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May 28, 660
The Son of Heaven
''The Son of Heaven'' was a title that the emperor of Japan held. A myth stated that the first emperor of Japan was the grandson of the sun goddess, Amaterasu. He was sent down from heaven around 660 BCE to establish order. He was given three symbols of his rules on Earth. One was the Jewel, representing kindness. Another was the Sword, representing courage. And the third was the Mirror, which represented wisdom. -
Sep 18, 1003
The Tale of Genji
As a lady-in-waiting to the empress, she began to keep a secret diary about court life. She wrote freely about the people of class, describing their parties, art, and ceremonies. Much of her diary consisted of gossip about the courtiers, their personalities, and their love affairs. About the year of 1003, the empress Lady Murasak to write stories for the court's entertainment. She adapted her diary into The Tale of Genji, which she published as a series over the next several years. -
Mar 19, 1100
Loyal Samurais
By the middle of the 1100s, the samurai were loyal to lords. The lords were loyal to either the Minamoto or the Taira. The wars between them raged through Japan for a generation. Samurai on both sides slaughtered the elegant nobles of Kyoto and burned they palaces. -
Jun 16, 1200
Under the Shoguns
The period of the shoguns and samurai is known as the Shogunate. During this time, there was a new growth of Buddhism in Japan. The Japanese had long ago adopted central Buddhists beliefs. These included karma and reincarnation. Now, however, new Buddhists groups were taking root in Japan. In the 1200s, form of Buddhism called Zen became popular among the samurai. It focused on mental and moral strength through meditation. -
Sep 28, 1200
Mongols Attacked
In the 1200s the Mongols attacked Japan. They wanted to add Japan to their empire. However, the Mongol horsemen were fighting in an unfamiliar element. The Japanese fought against the Mongol fleet using small boats. The Japanese were saved from the Mongol attack when a typhoon wrecked the Mongol fleet. -
May 7, 1300
The Feudal Era
By the 1300s, however, the shogun had become almost as powerless as the emperor. There was no central power in Japan. It had a feudal system of government. This was very similar to the one in Europe at that time. Regional lords, called daimyo, controlled local territories. Each had his own group of loyal samurai.