Ancient Age

​

  BC 35,000  Paleolithic Period (Old Stone age)

  BC 13,000  Jomon （縄文） Period ・・・Pottery with a straw-rope pattern

  BC      400  Yayoi   （弥生） Period ・・・Rice farming 

​

After Civilization

 

Burial Mound (古墳) age (South of Osaka and Nara, recorded on the Chinese and Korean documents)

  

  AD 0057 Chinese ancient documents described "King of Japan" (倭の奴国王）

        0266 The oldest Key-Hall shaped burial mound  (奈良箸墓前方後円墳）

        0391 A influential Japanese leader visited Korean peninsula  (好太王碑文）

        0538 The introduction of Buddhism

        0544 War against Silla (日本・百済が新羅と戦う）

        0585 The conflict between Soga clan and Mononobe clan (蘇我氏、物部氏対立）

        0587 Shotoku-Taishi won against Mononobe and initiated Emperor's government (聖徳太子）

​

Asuka (明日香) Period (South of Nara, forming nationwide government, culture influenced by Buddhism )

​

       0592 Emperor  Suiko with Regent Shotoku-Taishi (推古天皇）

       0602 Shotoku-Taishi introduced the rank system (冠位12階）

       0603 Shotoku-Taishi introduced the first 17 clauses constitution  (憲法17条）

       0607 Shotoku-Taishi sent the first delegation Tun China (小野妹子　遣唐使）

       0645 Taika no Kaishin restoration, Emperor became the center of ruler (大化の改新）

 

Nara (奈良) Period (Nara, strongly influenced by China)

​

       0710 Emperor Genmei moved the capital to Nara (元明天皇)

       0724 Emperor Shome developed Chines based culture and Buddhism based culture (聖武天皇）

​

Heian (平安) Period (Kyoto, Japanese original culture)

​

       0794 Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Kyoto (桓武天皇）

　　10xx the aristocracy obtained the political power (院政・藤原氏）

       10xx Samurai Warriors under aristocracy became visible (武士階級台頭）

       1185 influential Samurai Warrior, Minamoto Yoritomo obtained the political leadership (源頼朝）

​

Kamakura (鎌倉) Period (Kamakura, Samurai Warriors government, introduction of newer Buddhism)

​

       1192 Minamoto Yoritomo became the Shogun and opened Kamakura Shogunate

       1133 extinction of Kamakura Shogunate

​

Muromachi (室町) Period (Kyoto, Samurai Warriors government, culture influenced by Zen sect Buddhism)

​

       1336 Ashikaga Takauji became the Shogun and initiated Muromachi Shogunate (足利尊氏)

       1336-

       1392 the period of split of  the Northern and Southern Imperial Courts (南北朝時代)

       1392 Ashikaga Yoshimitsu unified the imperial courts and opened the Shogunate at Muromachi

       1467 Onin War at Kyoto (among influenced clans)

       1573 extinction of Muromachi Shogunate

​

The Warring states Period (戦国時代)

​

       1573-

       1600 Wars among influential feudal lords (Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi HIdeyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu)

                (織田信長、豊臣秀吉、徳川家康)

       1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu won of the Sekigahara War (関ケ原合戦)

 

Tokugawa (徳川時代)   (Edo-Tokyo, Nation Wide ruler)

​

       1603 Tokugawa Ieyasu became the Shogun and opened the Shogunate at Edo (Tokyo) (江戸幕府）

       1639-

       1853 National Isolation (鎖国)

       1867 Boshin War and Meiji Restoration (戊辰戦争、明治維新）

​

Meiji (明治) Period (Opened the nation. modernization and industrialization)

​

       1868 Emperor Meiji became the center of nation (明治維新）

       1894 Japan-China War (日清戦争)

       1904 Japan Russia War (日露戦争)

       1912 Emperor Meiji passed away

​

Taisho (大正) Period (expansion of democracy)

​

       1912 Emperor Taisho

       1914 World War I  (第一次世界大戦)

       1923 Great Kanto Earthquakes (damaged Tokyo) (関東大震災)

       1926 Empero Taisho passed away

       

Showa (昭和) Period (War and development of post War period)

​

       1926 Emperor Showa

       1931 Manchurian conflict

       1937 Japan-China conflict

       1939 World War II stated

       1941 Japan America War 

​

       1945 World War II ended

​

       1945 Emperor Showa became the symbol of the nation, released all political ability

                changed to constitutional monarchy

       1964 Tokyo Olympic Games

       1970 Osaka Expo

       1972 Sapporo Olympic Games

       1989 Emperor Showa passed away

 

Heisei (平成) Period

​

       1989 Emperor Heisei

       1998 Nagano Olympic Games

       2005 EXPO 2005 AICHI

       2019 His Majesty the Emperor, Akihito to abdicate on April 30th 2019.

​

Reiwa (令和) Period

​

      2019.5.1

​

Japan’s imperial succession entered a key stage on May 1st 2019 Wednesday with ceremonies marking Emperor Naruhito’s ascension to the throne, a day after his 85-year-old father abdicated as the first living Japanese monarch in over 200 years to do so.

As a member of the Japanese monarchy, Emperor Naruhito can claim a number of firsts. None of the previous emperors had the experience of studying abroad, and he is also the first emperor to not be separated from his family and brought up largely by nannies.

​

-press release KYODO -

​

​