A Brief History of Japan Japan is an island. That fact has been important to its history.

China first made an official visit to Japan in the 200s. The visitors dubbed Japan the Land of Wa or harmony! accordin" to the #ritten records at this time Japan #as ruled by a shamaness named Himi$o. Ancient Japan had its o#n mytholo"y oral histories #hich #ere collected into an official history of the land called the Kojiki in the year %&2. The Kojiki tells us that the rulers of Japan are descended from the 'un (oddess Amaterasu )mi$ami throu"h her "randson Jimmu the first emperor of Japan. *t is li$ely that the Kojiki #as created for the purpose of establishin" the dominant clan as the le"itimate and "od+"iven rulers of Japan. )ther clans or uji "radually lost po#er and become subordinate to this rulin" clan. The time of Jimmu and his descendants is called the ,amato -eriod.

.eyhole tombs and Hani#a /clay burial fi"ures0 date from this period. The first historically documented period of Japanese history is the 1ara period /%&2+%230. *t dates from the transfer of the capital to 1ara. The ne# capital #as based on the ideal Chinese city of Chan"+An. The creation of the capital at 1ara reflected a "ro#in" desire for centrali4ed "overnment and the stability it could brin". 'teps had already been ta$en to#ard this end throu"h the Tai$a 5eforms of the mid 600s #hich diminished the po#er of the uji /clans0 and developed a central administration. The reforms sho# Continental influences such as Buddhism populari4ed by -rince 'hoto$u in the late 700s. Todai8i #as one of the first "reat temples in 1ara. *t is the lar"est totally #ooden structure in the #orld.

Todai8i The transfer of the Japanese capital from 1ara #est to .yoto by 9mperor .ammu mar$ed the end of the 1ara -eriod and the be"innin" of the Heian -eriod /%2:+&&;60.

The Heian -eriod #as a "olden a"e dominated by the customs and tastes of the royal court in .yoto. Court society developed definite styles of dress music and literature. Literature in particular flo#ered and #omen authors #ere active. <urasa$i 'hi$ibu a #oman of the court #rote the epic Tale of Genji commonly ac$no#led"ed as the #orld=s first novel. 'ei 'hona"on another court lady and <urasa$i=s rival #rote the Pillow Book a collection of essays and observations on life and manners. These #omen #rote in hira"ana a slender flo#in" script developed from simplified Chinese characters that later became the Japanese alphabet. 'uch #ritin" #as called onna-de >#oman=s hand.? )verall the Heian period is associated #ith a refined feminine aesthetic called Taoyame-buri /literally >li$e a "entle #oman?0 #hereas the 1ara -eriod is characteri4ed by more a more manly and vi"orous aesthetic >masura-o buri.?

Heian Woman=s Costume @urin" the Heian -eriod there #as much commerce bet#een Japan and the Continent. The Japanese mon$s 'aicho and .u$ai traveled to China to learn more about Buddhism and #hen they returned they founded the Tendai and 'hin"on sects of Buddhism. The Tendai sect #as based at 9nrya$u Temple on <t. Hiei #hich rises above .yoto to the east. Tendai disciples believed in a life of service and the importance of the

Lotus 'utra. The 'hin"on sect #as based at <t. .oya a temple south of the capital. 'hin"on believers accepted @ainichi as the main incarnation of Buddha! this reli"ion includes secret mantras /chants0 and hand "estures. -ure Land Buddhism #as also born in Heian times. *t #as populari4ed by the mon$ (enshin. -ure Landers believed in Tari$i /salvation throu"h another0 vs. Jiri$i /salvation throu"h personal effort0. They also emphasi4ed chantin" the nenbutsu or evo$in" the name of Amida Buddha. The Byodoin a temple near .yoto devoted to Amida Buddha #as built at this time.

Byodoin The Taira or Au8i#ara clan dominated the court durin" the Heian -eriod rulin" behind the scenes throu"h an eBtensive system of connections throu"h marria"e to the imperial family. The Au8i#ara also made use of re"encies. When a re"ent conducted matters of state on behalf of a child emperor that re"ent #as called sessho. A kampaku #as a re"ent for an adult emperor. This is an eBample of a situation occurrin" freCuently throu"hout Japanese history in #hich the emperor held only nominal po#er #hile the actual po#er resided else#here. The "reatest of the Au8i#ara family #as Au8i#ara no <ichina"a /266+ &02;0 on #hom <urasa$i 'hi$ibu based her dashin" hero and lover (en8i.

<odern actors dressed as (en8i and his lover <urasa$i The Heian -eriod came to an end as court culture fell into a decline. The Heian aristocrats compromised their position by dependin" on #arrior clans to Cuell rebellion and unrest in the provinces. The stren"th of provincial lords #ho o#ned shoen /manors0 increased and the central "overnment #ea$ened. 'upported by country bushi /#arriors0 <inamoto ,oriyoshi and ,oriie consolidated the stren"th of the po#erful <inamoto clan in the provinces. Althou"h the <inamoto /(en8i0 clan ostensibly served the Taira /Au8i#ara0 clan they had become stron" enou"h to sei4e po#er themselves. .iyomori one of the last stron" Taira /Au8i#ara0 leaders had many of the <inamoto clan eBecuted but the family rallied around <inamoto ,oritomo in the 9ast. ,oritomo=s youn"er brother ,oshitsune achieved a series of victories over the Taira clan drivin" them from the capital and forcin" them to flee ever south and #est. The Au8i#ara #ere finally defeated in the battle of @an no Dra in &&;7 #here the seven year old emperor Anto$u perished #hen his "randmother 8umped #ith him into the #aves. This battle mar$ed the end of the Heian -eriod and the be"innin" of the .ama$ura -eriod /&&;6+&3360.

The Battle of @an no Dra Thus be"an the a"e of the sho"un and the sho"unate or bakufu. Althou"h the emperors retained their ceremonial title durin" this period the de+facto ruler of Japan #as the sho"un or "eneral #ho ruled from the eastern city of .ama$ura. The culture of aristocrats #ithered a#ay and a culture of #arriors #as born. *n the late &&00s and early &200s Een Buddhism #as brou"ht over from China by the mon$s 9isai and 9nni. Een emphasi4ed satori or sudden enli"htenment instead of the recitin" of sutras. Japan=s #arrior class accepted Een and refined its practice to a hi"h art.

-racticin" Ea+4en

The <uramachi -eriod be"an in &322 and continued until &7%3. This period sa# "reat unrest! the sho"unate became less po#erful and there #as much #arrin" in the provinces. At the same time there #as steady economic development and Japan sa# a rise of the merchant class. 9ventually three fi"ures arose from the chaos to reunify Japan under one "overnment. Those men #ere )da 1obuna"a Toyotomi Hideyoshi and To$u"a#a *eyasu.

)da 1obuna"a

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

To$u"a#a *eyasu

The process of reunification be"an in &72; #hen the daimyo /provincial lord0 )da 1obuna"a mana"ed to ta$e .yoto. His retainer and successor #as Toyotomi Hideyoshi a man of military "enius and political vision. Toyotomi instituted ne# la#s and reforms! he surveyed the land disarmed villa"ers of their #eapons to $eep la# and order and attempted to eBpand the Japanese empire throu"h an unsuccessful attac$ of .orea. He #as also an important patron of the arts. *t #as partly throu"h his sponsorship that the tea ceremony created by 'en no 5i$yu in the A4uchi <omoyama -eriod #as populari4ed and refined. Toyotomi had a tea room made for himself covered in "old leaf.

A 5econstruction of Toyotomi Hideyoshi=s Tea 5oom

@urin" this time noh /traditional Japanese drama0 also flourished under the patrona"e of Toyotomi and the #arrior class. He ruled as kampaku /re"ent0 as had )da. )n his death the various lords vied for po#er but To$u"a#a established his dominance in a "reat battle at 'e$i"ahara in &600 and became sho"un.

1oh mas$ To$u"a#a=s unification of Japan mar$ed the be"innin" of the period $no#n as the To$u"a#a -eriod or the 9do -eriod. To$u"a#a moved the capital of Japan to 9do a city that had ori"inally been a small fishin" villa"e in eastern Honshu. He established a centrali4ed feudal state in #hich the sho"un controlled the daimyo /provincial lords0 #ith an iron hand. Arustrated #ith the activities of Christian missionaries To$u"a#a closed Japan to the outside #orld permittin" no forei"ners to set foot in the country eBceptin" throu"h the port of 1a"asa$i #here @utch ships #ould come to trade. @urin" this period the merchant class developed further "ainin" both financial po#er and cultural dominance. Literature of this period reflected the life of merchants in ma8or to#ns such as 9do and )sa$a. The pleasure Cuarters #here #ealthy men could be entertained by "eisha of various ran$s became a popular sub8ect of boo$s and prints.

A Woman of the -leasure Fuarters Dnder the To$u"a#a clan=s rule Japan eBperienced t#o hundred years of stability and isolation from the rest of the #orld. This state continued until the arrival of Commodore -erry=s >Blac$ 'hips? from America in &;73. Throu"h persuasion and the sho# of force -erry succeeded in openin" Japan to trade #hich in turn resulted in a delu"e of forei"n culture and customs.