Timeline of Japanese History

Prehistoric to Classical Japan

c. 14,000–900 BCE – Jomon Period: Early hunter-gatherer culture known for distinctive cord-marked pottery and complex spiritual practices.
c. 900 BCE–300 CE – Yayoi Period: Introduction of wet rice farming, bronze and iron metallurgy, and social stratification from contacts with China and Korea.
c. 300–538 CE – Kofun Period: Rise of powerful clans and establishment of early state structures; characterized by large keyhole-shaped tomb mounds (kofun).

538–710 – Asuka Period: Buddhism arrives from Korea; Taika Reforms begin imperial centralization based on Chinese models.
710–794 – Nara Period: First permanent capital established at Heijo-kyo (Nara); compilation of Japan's first chronicles: Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.
794–1185 – Heian Period: Aristocratic court culture flourishes in Heian-kyo (Kyoto); Lady Murasaki Shikibu writes The Tale of Genji, often considered the world's first novel.
1185–1333 – Kamakura Period: First warrior government (shogunate) established by Minamoto no Yoritomo; rise of samurai class.
1274 & 1281 – Mongol Invasions: Kublai Khan's fleets attempt to invade Japan but are destroyed by typhoons, called "kamikaze" (divine winds).
1336–1573 – Muromachi Period: Ashikaga shogunate rules; development of distinctive Japanese arts like Noh theater, tea ceremony, and landscape gardening amidst civil wars.
1467–1573 – Sengoku Period: "Warring States" era of intense political instability, shifting alliances, and constant military conflict among regional daimyo (lords).

1573–1603 – Azuchi–Momoyama Period: Oda Nobunaga begins unification, followed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi who completes it; first contact with Europeans.
1603–1868 – Edo Period: Tokugawa shogunate establishes longest period of peace and stability; implements sakoku (closed country) policy, limiting foreign contact primarily to Dutch traders at Dejima.

1853–1854 – Perry Expedition: Commodore Matthew Perry's "Black Ships" force Japan to open ports, ending more than two centuries of isolation.
1868 – Meiji Restoration: Emperor Meiji restored to power; rapid industrialization and modernization begins under the slogan "Rich Country, Strong Military."
1894–1895 – First Sino-Japanese War: Japan defeats Qing China, gaining Taiwan and establishing itself as a regional power.
1904–1905 – Russo-Japanese War: Japan shocks the world by defeating a European power, becoming the first modern non-Western nation to do so.

1912–1926 – Taisho Period: Brief flowering of democratic movements and cultural liberalization known as "Taisho Democracy."
1931–1945 – Showa Militarism: Military takes control of government; Japan invades Manchuria (1931) and launches full-scale war against China (1937), later joining the Axis powers in WWII.
December 7, 1941 – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japan's surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii leads to America's entry into WWII.
August 6 & 9, 1945 – Atomic Bombings: U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Japan surrenders on August 15, ending WWII.
1945–1952 – Allied Occupation: U.S.-led forces under General Douglas MacArthur oversee democratization, demilitarization, and reconstruction.

1952 – Sovereignty Restored: Japan regains independence while maintaining U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, which continues to form the backbone of its defense policy.
1950s–1980s – Economic Miracle: Japan rises from devastation to become the world's second-largest economy through technological innovation, quality manufacturing, and export-oriented policies.
1989 – Heisei Era Begins: Emperor Akihito ascends the throne; economic bubble bursts, leading to the "Lost Decades" of stagnation.
2011 – Triple Disaster: Great East Japan Earthquake triggers tsunami and Fukushima nuclear accident, testing national resilience.
2019 – Reiwa Era Begins: Emperor Naruhito ascends following his father's abdication; Japan hosts successful Rugby World Cup.
2020-2023: Tokyo Olympics postponed then held during global pandemic; Japan strengthens regional security partnerships.
Present Day: Japan remains a key U.S. ally, technological innovator, and cultural influencer while addressing challenges of aging population, digital transformation, and changing geopolitical landscape in East Asia.