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794
Beginning of the Heian Period/The Capital is Moved
794 AD – The capital is moved to Heian-kyo by Emperor Kanmu. -
Period: 794 to 1185
Heian Period (Emperor Kanmu)
The Heian Period started 794 AD and ended 1185 AD -
905
Poetry
905 AD – Japanese poems are collected and placed in the Kokinshu anthology -
1050
The Samurai
1050 AD– The rise of the samurai class begins -
1185
The Genpei war
1185 AD – The Taira clan was defeated in the Genpei War. Minamoto no Yoritomo became Japan’s first shogun.This marked the end of Heian period. -
Period: 1185 to 1333
Kamakura Period (Shogun Minamoto Yoritomo)
The Kamakura Period started 1185 AD and Ended 1333 AD -
1192
Beginning of Kamakura Period
1192 AD – Minamoto Yoritomo instituted Kamakura Shogunante in the city of Kamakura, which marked the beginning of the Kamakura Period And the official beginning of feudalism in Japan. -
1193
Assasination of Noriyori
1193 AD– Yorimoto Assasinated his brother Noriyori as he became suspicious. Noriyori was the Heian period general and fought in Genpei War along with both his brothers. -
1274
Mongol invasion (1)
1274 AD– The Mongols’ first attempt to invade Japan, also known as Bunei War. The invasion attempt failed due to the storm. Following the event, the Mongols escaped to Korea. -
1281
Mongol Invasion (2)
1281 AD – The Mongols’ second Japanese invasion attempt. Again, due to the bad weather condition, this was unsuccessful. -
1293
The devastating Earthquake
1293 AD – Kamakura is hit by a large earthquake and tsunami, leading to the death of over 20,000 people. -
1333
The End of Kamakura
1333 AD- Kamakura Shogunate is destroyed by Nitta Yoshisada, and this ends the Kamakura period. -
1333
Kemnu restoration
1333-1336 AD The Attempted restoration of imperial rule by Emperor Go-Daigo which in the end was unsuccessful -
Period: 1333 to 1336
Kemmu Restoration
The Attempted restoration of imperial rule by Emperor Go-Daigo which in the end was unsuccessful -
1336
The beginning of the Ashikaga Period
Ashikaga Takauji, began fighting for the role of Emperor, and challenged the imperial court and succeeded in capturing Kyoto in 1336 AD -
Period: 1336 to 1573
Ashikaga Period
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1338
Takauji becomes Shogun
In 1338 AD Takauji appointed himself shogun and established his government in Kyoto. The Muromachi district where the government buildings were located from 1378 gave the government and the historical period their names. -
1368
Agriculture and Domestic Production
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1368 - 1408), the Muromachi Bakufu was able to control the central provinces, but gradually lost its influence over outer regions. Yoshimitsu established good trade relations with Ming China. Domestic production also increased through improvements in agriculture and the consequences of a new inheritance system. -
1542
Christianity in Japan
In 1542 AD the first Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries arrived in Kyushu, and introduced firearms and christianity to Japan -
1573
The end of the Ashikaga Period
The Ashikaga Period came to an end in 1573 when the 15th and last shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, was driven out of the capital in Kyoto by Oda Nobunaga. -
Beginning of the Tokugawa Period
1603 AD Ieyasu is appointed shogun and establishes the Tokugawa government in Edo (Tokyo) -
Persecution of Christianity
1614 AD Ieyasu intensifies persecution of Christianity. -
The Toyotomi clan
1615 AD The Toyotomi clan is destroyed after Ieyasu captures (Tokyo) -
Isolation of Japan
1639 AD -Nearly complete isolation of Japan from the rest of the world. -
Mathew Perry/Japanese trade industry
1854 Commodore Matthew Perry forces the Japanese government to open multiple ports for trade.
