An introduction to Japanese history
Follow changing communities, institutions and livelihoods from early settlements to modern Japan.
- 01
c. 3900–2200 BCE · Jōmon period
Life at Sannai-Maruyama
Use excavated objects to understand settlement and regional connections.
- 02
c. fifth century BCE–third century CE · Yayoi period
Yoshinogari and emerging political centres
Consider how farming, storage and relations between settlements changed society.
- 03
588–694 · Palaces and temples in Asuka
Temples rise in Asuka
Understand the relationship between Buddhism, continental exchange and political power.
- 04
710–784 · Interrupted by temporary capital moves
The work that sustained Heijō-kyō
Look at the people and resources that kept a capital functioning.
- 05
1008 · The Tale of Genji appears in a diary
Heian Kyoto and The Tale of Genji
Read court culture in the context of different social positions.
- 06
1180–1333 · Warrior government in Kamakura
When did the Kamakura shogunate begin?
Distinguish the roles of the court and warrior government.
- 07
1582 · Second day of the sixth lunar month
Honnōji and the city of Kyoto
Separate the sequence of a coup from unresolved motives.
- 08
Early nineteenth century · Late Edo urban life
Water and commerce in everyday Edo
Connect water provision, distribution and commerce in an expanding city.
- 09
1872 · Tomioka Silk Mill starts operating
Reeling silk and sharing skills at Tomioka
Understand industrial change from the perspective of workers.
- 10
1946–1947 · From promulgation to enforcement
The postwar constitution and institutional reform
Examine postwar institutions through their provisions and historical context.
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