Shogunate Japan

By asua6
  • Period: 710 to 794

    The Nara Period

  • 794

    794

    Under orders from Emperor Kammu, the capital of Japan moves to the city of Helan-Kyo (modern-day Kyoto); it remains the official capital of Japan for the next 1000 years.
  • Period: 794 to 1185

    The Heian Period

  • 1185

    1185

    The Minamoto clan seizes power from the emperor; Minamoto no Yoritomo becomes shogun and establishes his own capital city in Kamakura; with support from daimyo (lords) and samurai (warriors) a series of shoguns rules Japan for the next 700 years.
  • Period: 1185 to 1333

    The Kamakura Period

  • 1274

    1274

    The Mongol army launches an attack on Japan, landing on the island of Kyushu; a typhoon
    destroys many of their ships and the invasion fails.
  • 1281

    1281

    The Mongol army launches a second attack on Japan, landing once again on the island of
    Kyushu; for the second time a typhoon hits destroying almost all Mongol.
  • 1333

    1333

    Emperor Go-Daigo overthrows the Kamakura shogunate and takes back power from the shogun.
  • Period: 1333 to 1573

    The Muromachi Period

  • 1337

    1337

    Ashikaga Takauji seizes power from Emperor Go-Daigo to become the new shogun.
  • 1467

    1467

    A period of civil war, known as the Warning States period, begins in Japan between rival
    warlords; it lasts for around 100 years.
  • Period: 1573 to

    The Azuchi-Momoyama Period

  • 1598

    William Adams, a sailor and navigator, becomes the first Englishman to visit Japan; he
    befriends Tokugawa leyasu (a future shogun) and later becomes a key advisor to him.

  • 1603

    Tokugawa leyasu becomes shogun and establishes a base in the city to Edo (modern-day Tokyo); the Tokugawa shogunate rules Japan for the next 260 years.
  • Period: to

    The Tokugawa (or Edo) Period

  • 1633

    Tokugawa lemitsu introduces a policy known as saikoku (meaning ‘locked country’); under the policy, no Japanese people are permitted to leave Japan and no foreigners are allowed to enter; the policy remains in effect until around 1853.

  • 1666

    A policy is introduced to reduce logging and increase the planting of trees; only the shogun
    and his daimyo are able to authorise the use of wood.

  • 1724

    Timber harvesting in Japan has now been reduced by 60 per cent; it remains at low levels
    for the next 30 years, allowing Japan’s forests to recover.

  • 1853

    Commodore Matthew Perry, a US naval officer, arrives in the city of Edo (modern-day
    Tokyo) to persuade the Japanese to open their borders to trade.

  • 1854

    The Convention of Kanagawa puts an end to the policy of sakoku; Japan opens up trade
    with the United States.

  • 1867

    The last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, steps down and hands power back to the imperial
    family under Emperor Meiji.