300A.D. – 645A.D.
Powerful clans = Unified states
Close contact with mainland Asia
Rulers buried in Kofun (tomb mounds) surrounded by
haniwa (clay sculptures)
Yamato clan Rulers claim descendents of A.materasu
O. = imperial dynasty (still in existence!)
Adopts Chinese writing,
Patterns govt. after China (Shotoku Tashi) =
centralized govt. and bureaucracy of merit
Buddhism and Confucian start
Asuka
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645A.D – 710A.D.
Taika no Kaishin (Taika Reforms)
strengthen emperor’s power
Aristocratic families created
Fujiwara no Kamatari strongest
Nara
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710A.D. – 794A.D.
New captial in Nara modeled after China
Emperors Shinto, but make Buddhism state
religion
 believe Buddhism with bring peace and
protect the govt.
Buddhist monasteries gain political power
Two history books written (Legends)
 Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters)
 Nihon Shoki (Chronicle of Japan)
Heian
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794-1185
Nara’s Buddhist forces Imperial court to move to
Heiankyo (now Kyoto)
Official Contacts with China stops!
Kana invented (syllabary for writing Japanese)
Murasaki Shikibu writes Tale of Genji
 World’s first Novel
Court declines in power
Bushi (warrior class) rise
Kamakura
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1185 – 1333
Minamoto no Yoritomo establishes military govt.
1192 Bushi become ruling class
 Yoritomo becomes seii taishogun
 Barbarian-subduing generalissimo
Emperor becomes figurehead
1274 & 1281 Kublai Khan invades Japan. Repelled by
kamikazi (divine winds).
Invasion weakens ruling military government
Muromachi
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1333 – 1568
Muromachi district is base for new Shogun Govt
Ashikaga Takauji new Shogun/practices Zen
Ink paintings, Garden designing, Tea ceremony
(chanoyu) popular
1467 – 1568
 Ten year war (Onin War) destroys central govt.
 100 years Whole country at war (Sengoku Jidai)
 Firearms introduced
 Christianity introduced
Azuchimomoya Ma
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1568-1600
Japan reunified by Oda Nobunaga
Foundation of modern Japan laid by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
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Wants to conquer Korea and China. Rest of
population say ENOUGH WAR!!!
Painting, huge designs, tea ceremony
flourish
Edo (tokugawa)
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1600-1868
Tokugawa Ieyasu new Shogun
Capital moved to Edo (Now Tokyo)
Age of peace/Isolation
 Outside trading in Nagasaki only
(Chinese/Dutch)
 Christianity suppressed
 Rigid social hierachy
 Cities/Commerce flourish
 Kabuki/Bunraku spring up
 Books published
 Education increases
1853 Commodore Matthew C. Perry forces doors of
Japan open