Japan
Ainu settlers [3000]. The first inhabitants entered Japan during the last Ice Age [about 30,000 BCE]. Japan was connected to the mainland of Asia until about 10,000 BCE. These first settlers, the Ainu, have a different ethnic background than other Japanese. The Ainu language is not related to any other language [language isolate].
New settlers [2500]. New settlers, perhaps speakers of Malay-Polynesian languages, came from the south [2500]. These Stone Age people hunted and fished, but did not plant crops [Jomon Culture]. They built homes by digging shallow pits and covering them with A-shaped, thatched roofs.
Foundation [660]. Japanese legends name a first emperor [Jinnu, 660 BCE]. Japan celebrates this tradition as a holiday, National Foundation Day.
Rice Farming [250]. New Stone Age settlers, who spoke Mongolian languages, came from northern China and entered Japan from Korea [Yayoi Culture]. These settlers became the 'Japanese' people. They built homes on wooden platforms raised above the ground and grew rice. Families lived together as clans [uji]. Each group honored a clan god [kami].
Metal working [50 BCE]. Another group of settlers from Korea introduced copper and bronze tools and weapons. Clan leaders controlled areas as large as their strength allowed [Late Yayoi Culture].
Clans fight [250]. New settlers from Korea introduced iron tools and weapons [250]. Clan leaders fought and powerful clans controlled large areas. Wealthy clan leaders were buried in large burial mounds [kofun]. Japan established colonies in Korea [366, Kaya also known as Mimana] and adopted the writing used in Korea [400].
Yamato strong [500]. The Yamato family controlled a large area near present-day Osaka. Confucianism [500] and Buddhism [552] passed from Japan's colonies in Korea. Japan worked closely with the Paekche in Korea. A rival Korean state drove the Japanese out [562, Shilla] and conquered all of Korea.
Soga emperor [593]. The Soga clan defeated rivals. Its most effective leader [Prince Shotoku, ruled 593/621] named the country the 'place where the sun rises' [Nihon]. He introduced a constitution that placed an emperor in power above the nobles [604, Seventeen Article Constitution] and provided funding to build many Buddhist monasteries and temples. Japan worked closely with the Tang rulers of China who came to power in 618. Many Japanese students traveled to China for their education.
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Horyu Temple. An emperor and son [Prince Shotoku] founded the Horyu Buddhist monastery [607, Horyuji]. The original buildings were destroyed by fire [670] and rebuilt about 700. The ceremonial hall and five story pagoda are the oldest wooden buildings in the world.
Yamato Emperor [645]. After Soga leaders abused their power by seizing land belonging to other clans, the Yamato clan rebelled. They enacted laws [645, Taika Reform] that adopted China's system of government administration [bureaucracy], increased the power of the emperor [tenno, divine emperor], and abolished private ownership of land [645, Taika]. The emperor gave small parcels of land to farmers. Farmers held the land for their lifetime as long as they paid taxes and served in the army.
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Shinto. The earlier shamanistic religion that honored gods of nature began to evolve into a new belief system, Shinto. Followers of Shinto built shrines for prayers and ceremonies. Many Shinto practices emphasize washing and purification.
Nara capital [710]. Nara became the first permanent capital city [710]. A palace, government buildings, and Buddhist temples were built. China's capital city [Xianyang] served as a model. One of every three men was called to serve in the army.
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Waka Poems. Folk songs were rewritten as Waka poems. that always have five lines and a fixed number of syllables [5,7,5,7,7]. Waka remained the preferred format for Japanese poems for 1000 years.
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Todai Temple. The Todai Buddhist temple in Nara [745, Todaiji] had a 53-foot high bronze statue of Buddha [Daibutsu] inside a 290 foot hall. The original building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt. Even though the new building is 2/3 the size of the original, it is the largest wooden building in the world.
Kyoto capital [784]. The emperor spent so much of his wealth to build Buddhist monasteries and temples that his government became weak. Clans began to compete for power. The emperor moved to a new capital city [Nagaoka, 784] because Buddhist leaders had gained too much power. Ten years later the capital was moved to Kyoto [794, Heian]. China's capital again served as a model. Buddhist temples were not permitted near the emperor's palace. Temple land ownership and wealth were restricted.
Fujiwara strong [858]. The emperor rewarded subjects by giving them tax-free land [shoen]. The Fujiwara family and Buddhist monasteries gained large land holdings and grew powerful. A member of the Fujiwara family became emperor [877] and Fujiwara emperors remained in power for 190 years [887/1068]. Landowners hired soldiers and formed private armies. The warriors, 'samurai', were illiterate farmers. An educated and respected class of samurai warriors did not develop until several centuries later [1600s]. The Taira and Minamoto clans developed the most powerful armies.
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Ritual Suicide. The practice of ritual suicide [seppuku] developed. Warriors who had failed in responsibility cut open their abdomen because it was the place where their spirit was located. A friend quickly cut off the warrior's head to end the suffering.
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Tale of the Genji. The world's first novel, 'Tale of Genji' [1010], describes a nobleman's affairs with women, reveals the life style of the rich nobles during Fujiwara rule, and narrates events at the palaces in Kyoto. Many writers were women, including the author of 'Tale of Genji' [Lady Murasaki Shikibu].
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