A Short History of Japan: From the Jomon to Today
Japan's history in one easy read, from the earliest Jomon people to emperors, samurai, shoguns, the Meiji era and modern Japan, with the best places to see each period for yourself.
Quick answer
- Ancient Japan: Jomon hunter-gatherers, then rice farming in the Yayoi period and great burial mounds.
- Classical Japan: capitals at Nara from 710 and Kyoto from 794, a golden age of court culture.
- The samurai age: warrior governments from 1185, civil war, then 250 years of peace under the Tokugawa shoguns.
- Modern Japan: the Meiji Restoration of 1868, war, recovery and the economic boom.
- Today: the Reiwa era, which began in 2019.
Japan's history is a story of long periods of isolation and sudden bursts of change. Knowing the main eras makes temples, castles and old towns far more interesting, because you can see each chapter of the story for yourself.
Timeline of Japanese history
| Period | Dates | What happened | See it today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jomon | about 14,000 BC to 300 BC | Hunter-gatherers make some of the world's oldest pottery | Sannai-Maruyama in Aomori |
| Yayoi | 300 BC to AD 300 | Rice farming, metal tools and the first small kingdoms | Yoshinogari in Saga |
| Kofun | 300 to 538 | Huge keyhole-shaped burial mounds for powerful rulers | Mozu-Furuichi tombs, Osaka |
| Asuka | 538 to 710 | Buddhism arrives and the first central government forms | Horyu-ji near Nara |
| Nara | 710 to 794 | The first permanent capital at Nara | Todai-ji and Nara Park |
| Heian | 794 to 1185 | The capital moves to Kyoto and court culture flourishes | Byodo-in |
| Kamakura | 1185 to 1333 | The first samurai government, the shogunate | Kamakura |
| Muromachi | 1336 to 1573 | Zen, tea ceremony and Noh theatre, then civil war | Kinkaku-ji |
| Azuchi-Momoyama | 1573 to 1603 | Warlords reunite Japan and build great castles | Himeji Castle |
| Edo | 1603 to 1868 | Tokugawa shoguns rule from Edo, now Tokyo, in peace and isolation | Nikko Toshogu |
| Meiji | 1868 to 1912 | The emperor is restored and Japan modernises fast | Meiji Jingu |
| Taisho and Showa | 1912 to 1989 | Democracy, war, defeat and an economic miracle | Hiroshima Peace Memorial |
| Heisei and Reiwa | 1989 to today | A wealthy, peaceful country facing an ageing society | Tokyo Skytree |
Early Japan
The Jomon people lived in Japan for over 10,000 years, fishing, hunting and making pottery decorated with cord patterns. Around 300 BC new arrivals from the Asian mainland brought rice farming and metal. Over the following centuries, local rulers grew powerful enough to be buried in vast mounds, some larger than the pyramids of Egypt by area.
Emperors and the court
In the 6th century Buddhism, Chinese writing and new ideas about government arrived. Japan built its first permanent capital at Nara in 710, then moved to Heian-kyo, today's Kyoto, in 794. For four centuries the court produced elegant poetry, art and The Tale of Genji, often called the world's first novel. Byodo-in, on the 10 yen coin, is a survivor of this age.
Samurai and shoguns
From 1185, real power passed to military leaders called shoguns, while the emperor remained in Kyoto. After a century of civil war, three great warlords, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, reunited the country. In 1603 Tokugawa became shogun and his family ruled for over 250 years.
- The Edo period was peaceful, and cities, theatre, woodblock prints and food culture flourished.
- Contact with the outside world was strictly limited, with Dutch and Chinese traders allowed only at Nagasaki.
- Post towns on old highways, such as Tsumago and Magome, still look much as they did.
Meiji Japan and the modern age
In 1853 American warships arrived and forced Japan to open up. In 1868 the shogun fell and the young Emperor Meiji was restored. Japan built railways, factories, schools and a modern army at astonishing speed.
The 20th century brought expansion, war and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. After the war Japan rebuilt itself into one of the world's great economies, hosting the Olympics in 1964 and launching the shinkansen the same year. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial is a powerful place to reflect on this history.
Japan today
Japan counts years by the reigning emperor's era. The Reiwa era began in 2019 when Emperor Naruhito came to the throne. Modern Japan combines deep tradition with cutting-edge technology, and faces challenges such as an ageing and shrinking population.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main periods of Japanese history?
The main eras are Jomon, Yayoi, Kofun, Asuka, Nara, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, Azuchi-Momoyama, Edo, Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa.
When did the samurai exist?
Samurai rose to power from the 12th century and lost their special status after the Meiji Restoration of 1868.
What was the Meiji Restoration?
The return of power to the emperor in 1868, which ended the shogunate and launched Japan's rapid modernisation.
What is the oldest city in Japan?
Nara was the first permanent capital, from 710, though Asuka and other sites are older.
We check this guide regularly. Prices, rules and services in Japan can change, so confirm with the official sources below before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
