Articles / Tourist Guide / Japan Tourist Guide / History of Japan

First marks of inhabitation on Japan archipelago are dated 30,000 BC, which is otherwise referred to as Paleolithic era. First settlers were followed by Jomon inhabitants, who represented  semi-sedentary hunter-gatherer pit dwelling culture and retained rudimentary forms of agriculture. Those were the people who came to Japan islands while they were still a part of the mainland in the close neighborhood with China and the Korean peninsula. After tectonic changes and separation of the Japanese archipelago those settlers were there to stay. This population had left some precious pieces of pottery like painted vessels with plaited patterns, which are considered to be one of the oldest examples of ancient pottery in the world.

The first written reference to Japan is found in Chinese manuscripts dated I century AD.

The history of Japan is conventionally divided into following periods:

1 Japanese pre-history

1.1 Paleolithic

1.2 Jōmon Period

1.3 Yayoi Period

2 Ancient and Classical Japan

2.1 Kofun Period

2.2 Asuka period

2.3 Nara Period

2.4 Heian Period

3 Feudal Japan

3.1 Kamakura Period

3.2 Muromachi Period

3.3 Azuchi-Momoyama Period

3.4 Edo Period

3.4.1 Seclusion

3.4.2 End of seclusion

4 Meiji Restoration

4.1 Wars with China and Russia

4.2 Anglo-Japanese Alliance

5 Taishō and Shōwa eras

5.1 Militarism

5.2 Second Sino-Japanese war and World War II

Each of the above specified periods is characterized by one or more event of a historical importance. Hereby, the Jomon period in Japanese history is characterized by the appearance of the first signs of civilization. Jomoon period is dated from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.

The next period in the history of Japan, the so called Yayoi period, which lasted from about 400 or 300 BC to 250 AD, was significant for the influx of the new activities, such as rice farming by way of wet cultivation, weaving, shamanism and the use of bronze and iron.

During the Heian Period (794- 1185) the country acquired its first capital ? Kyoto. The capital was thriving up to 1868, when the capital shifted to Tokyo where it remains to the present day.

The period of the ancient and classical Japan is dated from the middle of the 3rd century until 710. Among the most important events of this time there can be named the coming to power of Yamoto polity which remained the main ruling authority of the country until 710 AD.

The Kofun period, which started in 250 and lasted until 402 AD. During this period Japan had strong relationships with the three kingdoms of Korea.

Daimyo were the powerful family clans reigning in Japan during its feudal period which lasted from the 12th through the 19th centuries. This period is traditionally further subdivided into smaller periods in accordance of the shogun domination it refers to. The shogunate in Japan influenced the culture of the country in many ways, starting from clothes and accessories fashion to the way of life.

The Edo period which lasted from 1603 to 1876 AD saw the rise of samurai and subsequently the fall of shogunate.

The Edo period was followed by the period of seclusion which lasted till 1844.

Wars with China and Russia took place in 1894-1895 and 1904-1905 respectively.

As a result of the World War II where Japan took the side of fascists, despite its success during the Pearl Harbor operation, Japan had lost all of its overseas territories. It was followed by occupation which was lifted only in 1952. the post-occupation period lasted till 1990. this year is marked by the beginning of political and economical reforms. 

The today Japan is governed by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. The ruling coalition was formed by the conservative LDP and the New Komeito Party. The opposition is represented by the liberal Democratic Party of Japan. Other parties are the staunchly communist Japanese Communist Party, the leftist Social Democratic Party and the conservative People's New Party.