JAPANESE HISTORY CAN BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND - BUT WITH THE CORRECT FRAMEWORK, JAPANESE HISTORY CAN BE SIMPLE.
LET US BREAK IT DOWN.
JAPANESE HISTORY CAN BE EASY,
If we look at the general outline of how Japanese history is usually categorized, we can see that these three categories are all accounted for.
Ancient Japan: The first four eras of Japanese history are based on technology: Stone tools, ceramic tools, Iron Tools, and Massive earthen works.
Pre-Modern Japan: The Second grouping is based on the location of the Capital: From Asuka to Edo, the name and distinction between these periods in time are based on where the seat of power in Japan was.
Modern Japan: From the Meiji Period to the present are all organized by the emperor's life.
The traditional Japanese calendar is organized by the life of the reigning emperor. In the Modern period, this is still used but when we look back in time these distinctions are too fine in detail. We need a better way to organize time.
Ancient Japan is also prehistoric Japan.
Japan before writing
The Japanese archipelago had new populations moving into the islands
The longest Section - 35,538 years
The advent of Stone / Ceramic / Bronze / Iron / Agriculture
Pre-Modern Japan - Also known as Classical to Medieval Japan
Japan emerges as a Nation
The position of the emperor ebbs and flows into and out of power
Japan’s national legends and Heros make their impact
Buddhism plays a significant role in the national development
Modern Japan:
Japan becomes a Nation-State in the modern sense
Colonization, War, and Modern Economic turmoil
AGE | DATE | NOTES |
ANCIENT JAPAN | 35,538 YEARS | |
Paleolithic- 35,000 - 16,000 BC | 14,000 years | STONE TECHNOLOGY |
JOMON - 16,000 - 1000 BC | 15,000 YEARS | Ceramics |
YAYOI 1000 - 300 BC | 700 YEARS | RICE AGRICULTURE AND METAL WORK |
KOFUN 300BC - 538 AD | 838 YEARS | EARTHEN WORKS - EARLY STATE FORMATION |
PRE-MODERN JAPAN | 1330 YEARS | |
ASUKA: 538 - 710 | 172 YEARS | JAPAN EMERGES |
NARA: 710 - 794 | 84 YEARS | CAPITAL IN NARA |
HEIAN: 794 - 1185 | 391 YEARS | CAPITAL IN HEISEI (KYOTO) |
KAMAKURA: 1185 - 1333 | 148 YEARS | CAPITAL IN KAMAKURA |
KENMU RESTORATION 1333 - 1336 | 3 YEARS | IMPERIAL RESTORATION |
MUROMACHI: 1336 - 1573 | 300 YEARS | CAPITAL IN KYOTO - MUROMACHI DISTRICT |
SENGOKU: 1467 - 1615 | 148 YEARS | WARRING STATES PERIOD |
AZUCHI-MOMOYAMA: 1573 - 1603 | 30 YEARS | NOBUNAGA / HIDEYOSHI / IEYASU |
EDO: 1603 - 1868 | 265 YEARS | TOKUGAWA RULE IN EDO (TOKYO) |
MODERN JAPAN | 154 YEARS | |
MEIJI PERIOD | 44 YEARS | IMPERIAL RESTORATION |
TAISHO | 14 YEARS | DEMOCRATIC SURGE |
SHOWA | 63 YEARS | FROM WAR TO ECONOMIC BUBBLE |
HEISEI | 30 YEARS | THE LOST DECADES |
REIWA | 3 YEARS | NOW |
ANCIENT JAPAN
Its not technically history because this entire Group is Prehistoric. Ancient Japan is made of Four periods.
Paleolithic - Jomon - Yayoi - Kofun
Each one of these represents a technological advancement
The Paleolithic: Stone Tools - The old stone age
Jomon: Stone tools and pottery + Named for the way they decorated pottery
Yayoi: Age of Metal work and Agriculture. Named after the neighborhood in Tokyo pottery was discovered in 1884, while excavating a shell mound.
Kofun The Final Period in ancient Japan is named after the huge earthen mounds that begin to appear in this period. Now they technically don't just appear, people are building them.
Ancient Japan is the domain of the archaeologist and has traditionally been dominated by pottery typology.
PRE-MODERN JAPAN
In China, history is divided by Dynasties, but in Japan, power has always emanated from the Yamato court. (acording to Yamato court records). Premodern Japan is when the Yamato clan consolidated the legitimacy of authority and expanded their territorial control to the far reaches of the Japanese archipelago.
Premodern Japan can be further bokeh down into three sections:
IMPERIAL POWER: Power and authority rest with the Tenno - this scheme of social control became the default form of political organization throughout the islands.
SHOGUNATE POWER: Power shifts to the Shoguns - The Kamakura government became the dominant power in the islands but they relied on the political legitimacy of the Yamato Court as the source of their authority. For a brief period an emperor emerges as a dominant military force but he is forced into excile and a new emperor is put on the throne. Thus returning to the system of a shogunate rule with Tenno legitimacy.
ANARCHY AND UNIFICAITON: The growing strength of regional lords leads to the succession of their domains. A period of Warring States lasts until they are conquered through the lives of Japan’s Great Unifiers the final one beginning the Tokugawa/Edo Period.
MODERN JAPAN
Emperor Meiji takes back control of both the power and authority thoriughout the Japanse Islands. Regional Lords saw the Tokugawa Bakufu as weak in their dealings with Europe and America.
Taisho: Japan developes as a Modern style Naiton State and democracy flourishes
Showa: Ultranationalism and militarism sweep the government launching Japan into wars of conquest, collinization and ultimately the wholesale devastation of two of its great cities: Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This also saw the Economic recovery of Japan post war.
Heisei: Begining in 1989 This is some of Japan’s lost decades, the Disaster at Fukushima, and closed out with the Covid outbreak.
Reiwa: This is now.
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