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660 BC Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
57 Oldest evidence of Japanese writing (see Hanko)
107 A Japanese prince sends 160 slaves as presents to Chinese
court.
188 Himiko
(aka, Pimiko) is said to have begun her reign in Japan.
200 In Japan, Himiko
, whose capital is in Yamatai, extends her authority over a number of clans.
247 Civil War begins in Japan.
250 Kofun Period begins in Japan.
298 The manufacture of cultured silk
becomes popular from Korea
to Japan.
367 The first Korea
n envoy arrives in Japan, emissary of the governement of Kudara.
400 Chrysanthemums are introduced to Japan (approximate date).
405 Japanese court officially adopts the Chinese writing system (approximate date).
478 First Shinto shrines built in Japan.
478 Chinese
chronicles record a memorial sent by the "King of Japan" (possibly Emperor Yuryaku), who describes himself as "Supreme Director of Military Affairs in Japan and Korea" to the Court of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The Chinese Emperor responds by confirming the Japanese dynasty in those titles. This is the earliest verifiable date in Japanese history.
538 End of the Kofun era and beginning of the Asuka period, the second part of the Yamato period in Japan.
538 Buddhism
introduced formally into Japan (by some accounts; see also 552).
539 Emperor Kimmei
ascends the throne of Japan.
552 Buddhism
is introduced into Japan.
572 Emperor Bidatsu ascends the throne of Japan.
578 Kongo Gumi, world's oldest continuously operating company (578 - 2006), founded in Osaka
, Japan.
585 Emperor Yomei ascends to the throne of Japan.
587 Emperor Sushun ascends to the throne of Japan.
593 Empress Suiko
ascends to the throne of Japan.
594 Empress Suiko
issues the Flourishing Three Treasures Edict, officially recognizing the practice of Buddhism
in Japan
600 Chinese
-influenced sculptures of Buddha
begin to be created in Japan.
603 Japan's
Prince Shotoku
establishes a twelve level cap and rank system and is said to have authored a seventeen-article constitution.
607 Prince Shotoku
of Japan appoints Ono no Imoko as official envoy to Sui
and sends him to pay tribute to the Sui court (Traditional Japanese date
: July 3, 607).
608 Prince Shotoku
of Japan appoints Ono no Imoko as official envoy to Sui
for a second time and sends him to pay tribute to the Sui court.
610 Paper
technology is imported into Japan from China by Korean Buddhist priest, Dam Jing.
629 Emperor Jomei
ascends to the throne of Japan.
642 Empress Kogyoku
ascends to the throne of Japan.
655 Empress Saimei
ascends to the throne of Japan.
661 Emperor Tenji
ascends to the throne of Japan.
672 Emperor Temmu ascends to the throne of Japan
679 Died
680 Died
686 Empress Jito
ascends to the throne of Japan
701 The Code of Taiho is issued in Japan.
702 The Code of Taiho, reforming & organizing central government, was enacted in Japan.
707 Empress Gemmei
succeeds to the Japanese throne.
708 The Japanese
court
moved from Heian
to Nara.
708 Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date
: August 10, 708).
710 End of the Asuka period, the second and last part of the Yamato period and beginning of the Nara period in Japan; Nara becomes the first capital of Japan.
712 The ''Kojiki'', a history of Japan from its birth, is completed.
715 End of the reign of Empress Gemmei
of Japan, she is succeeded by Empress Gensho
.
718 World's oldest hotel Houshi Onsen founded in Ishikawa-ken, Japan.
720 The Nihon Shoki (????), one of the oldest history books in Japan, is completed.
724 End of the reign of Empress Gensho
of Japan.
724 Emperor Shomu
succeeds to the throne of Japan.
736 The Kegon school of Buddhism
arrives in Japan via Korea
, when Roben invites the Korean monk Simsang to lecture, and formally founds Japan's Kegon tradition in the Todaiji temple.
741 Japanese authorities decree that Buddhist temples should be established throughout the country.
749 Empress Koken
ascends to the throne of Japan
759 Japanese poet
Otomo no Yakamochi compiled the first Japanese poetry anthology Man'yoshu.
764 Empress Shotoku
succeeds Emperor Junnin
on the throne of Japan.
770 Emperor Konin
ascends to the throne of Japan, succeeding Empress Shotoku
.
781 Emperor Kammu
succeeds Emperor Konin
as emperor
of Japan.
784 The Japanese capital moved away from Nara
. End of the Nara period.
''
789 Uprising in Japan leads to a major defeat for Emperor Kammu
, alongside a severe drought
and famine
807 The temple of Motoyamaji is built in Toyonaka, Japan.
823 Emperor Junna
ascends to the throne of Japan.
''
858 Emperor Seiwa
ascends the throne of Japan.
866 Fujiwara no Yoshifusa
becomes regent of Japan, starting the Fujiwara regentship.
887 Emperor Uda
ascends to the throne of Japan
894 Japan ceases commercial relations (called Imperial embassies to China) with China on the orders of the Japanese emperor.
940 Narita-san temple founded in Chiba, Japan.
942 Kaminarimon, the eight-pillared gate to Japan's Kinryuzan Sensouji Temple is erected.
946 Emperor Murakami
ascends the throne of Japan
''
957 In Japan the era of Tenryaku ends, and the era of Tentoku begins.
''
967 Emperor Reizei
ascends to the throne of Japan
969 Emperor En'yu
succeeds Emperor Reizei
on the throne of Japan.
970 Major volcano
eruption in Mashu, Japan
986 Emperor Ichijo
ascends to the throne of Japan
1011 Emperor Sanjo
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1019 Japanese regent and statesman Fujiwara no Michinaga retires from public life, installing his son Yorimichi as regent. Michinaga will, however, continue to direct affairs of state from his retirement, and will remain the de facto ruler of Japan until his death in 1028.
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1036 Emperor Go-Suzaku
ascends the throne of Japan.
1045 Emperor Go-Reizei
ascends the throne of Japan.
1068 Emperor Go-Sanjo
ascends to the throne of Japan
1087 Emperor Horikawa
ascends to the throne of Japan
1107 Emperor Toba
ascends the throne of Japan.
1118 Start of the Genei era
in Japan.
1123 Emperor Sutoku
ascends to the throne of Japan
1142 Emperor Konoe
ascends to the throne of Japan
1155 Emperor Go-Shirakawa
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1156 Hogen Rebellion in Japan
1158 Emperor Nijo
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1160 Heiji Rebellion in Japan
1165 Emperor Rokujo
ascends to the throne of Japan. He is one year old.
1167 Taira no Kiyomori
becomes the first samurai to be appointed ''Daijo Daijin'', chief minister of the government of Japan
1168 Emperor Takakura
ascends to the throne of Japan
1177 During the third year of the Angen era in Japan, a fire devastates Kyoto
.
1181 Beginning of the Yowa era in Japan. The era is marked by famine
.
1182 Ending of the Yowa era in Japan. The era was marked by famine
.
1183 Three-year old Emperor Go-Toba
ascends to the throne of Japan after the forced abdication of his brother Emperor Antoku
during the Genpei War
.
1183 Taira no Munemori
and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku
and the three sacred treasures and flee to western Japan to escape pursuit by the Minamoto clan. (Traditional Japanese date
: Twenty-fifth Day of the Seventh Month of the Second Year of Juei).
1185 End of the Heian Period and beginning of the Kamakura period in Japan.
1185 Genpei War
- Naval battle of Dan-no-ura leads to Minamoto victory in Japan.
1187 Zen Buddhism comes to Japan
1192 Minamoto no Yoritomo granted title of shogun
, thereby officially establishing the first shogunate in the history
of Japan.
1198 Emperor Tsuchimikado
ascends to the throne of Japan
1210 Emperor Juntoku
ascends to the throne of Japan
1218 Minamoto no Sanetomo
becomes ''Udaijin'' of Japan.
1221 Emperor Chukyo
briefly reigns over Japan
1221 Emperor Go-Horikawa
ascends to the throne of Japan
1242 Emperor Go-Saga
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1244 Dogen
Zenji establishes the Eiheiji temple in Japan, in doing so founding the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism
.
1246 Emperor Go-Fukakusa
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1249 The Hikitsuke, a judicial organ of the Kamakura
and Muromachi shogunates of Japan, is established.
1253 Nichiren
, a Japanese Buddhist
monk, declares his attention to preach the Lotus Sutra and ''Nam Myoho Renge Kyo'' as the true Buddhism, essentially founding the branch of Buddhism now known as Nichiren Buddhism
.
1265 Kublai Khan
sends a delegation to Japan, which loots islands along the way.
1268 Kublai Khan
sends an emissary to the Kamakura Shogunate
of Japan demanding an acknowledgment of souzerainty and payment of tribute; the Japanese refuse, starting a diplomatic back-and-forth lasting until the Mongols
attempt to invade in 1274.
1274 The Mongol Empire
attempts the first of several invasions of Japan; after the Mongols capture outlying islands, they are repulsed on the main island at the Battle of Bun'ei by amassed Japanese warriors and a strong storm which batters their forces and fleet. Credit for the storm — called a ''kamikaze'', or divine wind — is given by the Japanese to the god Raiden.
1277 In Japan, a 20 kilometer stone wall defending the coast of Hakata Bay in Fukuoka is completed; it is built in response to the attempted invasion by the Mongol Empire
in 1274.
1279 A Mongol
diplomatic party sent by Kublai Khan
to Japan is killed by Japan's regent Hojo Tokimune
, leading to a second invasion attempt by the Mongols in 1281.
1286 Kublai Khan
plots a final Mongol
invasion of Japan, but aborts the plan due to a lack of necessary resources.
1293 An earthquake
in Kamakura, Japan kills an estimated 30,000.
1298 Emperor Go-Fushimi
ascends to the throne of Japan
1301 Emperor Go-Nijo
ascends to the throne of Japan.
1308 Emperor Hanazono
ascends to the throne of Japan.
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Timeline
