Table of contents
1. The Jomon Period (ca 15,000 – 900 BCE)............................................................................................4
2. The Yayoi period (ca 900 – 250 BCE)...................................................................................................4
1.1. Chronology / Geography / Climate..............................................................................................4
1.2. Society (social structures + economic systems)...........................................................................4
Hunter-gatherer vs agriculture (!)......................................................................................................4
1.3. Burials..........................................................................................................................................4
Egalitarian vs social stratification........................................................................................................4
1.4. Contacts and trade......................................................................................................................4
1.5. Materialistic culture.....................................................................................................................5
Ceramics.............................................................................................................................................5
Others.................................................................................................................................................5
1.6. Architecture / Housing.................................................................................................................5
1.7. Archaeological sites.....................................................................................................................6
3. Kofun period (250 – ca 550 CE) (Protohistory)...................................................................................6
1. Political developments:..................................................................................................................6
1.1. Inland.......................................................................................................................................6
1.2. Neighbouring countries...........................................................................................................6
2. Cultural...........................................................................................................................................7
2.1. Artefacts:.................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Religion....................................................................................................................................7
4. Asuka periode (550-710) history period.............................................................................................7
1. Political developments:..................................................................................................................7
1.1. Yamato state............................................................................................................................7
1.2. 604: 17 article constitution......................................................................................................7
1.3. 645: Taika-reform....................................................................................................................8
1.4. 695: First permanent capital....................................................................................................8
1.5. 702: Taiho-codex.....................................................................................................................8
1.6. Foreign influences....................................................................................................................8
2. Socio – economic developments....................................................................................................9
2.1. Mokkan:...................................................................................................................................9
2.2. Ranksystem:.............................................................................................................................9
2.3. Lots of diseases........................................................................................................................9
3. Cultural developments...................................................................................................................9
3.1. Introduction of Buddhism........................................................................................................9
, 3.2. Gion Mastsuri..........................................................................................................................9
5. The Nara period (ca. 710-784/794).....................................................................................................9
1. Political developments (following Taiho-code)...............................................................................9
1.1. 710: Nara capital......................................................................................................................9
1.2. 718: Yoro-codex:......................................................................................................................9
1.3. Power of Buddhistic temples..................................................................................................9
1.4. National histories...................................................................................................................10
1.5. 743: hereditary (without limit) private land property allowed.............................................10
1.6. Military missions against ‘barbarians’ (Emishi).....................................................................10
1.7. International politics..............................................................................................................10
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................10
2.1. End of growth:.......................................................................................................................10
3. Cultural developments.................................................................................................................10
6. The Heian period (ca. 794 – ).........................................................................................11
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................11
1.1. Relationship Buddhism..........................................................................................................11
1.2. Rise of private land................................................................................................................11
1.3. Rule........................................................................................................................................11
2. Socio – economic..........................................................................................................................12
2.1. Capital....................................................................................................................................12
2.2. Social......................................................................................................................................12
3. Cultural.........................................................................................................................................13
3.1. Buddhism...............................................................................................................................13
3.2. Heian literature......................................................................................................................13
7. Kamakura period: Medieval Japan I (1192 – 1333)...........................................................................13
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................13
1.1. Minamoto no Yoritomo.........................................................................................................13
1.2. Hojo family.............................................................................................................................14
1.3. Foreign trade.........................................................................................................................14
1.4. Mongol invasions...................................................................................................................14
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................14
2.1. Stressful transitional time......................................................................................................14
3. Cultural development...................................................................................................................14
8. The Muromachi period: Medieval Japan II (1336 - 1467).................................................................15
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................15
1.1. Split lineages..........................................................................................................................15
, 1.2. Ashikaga bakufu.....................................................................................................................15
1.3. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu..............................................................................................................15
1.4. Throughout first half of 15th century......................................................................................15
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................15
2.1. Demographic growth.............................................................................................................15
3. Cultural developments.................................................................................................................16
9. The Warring States period (1467 – 1600).........................................................................................16
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................16
1.1. Sengoku daimyō....................................................................................................................16
1.2. Buddhism...............................................................................................................................17
1.3. Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi...............................................................................17
1.4. International politics..............................................................................................................17
1. The Jomon Period (ca 15,000 – 900 BCE)............................................................................................4
2. The Yayoi period (ca 900 – 250 BCE)...................................................................................................4
1.1. Chronology / Geography / Climate..............................................................................................4
1.2. Society (social structures + economic systems)...........................................................................4
Hunter-gatherer vs agriculture (!)......................................................................................................4
1.3. Burials..........................................................................................................................................4
Egalitarian vs social stratification........................................................................................................4
1.4. Contacts and trade......................................................................................................................4
1.5. Materialistic culture.....................................................................................................................5
Ceramics.............................................................................................................................................5
Others.................................................................................................................................................5
1.6. Architecture / Housing.................................................................................................................5
1.7. Archaeological sites.....................................................................................................................6
3. Kofun period (250 – ca 550 CE) (Protohistory)...................................................................................6
1. Political developments:..................................................................................................................6
1.1. Inland.......................................................................................................................................6
1.2. Neighbouring countries...........................................................................................................6
2. Cultural...........................................................................................................................................7
2.1. Artefacts:.................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Religion....................................................................................................................................7
4. Asuka periode (550-710) history period.............................................................................................7
1. Political developments:..................................................................................................................7
1.1. Yamato state............................................................................................................................7
1.2. 604: 17 article constitution......................................................................................................7
1.3. 645: Taika-reform....................................................................................................................8
1.4. 695: First permanent capital....................................................................................................8
1.5. 702: Taiho-codex.....................................................................................................................8
1.6. Foreign influences....................................................................................................................8
2. Socio – economic developments....................................................................................................9
2.1. Mokkan:...................................................................................................................................9
2.2. Ranksystem:.............................................................................................................................9
2.3. Lots of diseases........................................................................................................................9
3. Cultural developments...................................................................................................................9
3.1. Introduction of Buddhism........................................................................................................9
, 3.2. Gion Mastsuri..........................................................................................................................9
5. The Nara period (ca. 710-784/794).....................................................................................................9
1. Political developments (following Taiho-code)...............................................................................9
1.1. 710: Nara capital......................................................................................................................9
1.2. 718: Yoro-codex:......................................................................................................................9
1.3. Power of Buddhistic temples..................................................................................................9
1.4. National histories...................................................................................................................10
1.5. 743: hereditary (without limit) private land property allowed.............................................10
1.6. Military missions against ‘barbarians’ (Emishi).....................................................................10
1.7. International politics..............................................................................................................10
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................10
2.1. End of growth:.......................................................................................................................10
3. Cultural developments.................................................................................................................10
6. The Heian period (ca. 794 – ).........................................................................................11
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................11
1.1. Relationship Buddhism..........................................................................................................11
1.2. Rise of private land................................................................................................................11
1.3. Rule........................................................................................................................................11
2. Socio – economic..........................................................................................................................12
2.1. Capital....................................................................................................................................12
2.2. Social......................................................................................................................................12
3. Cultural.........................................................................................................................................13
3.1. Buddhism...............................................................................................................................13
3.2. Heian literature......................................................................................................................13
7. Kamakura period: Medieval Japan I (1192 – 1333)...........................................................................13
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................13
1.1. Minamoto no Yoritomo.........................................................................................................13
1.2. Hojo family.............................................................................................................................14
1.3. Foreign trade.........................................................................................................................14
1.4. Mongol invasions...................................................................................................................14
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................14
2.1. Stressful transitional time......................................................................................................14
3. Cultural development...................................................................................................................14
8. The Muromachi period: Medieval Japan II (1336 - 1467).................................................................15
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................15
1.1. Split lineages..........................................................................................................................15
, 1.2. Ashikaga bakufu.....................................................................................................................15
1.3. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu..............................................................................................................15
1.4. Throughout first half of 15th century......................................................................................15
2. Socio – economic developments..................................................................................................15
2.1. Demographic growth.............................................................................................................15
3. Cultural developments.................................................................................................................16
9. The Warring States period (1467 – 1600).........................................................................................16
1. Political developments..................................................................................................................16
1.1. Sengoku daimyō....................................................................................................................16
1.2. Buddhism...............................................................................................................................17
1.3. Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi...............................................................................17
1.4. International politics..............................................................................................................17
