Classical Periods of Japan
Japan has many different periods in its history. Periods in Japan were marked by revolutions, major changes to government or changes to the culture.
Jōmon period
The Jōmon period started from about 14,000 BCE until around 300 BCE. The first signs of civilisation in Japan were starting to appear and people started to farm the land and build permanent homes. The people lived in buildings called "pit dwellings" or "pit houses". They are large holes dug in the ground with a roof over the top. "jōmon" translates as "cord-marked" after the style of art that they were using at the time. They started to develop their own style of pottery and art using cords to imprint and decorate their pots and sculptures. The Yamato clan was very powerful at this time and their chief, Jimmu, was to become the first Japanese emperor and the Yamato clan to become the leading clan, like a government of Japan.
The Jōmon period started from about 14,000 BCE until around 300 BCE. The first signs of civilisation in Japan were starting to appear and people started to farm the land and build permanent homes. The people lived in buildings called "pit dwellings" or "pit houses". They are large holes dug in the ground with a roof over the top. "jōmon" translates as "cord-marked" after the style of art that they were using at the time. They started to develop their own style of pottery and art using cords to imprint and decorate their pots and sculptures. The Yamato clan was very powerful at this time and their chief, Jimmu, was to become the first Japanese emperor and the Yamato clan to become the leading clan, like a government of Japan.
Yayoi period
The Yayoi period started around 300 BCE and ended about 250 AD. This period was named after the town of Yayoi in Bunkyō, Tokyo where the first traces of the period where discovered. In this period weaving, rice farming and metal making was discovered. Iron and bronze were the metals used at this time. Iron was used to make farming tools and bronze was used in rituals and ceremonies. The first female emperor, Emperess Jingu, came into power in 201 AD.
Kofun period
The Kofun period started around 250 AD and was named after the "kofun" burial mounds that was popular at the time. This was when strong clans started to make their land into military states and start to invade others to try and gain more land.
Asuka Period
The Asuka period started 538 AD and ended in 710 AD. The Yamato clan had formed into a very strong state and was leading Japan and applying laws to the people such as the Taika Reform; which was to make the Imperial court stronger, and the Taiho code; which were laws that were strongly influenced by Confucianism from China. Japan started to build up its economy and Buddhism was introduced by the Baekje people, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, whom the Japanese saved from their traditional enemies in the North.
Nara period
In 710 AD the capital of Japan was moved to Nara from Asuka. At this time the ruling body has been placed into a structured organisation and taxes were able to be collected efficiently from all over the land. The system was governed by the Emperor and he held absolute power to make and control the laws. Land was registered and a powerful new middle class became apparent. The government built public structures with the tax money and advanced irrigation systems and a census every five years was held. The Nara period lasted until 794 AD.
Heian period
The Heian period lasted from 794 AD to 1185 and is the final period of classical Japan. It was considered to be at the height of Japan's art and Imperial court. The power of Japan was no longer held in the hands of Japan's emperor, who had been reduced to a polictical figurehead, but was held in the hands of powerful families like the Fujiwara family. The Fujiwara family controlled most of Japan and gained power by marrying in their daughters to the Imperial family. The Fujiwara appointed themselves as Imperial Regents and became so closely identified with the Imperial family that this period is sometimes called the "Fujiwara period". Towads the end of the period the four most powerful clans were the Minamoto clan, the Taira clan, the Fujiwara clan, and the Tachibana
clan.
clan.