Curated timeline

Japanese History

From the Samurai and Shoguns to the isolation of the Edo period, the Meiji Restoration, and Japan's rise as a modern global power.

• Yayoi Period (c. 300 BCE-300 CE)

  Introduction of rice cultivation, metal tools, and social stratification from Korean Peninsula.

• Introduction of Buddhism (552 CE)

  Buddhism arrives from Baekje kingdom, beginning religious and cultural transformation alongside Shinto.

• Prince Shotoku's Regency (593-628 CE)

  Prince Shotoku creates Seventeen-Article Constitution and promotes Chinese learning and Buddhism.

• Taika Reforms (645 CE)

  Government centralization based on Chinese Tang model with land redistribution and imperial bureaucracy.

• Establishment of Nara Capital (710 CE)

  First permanent capital established at Nara, creating center for Buddhist culture and historical compilation.

• Establishment of Heian Capital (794 CE)

  Capital moved to Heian-kyō (Kyoto), beginning golden age of Japanese court culture and literature.

• Tale of Genji Written (c. 1000-1012 CE)

  Murasaki Shikibu writes world's first novel, marking peak of Heian literature and development of hiragana script.

• Battle of Dan-no-ura (April 25, 1185)

  Minamoto defeat Taira clan in final battle, ending Heian period and establishing first military government.

• Mongol Invasions (1274 & 1281 CE)

  Mongol invasion attempts fail due to storms and Japanese resistance, creating 'kamikaze' divine wind concept.

• Ashikaga Shogunate Established (1336 CE)

  Ashikaga Takauji establishes Muromachi Shogunate, beginning period of political fragmentation.

• Portuguese Arrival (September 23, 1543)

  Portuguese traders arrive at Tanegashima, introducing firearms and beginning European contact.

• St. Francis Xavier Arrives (August 15, 1549)

  Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier introduces Christianity, beginning 'Christian Century' in Japan.

• Battle of Okehazama (June 12, 1560)

  Oda Nobunaga defeats much larger Imagawa force, beginning his rise to power and national unification.

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi Unifies Japan (1590 CE)

  Hideyoshi completes military unification after siege of Odawara, ending Sengoku period warfare.

• Invasions of Korea (1592-1598 CE)

  Failed Japanese invasions of Korea weaken Toyotomi regime and introduce new technologies to Japan.

• Battle of Sekigahara (October 21, 1600)

  Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats rivals in decisive battle, paving way for 265 years of Tokugawa rule.

• Establishment of Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 CE)

  Tokugawa Ieyasu becomes shogun, establishing government in Edo and rigid social hierarchy.

• Shimabara Rebellion (1637-1638 CE)

  Christian peasant uprising brutally suppressed, leading to complete ban on Christianity and foreign contact.

• Sakoku Isolation Policy (1633-1639 CE)

  Japan closes to foreign contact except limited Dutch and Chinese trade, beginning 220 years of isolation.

• Great Meireki Fire (March 2-3, 1657)

  Massive fire destroys much of Edo, leading to urban planning innovations and population recovery.

• Genroku Cultural Era (1688-1704 CE)

  Peak of Edo culture with flourishing of kabuki, bunraku, ukiyo-e, and works of Bashō and Chikamatsu.

• Rangaku Dutch Learning Permitted (1720 CE)

  Tokugawa Yoshimune allows import of Western books, beginning Dutch learning and scientific advancement.

• Perry's Black Ships Arrive (July 8, 1853)

  Commodore Perry forces Japan to open, ending sakoku isolation and beginning modern Japanese history.

• Treaty of Kanagawa (March 31, 1854)

  First unequal treaty opens Japanese ports, establishing pattern for Western diplomatic pressure.

• Meiji Restoration (January 3, 1868)

  Imperial restoration overthrows Tokugawa, beginning rapid modernization under Emperor Meiji.

Open the interactive timeline viewer to explore the full timeline.