118-3161: (Redirected from Meio ) Period of Japanese history (1492–1501) Part of a series on the History of Japan [REDACTED] Shōsōin Periods Paleolithic before 14,000 BC Jōmon 14,000–1000 BC Yayoi 1000 BC – 300 AD Kofun 300–538 AD Asuka 538–710 Nara 710–794 Heian Former Nine Years' War Later Three-Year War Genpei War 794–1185 Kamakura Jōkyū War Mongol invasions Genkō War Kenmu Restoration 1185–1333 Muromachi Nanboku-chō period Sengoku period 1336–1573 Azuchi–Momoyama Nanban trade Imjin War Battle of Sekigahara 1573–1603 Edo (Tokugawa) Tokugawa shogunate Invasion of Ryukyu Siege of Osaka Sakoku Perry Expedition Convention of Kanagawa Bakumatsu Meiji Restoration Boshin War 1603–1868 Meiji Ryūkyū Disposition Invasion of Taiwan (1874) Satsuma Rebellion First Sino-Japanese War Treaty of Shimonoseki Triple Intervention Invasion of Taiwan (1895) Colonization of Taiwan Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War Treaty of Portsmouth Japan–Korea Treaty Colonization of Korea 1868–1912 Taishō World War I Intervention in Siberia Great Kantō earthquake 1912–1926 Shōwa Militarism Financial crisis Nanking incident Mukden Incident Invasion of Manchuria May 15 incident February 26 incident Anti-Comintern Pact Tripartite Pact Second Sino-Japanese War World War II Attack on Pearl Harbor Pacific War Atomic bombings Soviet–Japanese War Surrender of Japan Occupation of Japan Postwar Japan Anpo protests Economic miracle Asset price bubble 1926–1989 Heisei Lost Decades Great Hanshin earthquake Cool Japan Tōhoku earthquake Imperial transition 1989–2019 Reiwa COVID-19 pandemic Abe assassination Noto earthquake 2019–present Topics Capital punishment Currency Earthquakes Economy Era names Education Empire Foreign relations Geography Historiography Religion Buddhism Christianity Islam Judaism Shinto Military Naval Politics Post-war Science and technology Sports World Heritage Sites Glossary History Timeline v t e Meiō ( 明応 ) , also known as Mei-ō,
236-471: A prolonged war with China . Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 led to war with the United States and its allies . Japan's forces soon became overextended, but the military held out in spite of Allied air attacks that inflicted severe damage on population centers. Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and
354-616: A coup d'état to overthrow the civilian government, and its forcing Japan into war through insubordination and military adventurism, the military was ultimately unable to force a military dictatorship on Japan. Under Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro , the Japanese government was streamlined to meet war-time conditions, and through the National Mobilization Law , it was given absolute power over the nation's assets. In 1940, all political parties were ordered to dissolve into
472-463: A deterioration in already poor standards of health and nutrition, whereas contemporaneous Yayoi archaeological sites possess large structures suggestive of grain storehouses. This shift was accompanied by an increase in both the stratification of society and tribal warfare, indicated by segregated gravesites and military fortifications. During the Yayoi period, the Yayoi tribes gradually coalesced into
590-481: A hostile United States, which further inflamed growing anti-foreign sentiment . The Japanese system of party government finally met its demise with the May 15 Incident in 1932, when a group of junior naval officers and army cadets assassinated Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi . Although the assassins were put on trial and sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment, they were seen popularly as having acted out of patriotism and
708-467: A major catalyst for further administrative reforms. These reforms culminated with the promulgation of the Taihō Code , which consolidated existing statutes and established the structure of the central government and its subordinate local governments. These legal reforms created the ritsuryō state, a system of Chinese-style centralized government that remained in place for half a millennium. The art of
826-520: A new imperial capital was established at Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto ), marking the beginning of the Heian period , which lasted until 1185. The Heian period is considered a golden age of classical Japanese culture . Japanese religious life from this time and onwards was a mix of native Shinto practices and Buddhism . Over the following centuries, the power of the imperial house decreased, passing first to great clans of civilian aristocrats — most notably
944-541: A number of kingdoms. The earliest written work to unambiguously mention Japan, the Book of Han , published in 111 AD, states that one hundred kingdoms comprised Japan, which is referred to as Wa . A later Chinese work of history, the Book of Wei , states that by 240 AD, the powerful kingdom of Yamatai , ruled by the female monarch Himiko , had gained ascendancy over the others, though modern historians continue to debate its location and other aspects of its depiction in
1062-642: A potential staging ground for war with the Soviet Union. Various army factions contended for power amid increasing suppression of dissent and more assassinations. In the February 26 Incident of 1936, the Army's elite First Infantry Division staged an attempted coup d'état in yet another effort to overthrow civilian rule. The revolt was put down by other military units, and its leaders were executed after secret trials . Despite public dismay over these events and
1180-548: A resurgence of so-called "jingoistic" patriotism, a weakening of democratic forces and a belief that the military could solve all threats both domestic and foreign. Patriotic education also strengthened the sense of a hakko ichiu , or a divine mission to unify Asia under Japanese rule. Those who continued to resist the "military solution" including nationalists with unquestionable patriotism, such as generals Jotaro Watanabe and Tetsuzan Nagata and ex-Foreign Minister Kijūrō Shidehara were driven from office or an active role in
1298-590: A rival member of the imperial family to the throne, Emperor Kōmyō , who did appoint him shogun. Go-Daigo responded by fleeing to the southern city of Yoshino , where he set up a rival government. This ushered in a prolonged period of conflict between the Northern Court and the Southern Court . Takauji set up his shogunate in the Muromachi district of Kyoto. However, the shogunate was faced with
SECTION 10
#17327661423071416-442: A series of natural disasters, including wildfires, droughts, famines, and outbreaks of disease, such as a smallpox epidemic in 735–737 that killed over a quarter of the population. Emperor Shōmu (r. 724–749) feared his lack of piousness had caused the trouble and so increased the government's promotion of Buddhism, including the construction of the temple Tōdai-ji in 752. The funds to build this temple were raised in part by
1534-647: A strong military would Japan earn the respect of western nations, and thus revision of the unequal treaties . During the 19th century, Great Power status was considered dependent on resource-rich colonial empires , both as a source of raw materials for military and industrial production, and international prestige. Due to the lack of resources in Japanese home islands , raw materials such as iron, oil, and coal largely had to be imported. The success of Japan in securing Taiwan (1895) and Korea (1910) had brought Japan primarily agricultural colonies. In terms of resources,
1652-705: A substantial following in Japan reaching 350,000 believers. In 1549 the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier disembarked in Kyushu. Initiating direct commercial and cultural exchange between Japan and the West, the first map made of Japan in the west was represented in 1568 by the Portuguese cartographer Fernão Vaz Dourado . The Portuguese were allowed to trade and create colonies where they could convert new believers into
1770-441: A trading ship was blown off course and landed in 1543 on the Japanese island of Tanegashima , just south of Kyushu. The three Portuguese traders on board were the first Europeans to set foot in Japan. Soon European traders would introduce many new items to Japan, most importantly the musket . By 1556, the daimyōs were using about 300,000 muskets in their armies. The Europeans also brought Christianity , which soon came to have
1888-561: A truce was reached. The civilian government in Tokyo was powerless to prevent these military adventures, and instead of being condemned, the Kwangtung Army's actions enjoyed considerable popular support. Inukai's successors, military men chosen by Saionji Kinmochi , the last surviving genrō , recognized Manchukuo and generally approved the army's actions in securing Manchuria as an industrial base, an area for Japanese emigration, and
2006-694: A whole. Despite the apparently monolithic national consensus on the official aggressive policies pursued by the Imperial government in the first part of the Shōwa era , some substantial opposition did exist. This was one of various forms of Japanese dissidence during the Shōwa period . The most organized open opposition to militarism was from the Japanese Communist Party . In the early 1930s Communist activists attempted to influence army conscripts, but
2124-522: Is commonly accepted that the tomb was built for Emperor Nintoku . The kofun were often surrounded by and filled with numerous haniwa clay sculptures, often in the shape of warriors and horses. The center of the unified state was Yamato in the Kinai region of central Japan. The rulers of the Yamato state were a hereditary line of emperors who still reign as the world's longest dynasty. The rulers of
2242-517: Is different from Wikidata Articles containing Japanese-language text Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas Articles using MS magnitude scale History of Japan The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to the Paleolithic , around 38–39,000 years ago. The Jōmon period , named after its cord-marked pottery , was followed by the Yayoi period in
2360-9078: Is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File . ^ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon , pp. 352–364. ^ Titsigh, p. 364; this son of Yoshimi was named Yoshimura until 1501 when he changed his name to Yoshitane, and it is this name by which he will be more commonly recognized after his death. ^ Titsingh, p. 362. ^ National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (1972). "Search results year 1495-1498 country=Japan" . NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi : 10.7289/V5TD9V7K . Retrieved 20 March 2024 . References [ edit ] Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia . Cambridge: Harvard University Press . ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5 ; OCLC 48943301 Titsingh, Isaac . (1834). Nihon Ōdai Ichiran ; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon . Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691 External links [ edit ] National Diet Library , "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection Preceded by Entoku Era or nengō Meiō 1492–1501 Succeeded by Bunki v t e Japanese era names ( nengō ) by period 538–1264 Asuka Heian Heian (cont'd) Heian (cont'd) Heian (cont'd) Heian (cont'd) Kamakura (cont'd) 645–650 Taika 650–654 Hakuchi 686–686 Shuchō 701–704 Taihō 704–708 Keiun 708–715 Wadō Nara 715–717 Reiki 717–724 Yōrō 724–729 Jinki 729–749 Tenpyō 749 Tenpyō-kanpō 749–757 Tenpyō-shōhō 757–765 Tenpyō-hōji 765–767 Tenpyō-jingo 767–770 Jingo-keiun 770–781 Hōki 781–782 Ten'ō 782–806 Enryaku 806–810 Daidō 810–824 Kōnin 824–834 Tenchō 834–848 Jōwa 848–851 Kashō 851–854 Ninju 854–857 Saikō 857–859 Ten'an 859–877 Jōgan 877–885 Gangyō 885–889 Ninna 889–898 Kanpyō 898–901 Shōtai 901–923 Engi 923–931 Enchō 931–938 Jōhei 938–947 Tengyō 947–957 Tenryaku 957–961 Tentoku 961–964 Ōwa 964–968 Kōhō 968–970 Anna 970–973 Tenroku 973–976 Ten'en 976–978 Jōgen 978–983 Tengen 983–985 Eikan 985–987 Kanna 987–988 Eien 988–990 Eiso 990–995 Shōryaku 995–999 Chōtoku 999–1004 Chōhō 1004–1012 Kankō 1012–1017 Chōwa 1017–1021 Kannin 1021–1024 Jian 1024–1028 Manju 1028–1037 Chōgen 1037–1040 Chōryaku 1040–1044 Chōkyū 1044–1046 Kantoku 1046–1053 Eishō 1053–1058 Tengi 1058–1065 Kōhei 1065–1069 Jiryaku 1069–1074 Enkyū 1074–1077 Jōhō 1077–1081 Jōryaku 1081–1084 Eihō 1084–1087 Ōtoku 1087–1094 Kanji 1094–1096 Kahō 1096–1097 Eichō 1097–1099 Jōtoku 1099–1104 Kōwa 1104–1106 Chōji 1106–1108 Kajō 1108–1110 Tennin 1110–1113 Ten'ei 1113–1118 Eikyū 1118–1120 Gen'ei 1120–1124 Hōan 1124–1126 Tenji 1126–1131 Daiji 1131–1132 Tenshō 1132–1135 Chōshō 1135–1141 Hōen 1141–1142 Eiji 1142–1144 Kōji 1144–1145 Ten'yō 1145–1151 Kyūan 1151–1154 Ninpei 1154–1156 Kyūju 1156–1159 Hōgen 1159–1160 Heiji 1160–1161 Eiryaku 1161–1163 Ōhō 1163–1165 Chōkan 1165–1166 Eiman 1166–1169 Nin'an 1169–1171 Kaō 1171–1175 Jōan 1175–1177 Angen 1177–1181 Jishō 1181–1182 Yōwa 1182–1184 Juei 1184–1185 Genryaku Kamakura 1185–1190 Bunji 1190–1199 Kenkyū 1199–1201 Shōji 1201–1204 Kennin 1204–1206 Genkyū 1206–1207 Ken'ei 1207–1211 Jōgen 1211–1213 Kenryaku 1213–1219 Kempo 1219–1222 Jōkyū 1222–1224 Jōō 1224–1225 Gennin 1225–1227 Karoku 1227–1229 Antei 1229–1232 Kangi 1232–1233 Jōei 1233–1234 Tenpuku 1234–1235 Bunryaku 1235–1238 Katei 1238–1239 Ryakunin 1239–1240 En'ō 1240–1243 Ninji 1243–1247 Kangen 1247–1249 Hōji 1249–1256 Kenchō 1256–1257 Kōgen 1257–1259 Shōka 1259–1260 Shōgen 1260–1261 Bun'ō 1261–1264 Kōchō 1264– present Kamakura (cont'd) Nanboku-chō Nanboku-chō Muromachi (cont'd) Momoyama Edo (cont'd) Modern Japan 1264–1275 Bun'ei 1275–1278 Kenji 1278–1288 Kōan 1288–1293 Shōō 1293–1299 Einin 1299–1302 Shōan 1302–1303 Kengen 1303–1306 Kagen 1306–1308 Tokuji 1308–1311 Enkyō 1311–1312 Ōchō 1312–1317 Shōwa 1317–1319 Bunpō 1319–1321 Gen'ō 1321–1324 Genkō 1324–1326 Shōchū 1326–1329 Karyaku 1329–1331 Gentoku 1331–1334 Genkō 1332–1333 Shōkyō Northern Court 1334–1338 Kenmu 1338–1342 Ryakuō 1342–1345 Kōei 1345–1350 Jōwa 1350–1352 Kannō 1352–1356 Bunna 1356–1361 Enbun 1361–1362 Kōan 1362–1368 Jōji 1368–1375 Ōan 1375–1379 Eiwa 1379–1381 Kōryaku 1381–1384 Eitoku 1384–1387 Shitoku 1387–1389 Kakei 1389–1390 Kōō 1390–1394 Meitoku Southern Court 1334–1336 Kenmu 1336–1340 Engen 1340–1346 Kōkoku 1346–1370 Shōhei 1370–1372 Kentoku 1372–1375 Bunchū 1375–1381 Tenju 1381–1384 Kōwa 1384–1392 Genchū Muromachi 1394–1428 Ōei 1428–1429 Shōchō 1429–1441 Eikyō 1441–1444 Kakitsu 1444–1449 Bun'an 1449–1452 Hōtoku 1452–1455 Kyōtoku 1455–1457 Kōshō 1457–1460 Chōroku 1460–1466 Kanshō 1466–1467 Bunshō 1467–1469 Ōnin 1469–1487 Bunmei 1487–1489 Chōkyō 1489–1492 Entoku 1492–1501 Meiō 1501–1521 Bunki 1504–1521 Eishō 1521–1528 Daiei 1528–1532 Kyōroku 1532–1555 Tenbun 1555–1558 Kōji 1558–1570 Eiroku 1570–1573 Genki 1573–1592 Tenshō 1592–1596 Bunroku 1596–1615 Keichō Edo 1615–1624 Genna 1624–1644 Kan'ei 1644–1648 Shōhō 1648–1652 Keian 1652–1655 Jōō 1655–1658 Meireki 1658–1661 Manji 1661–1673 Kanbun 1673–1681 Enpō 1681–1684 Tenna 1684–1688 Jōkyō 1688–1704 Genroku 1704–1711 Hōei 1711–1716 Shōtoku 1716–1736 Kyōhō 1736–1741 Genbun 1741–1744 Kanpō 1744–1748 Enkyō 1748–1751 Kan'en 1751–1764 Hōreki 1764–1772 Meiwa 1772–1781 An'ei 1781–1789 Tenmei 1789–1801 Kansei 1801–1804 Kyōwa 1804–1818 Bunka 1818–1830 Bunsei 1830–1844 Tenpō 1844–1848 Kōka 1848–1854 Kaei 1854–1860 Ansei 1860–1861 Man'en 1861–1864 Bunkyū 1864–1865 Genji 1865–1868 Keiō 1868–1912 Meiji 1912–1926 Taishō 1926–1989 Shōwa 1989–2019 Heisei 2019–present Reiwa Not recognized by
2478-474: Is supported by genetic and linguistic studies. Historian Hanihara Kazurō has suggested that the annual immigrant influx from the continent range from 350 to 3,000. The population of Japan began to increase rapidly, perhaps with a 10-fold rise over the Jōmon. Calculations of the increasing population size by the end of the Yayoi period have varied from 1 to 4 million. Skeletal remains from the late Jōmon period reveal
SECTION 20
#17327661423072596-562: The Tosa Diary , both associated with the poet Ki no Tsurayuki , as well as Sei Shōnagon 's collection of miscellany The Pillow Book , and Murasaki Shikibu 's Tale of Genji , often considered the masterpiece of Japanese literature. The development of the kana written syllabaries was part of a general trend of declining Chinese influence during the Heian period. The official Japanese missions to Tang dynasty of China, which began in
2714-727: The Abe clan , who occupied key posts in the regional government, were openly defying the central authority. The court requested the Minamoto clan to engage the Abe clan, whom they defeated in the Former Nine Years' War . The court thus temporarily reasserted its authority in northern Japan. Following another civil war – the Later Three-Year War – Fujiwara no Kiyohira took full power; his family,
2832-724: The Battle of Okehazama , his army defeated a force several times its size led by the powerful daimyō Imagawa Yoshimoto . Nobunaga was renowned for his strategic leadership and his ruthlessness. He encouraged Christianity to incite hatred toward his Buddhist enemies and to forge strong relationships with European arms merchants. He equipped his armies with muskets and trained them with innovative tactics. He promoted talented men regardless of their social status, including his peasant servant Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who became one of his best generals. The Azuchi–Momoyama period began in 1568, when Nobunaga seized Kyoto and thus effectively brought an end to
2950-519: The Book of Wei . During the subsequent Kofun period , Japan gradually unified under a single territory. The symbol of the growing power of Japan's new leaders was the kofun burial mounds they constructed from around 250 AD onwards. Many were of massive scale, such as the Daisenryō Kofun , a 486 m-long keyhole-shaped burial mound that took huge teams of laborers fifteen years to complete. It
3068-584: The Five kings of Wa . Craftsmen and scholars from China and the Three Kingdoms of Korea played an important role in transmitting continental technologies and administrative skills to Japan during this period. Historians agree that there was a big struggle between the Yamato federation and the Izumo Federation centuries before written records. The Asuka period began as early as 538 AD with
3186-638: The Fujiwara — and then to the military clans and their armies of samurai . The Minamoto clan under Minamoto no Yoritomo emerged victorious from the Genpei War of 1180–85, defeating their rival military clan, the Taira . After seizing power, Yoritomo set up his capital in Kamakura and took the title of shōgun . In 1274 and 1281, the Kamakura shogunate withstood two Mongol invasions , but in 1333 it
3304-570: The Imperial Rule Assistance Association , forming a one-party state based on totalitarian values . Even so, there was much entrenched opposition from the government bureaucrats, and in the 1942 general election for the Japanese Diet , the military was still unable to do away with the last vestiges of party politics. This was partly due to the fact that the military itself was not a monolithic structure, but
3422-541: The Kantō region located in eastern Japan, its power was legally authorized by the Imperial court in Kyoto on several occasions. In 1192, the emperor declared Yoritomo seii tai-shōgun ( 征夷大将軍 ; Eastern Barbarian Subduing Great General ), abbreviated as shōgun . Yoritomo's government was called the bakufu ( 幕府 ("tent government")), referring to the tents where his soldiers encamped. The English term shogunate refers to
3540-615: The Kwantung Army embarked on unauthorized initiatives to protect Japanese interests in Manchuria, including the assassination of a former ally, warlord Zhang Zuolin , in hopes of sparking a general conflict. The Manchurian Incident of September 1931 did not fail, and it set the stage for the Japanese military takeover of all of Manchuria. Kwantung Army conspirators blew up a few meters of South Manchurian Railway Company track near Mukden , blamed it on Chinese saboteurs, and used
3658-597: The League of Nations . However, with the beginning of the Shōwa era , the apparent collapse of the world economic order with the Great Depression starting in 1929, coupled with the imposition of trade barriers by western nations and an increasing radicalism in Japanese politics including issues of domestic terrorist violence (including an assassination attempt on the emperor in 1932 and a number of attempted coups d'état by ultra-nationalist secret societies) led to
Meiō - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-639: The Mongol Empire . Though outnumbered by an enemy equipped with superior weaponry, the Japanese fought the Mongols to a standstill in Kyushu on both occasions until the Mongol fleet was destroyed by typhoons called kamikaze , meaning "divine wind". In spite of the Kamakura shogunate's victory, the defense so depleted its finances that it was unable to provide compensation to its vassals for their role in
3894-691: The Northern Fujiwara , controlled northern Honshu for the next century from their capital Hiraizumi . In 1156, a dispute over succession to the throne erupted and the two rival claimants ( Emperor Go-Shirakawa and Emperor Sutoku ) hired the Taira and Minamoto clans in the hopes of securing the throne by military force. During this war, the Taira clan led by Taira no Kiyomori defeated the Minamoto clan. Kiyomori used his victory to accumulate power for himself in Kyoto and even installed his own grandson Antoku as emperor. The outcome of this war led to
4012-598: The Soviet invasion of Manchuria . The Allies occupied Japan until 1952, during which a new constitution was enacted in 1947 that transformed Japan into the constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy it is today. After 1955, Japan enjoyed very high economic growth under the governance of the Liberal Democratic Party , and became a world economic powerhouse . Since the Lost Decade of
4130-1161: The Surface wave magnitude scale (M s ). July 9, 1498 ( Meiō 7, 20th day of the 6th month ): Earthquake in the Enshū-nada Sea ( 34°24′00″N 137°42′00″E / 34.400°N 137.700°E / 34.400; 137.700 ), 6.4 M s . September 20, 1498 ( Meiō 7, 2nd day of the 7th month ): Earthquake in the Enshū-nada Sea ( 34°00′00″N 138°06′00″E / 34.000°N 138.100°E / 34.000; 138.100 ), 8.3 M s ; and also on that same day, another earthquake in Nankaidō ( 33°30′00″N 135°12′00″E / 33.500°N 135.200°E / 33.500; 135.200 ), 7.5 M s . See also [ edit ] Historic tsunami Notes [ edit ] ^ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). " Mei-ō " in Japan encyclopedia , p. 625 ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric
4248-413: The bakufu . Japan remained largely under military rule until 1868. Legitimacy was conferred on the shogunate by the Imperial court, but the shogunate was the de facto rulers of the country. The court maintained bureaucratic and religious functions, and the shogunate welcomed participation by members of the aristocratic class. The older institutions remained intact in a weakened form, and Kyoto remained
4366-837: The 1990s, Japanese economic growth has slowed. Hunter-gatherers arrived in Japan in Paleolithic times, with the oldest evidence dating to around 38–40,000 years ago. Little evidence of their presence remains, as Japan's acidic soils tend to degrade bone remains. However, the discovery of unique edge-ground axes in Japan dated to over 30,000 years ago may be evidence of the first Homo sapiens in Japan. Early humans likely arrived in Japan by sea on watercraft. Evidence of human habitation has been dated to 32,000 years ago in Okinawa's Yamashita Cave and up to 20,000 years ago on Ishigaki Island's Shiraho Saonetabaru Cave . Evidence has been found suggesting that Japan's Paleolithic inhabitants interacted with and butchered now extinct megafauna , including
4484-595: The Ashikaga shogunate the country descended into another, more violent period of civil war. This started in 1467 when the Ōnin War broke out over who would succeed the ruling shogun. The daimyōs each took sides and burned Kyoto to the ground while battling for their preferred candidate. By the time the succession was settled in 1477, the shogun had lost all power over the daimyō , who now ruled hundreds of independent states throughout Japan. During this Warring States period , daimyōs fought among themselves for control of
4602-535: The Ashikaga shogunate. He was well on his way towards his goal of reuniting all Japan when, in 1582, one of his own officers, Akechi Mitsuhide , killed him during an abrupt attack on his encampment. Hideyoshi avenged Nobunaga by crushing Akechi's uprising and emerged as Nobunaga's successor. Hideyoshi completed the reunification of Japan by conquering Shikoku , Kyushu, and the lands of the Hōjō family in eastern Japan. He launched sweeping changes to Japanese society, including
4720-578: The Asuka period embodies the themes of Buddhist art. One of the most famous works is the Buddhist temple of Hōryū-ji , commissioned by Prince Shōtoku and completed in 607 AD. It is now the oldest wooden structure in the world. In 710, the government constructed a grandiose new capital at Heijō-kyō (modern Nara ) modeled on Chang'an , the capital of the Chinese Tang dynasty . During this period,
4838-553: The Christian religion. The civil war status in Japan greatly benefited the Portuguese, as well as several competing gentlemen who sought to attract Portuguese black boats and their trade to their domains. Initially, the Portuguese stayed on the lands belonging to Matsura Takanobu , Firando (Hirado), and in the province of Bungo, lands of Ōtomo Sōrin, but in 1562 they moved to Yokoseura when the Daimyô there, Omura Sumitada, offered to be
Meiō - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-602: The German military model over the French system as the reason for German victory. In response to a Japanese request, Prussian Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke sent Meckel to Japan to become an O-yatoi gaikokujin (foreign advisor). In Japan, Meckel worked closely with future Prime Ministers General Katsura Tarō and General Yamagata Aritomo , and with army strategist General Kawakami Soroku . Meckel made numerous recommendations which were implemented, including reorganization of
5074-493: The Golden Pavilion" built in Kyoto in 1397. During the second half of the 16th century, Japan gradually reunified under two powerful warlords: Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi . The period takes its name from Nobunaga's headquarters, Azuchi Castle , and Hideyoshi's headquarters, Momoyama Castle . Nobunaga was the daimyō of the small province of Owari . He burst onto the scene suddenly, in 1560, when, during
5192-565: The Japanese Army Staff College from 1909 through 1945. Although his period in Japan (1885–1888) was relatively short, Meckel had a tremendous impact on the development of the Japanese military. He is credited with having introduced Clausewitz 's military theories and the Prussian concept of war games ( Kriegsspiel ) in a process of refining tactics. By training some sixty of the highest-ranking Japanese officers of
5310-815: The Japanese armed forces. In 1878, the Imperial Japanese Army established the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff office, modelled after the German General Staff . This office was independent of, and equal (and later superior) to the Ministry of War of Japan in terms of authority. The Imperial Japanese Navy soon followed with the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff . These General Staff offices were responsible for
5428-405: The Japanese military looked towards Manchuria 's iron and coal, Indochina 's rubber , and China's vast resources. However, the army was at variance with the zaibatsu financial and industrial corporations on how to manage economic expansion, a conflict also affecting domestic politics. Also forming part of the basis for the growth of militarism was the freedom from civilian control enjoyed by
5546-508: The Japanese occurred in 1565. In the Battle of Fukuda Bay , the daimyō Matsura Takanobu attacked two Portuguese trade vessels at Hirado port. The engagement led the Portuguese traders to find a safe harbor for their ships that took them to Nagasaki . In 1571, Dom Bartolomeu, also known as Ōmura Sumitada , guaranteed a little land in the small fishing village of "Nagasáqui" to the Jesuits, who divided it into six areas. They could use
5664-531: The Jōmon. They also introduced weaving and silk production, new woodworking methods, glassmaking technology, and new architectural styles. The expansion of the Yayoi appears to have brought about a fusion with the indigenous Jōmon, resulting in a small genetic admixture. These Yayoi technologies originated on the Asian mainland. There is debate among scholars as to what degree their spread can be attributed to migration or to cultural diffusion. The migration theory
5782-412: The Kamakura period, continued well into the Muromachi period. By 1450 Japan's population stood at ten million, compared to six million at the end of the thirteenth century. Commerce flourished, including considerable trade with China and Korea. Because the daimyōs and other groups within Japan were minting their own coins, Japan began to transition from a barter-based to a currency-based economy. During
5900-407: The Kamakura shogunate. Japan nevertheless entered a period of prosperity and population growth starting around 1250. In rural areas, the greater use of iron tools and fertilizer, improved irrigation techniques, and double-cropping increased productivity and rural villages grew. Fewer famines and epidemics allowed cities to grow and commerce to boom. Buddhism, which had been largely a religion of
6018-421: The Minamoto clan was sealed in 1185, when a force commanded by Yoritomo's younger brother, Minamoto no Yoshitsune , scored a decisive victory at the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura . Yoritomo and his retainers thus became the de facto rulers of Japan. During the Heian period, the imperial court was a vibrant center of high art and culture. Its literary accomplishments include the poetry collection Kokinshū and
SECTION 50
#17327661423076136-610: The Northern Court, which retained Gentoku until 1332. Not recognized by the Southern Court. Genchū discontinued upon reunification of the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392 and Meitoku retained until 1394. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meiō&oldid=1241761282 " Categories : Japanese eras 1490s in Japan 1500s in Japan Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
6254-567: The Soga cause, who was of partial Soga descent, served as regent and de facto leader of Japan from 594 to 622. Shōtoku authored the Seventeen-article constitution , a Confucian -inspired code of conduct for officials and citizens, and attempted to introduce a merit-based civil service called the Cap and Rank System . In 607, Shōtoku offered a subtle insult to China by opening his letter with
6372-413: The United States. Japan had plans to take over other Asian countries, which resulted in the US stripping any war materials and resources to be sold to the Japanese and freezing all Japanese assets and bank accounts in the US. The US fleet moved from being stationed in California to be moved in Pearl Harbor to somewhat control Japan's aggression and imposed on an embargo of essential materials, because Japan
6490-455: The Yamato extended their power across Japan through military conquest, but their preferred method of expansion was to convince local leaders to accept their authority in exchange for positions of influence in the government. Many of the powerful local clans who joined the Yamato state became known as the uji . These leaders sought and received formal diplomatic recognition from China, and Chinese accounts record five successive such leaders as
6608-448: The aid of Empress Shōtoku , but after her death in 770 he lost all his power and was exiled. The Fujiwara clan furthermore consolidated its power. The Heian period (平安時代, Heian jidai) is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu , moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). Heian (平安) means "peace" in Japanese. In 784,
6726-441: The artistic pursuits of court nobles that it neglected the administration of government outside the capital. The nationalization of land undertaken as part of the ritsuryō state decayed as various noble families and religious orders succeeded in securing tax-exempt status for their private shōen manors. By the eleventh century, more land in Japan was controlled by shōen owners than by the central government. The imperial court
6844-460: The atmosphere was set where the military was able to act with little restraint. Japan had been involved in the Asian continent continuously from the First Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion , Russo-Japanese War, World War I and the Siberian Intervention . During the term of Prime Minister Tanaka Giichi from 1927 to 1929, Japan sent troops three times to China to obstruct Chiang Kai-shek 's unification campaign. In June 1928, adventurist officers of
6962-473: The capital moved briefly to Nagaoka-kyō , then again in 794 to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto ), which remained the capital until 1868. Political power within the court soon passed to the Fujiwara clan, a family of court nobles who grew increasingly close to the imperial family through intermarriage. Between 812 and 814 CE, a smallpox epidemic killed almost half of the Japanese population. In 858, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa had himself declared sesshō ("regent") to
7080-450: The city directly to the Jesuits in 1580. After a few years, the Jesuits came to realize that if they understood the language they would achieve more conversions to the Catholic religion. Jesuits such as João Rodrigues wrote a Japanese dictionary . Thus Portuguese became the first Western language to have such a dictionary when it was published in Nagasaki in 1603. In spite of the war, Japan's relative economic prosperity, which had begun in
7198-403: The command structure of the army into divisions and regiments, thus increasing mobility, strengthening the army logistics and transportation structure with the major army bases connected by railways, establishing artillery and engineering regiments as independent commands, and revising the universal conscription system to abolish virtually all exceptions. A bust of Meckel was sited in front of
SECTION 60
#17327661423077316-486: The confiscation of swords from the peasantry, new restrictions on daimyōs , persecutions of Christians, a thorough land survey, and a new law effectively forbidding the peasants and samurai from changing their social class. Hideyoshi's land survey designated all those who were cultivating the land as being "commoners", an act which effectively granted freedom to most of Japan's slaves . Japanese militarism Japanese militarism ( 日本軍国主義 , Nihon gunkoku shugi )
7434-401: The country together was Takauji's grandson Ashikaga Yoshimitsu , who came to power in 1368 and remained influential until his death in 1408. Yoshimitsu expanded the power of the shogunate and in 1392, brokered a deal to bring the Northern and Southern Courts together and end the civil war. Henceforth, the shogunate kept the emperor and his court under tight control. During the final century of
7552-492: The country. Some of the most powerful daimyōs of the era were Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen . One enduring symbol of this era was the ninja , skilled spies and assassins hired by daimyōs . Few definite historical facts are known about the secretive lifestyles of the ninja, who became the subject of many legends. In addition to the daimyōs , rebellious peasants and "warrior monks" affiliated with Buddhist temples also raised their own armies. Amid this on-going anarchy,
7670-459: The development of rice cultivation and metallurgy. Until recently, the onset of this wave of cultural and technological changes was thought to have begun around 400 BC. Radio-carbon evidence now suggests that the new phase started some 500 years earlier, between 1,000 and 800 BC. Endowed with bronze and iron weapons and tools initially imported from China and the Korean peninsula, the Yayoi radiated out from northern Kyūshū , gradually supplanting
7788-496: The discredit they brought to numerous military figures, Japan's civilian leadership capitulated to the army's demands in the hope of ending domestic violence. Increases were seen in defense budgets, naval construction (Japan announced it would no longer accede to disarmament treaties), and patriotic indoctrination as Japan moved toward a wartime footing. In November 1936, the Anti-Comintern Pact , an agreement to exchange information and collaborate in preventing communist activities,
7906-495: The elephant Palaeoloxodon naumanni , and the giant deer Sinomegaceros yabei . The Jōmon period of prehistoric Japan spans from roughly 13,000 BC to about 1,000 BC. Japan was inhabited by a predominantly hunter-gatherer culture that reached a considerable degree of sedentism and cultural complexity. The name Jōmon, meaning "cord-marked", was first applied by American scholar Edward S. Morse , who discovered shards of pottery in 1877. The pottery style characteristic of
8024-525: The elites, was brought to the masses by prominent monks, such as Hōnen (1133–1212), who established Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, and Nichiren (1222–1282), who founded Nichiren Buddhism . Zen Buddhism spread widely among the samurai class. Takauji and many other samurai soon became dissatisfied with Emperor Go-Daigo's Kenmu Restoration , an ambitious attempt to monopolize power in the imperial court. Takauji rebelled after Go-Daigo refused to appoint him shōgun. In 1338, Takauji captured Kyoto and installed
8142-422: The event as an excuse to invade and seize the vast territory. In Tokyo one month later, in the Imperial Colors Incident , military figures failed in an attempt to establish a military dictatorship , but again the news was suppressed and the military perpetrators were not punished. In January 1932, Japanese forces attacked Shanghai in the First Shanghai Incident , waging a three-month undeclared war there before
8260-485: The first lord to convert to Christianity, adopting the name of Dom Bartolomeu. In 1564, he faced a rebellion instigated by the Buddhist clergy and Yokoseura was destroyed. In 1561 forces under Ōtomo Sōrin attacked the castle in Moji with an alliance with the Portuguese, who provided three ships, with a crew of about 900 men and more than 50 cannons. This is thought to be the first bombardment by foreign ships on Japan. The first recorded naval battle between Europeans and
8378-420: The first millennium BC when new inventions were introduced from Asia. During this period, the first known written reference to Japan was recorded in the Chinese Book of Han in the first century AD. Around the 3rd century BC, the Yayoi people from the continent immigrated to the Japanese archipelago and introduced iron technology and agricultural civilization. Because they had an agricultural civilization,
8496-582: The first phases of Jōmon culture was decorated by impressing cords into the surface of wet clay. Jōmon pottery is generally accepted to be among the oldest in East Asia and the world. The advent of the Yayoi people from the Asian mainland brought fundamental transformations to the Japanese archipelago. The millennial achievements of the Neolithic Revolution took hold of the islands in a relatively short span of centuries, particularly with
8614-467: The first two books produced in Japan appeared: the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki , which contain chronicles of legendary accounts of early Japan and its creation myth , which describes the imperial line as descendants of the gods . The Man'yōshū was compiled in the latter half of the eighth century, which is widely considered the finest collection of Japanese poetry. During this period, Japan suffered
8732-410: The founder of the Fujiwara clan . Their government devised and implemented the far-reaching Taika Reforms . The Reform began with land reform, based on Confucian ideas and philosophies from China . It nationalized all land in Japan, to be distributed equally among cultivators, and ordered the compilation of a household registry as the basis for a new system of taxation. The true aim of the reforms
8850-498: The government. A turning point came with the ratification of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi and his Minseito party agreed to a treaty which would severely limit Japanese naval power. This treaty was strongly opposed by the military, who claimed that it would endanger national defense, and was portrayed by the opposition Rikken Seiyukai party as having been forced upon Japan by
8968-458: The influential Buddhist monk Gyōki , and once completed it was used by the Chinese monk Ganjin as an ordination site. Japan nevertheless entered a phase of population decline that continued well into the following Heian period . There was also a serious attempt to overthrow the Imperial house during the middle Nara period. During the 760s, monk Dōkyō tried to establish his own dynasty with
9086-635: The introduction of the Buddhist religion from the Korean kingdom of Baekje . Since then, Buddhism has coexisted with Japan's native Shinto religion, in what is today known as Shinbutsu-shūgō . The period draws its name from the de facto imperial capital, Asuka , in the Kinai region. The Buddhist Soga clan took over the government in the 580s and controlled Japan from behind the scenes for nearly sixty years. Prince Shōtoku , an advocate of Buddhism and of
9204-475: The isolated feudal island country into an empire that closely followed Western models and became a great power . Although democracy developed and modern civilian culture prospered during the Taishō period (1912–1926), Japan's powerful military had great autonomy and overruled Japan's civilian leaders in the 1920s and 1930s. The Japanese military invaded Manchuria in 1931, and from 1937 the conflict escalated into
9322-455: The land to receive Christians exiled from other territories, as well as for Portuguese merchants. The Jesuits built a chapel and a school under the name of São Paulo, like those in Goa and Malacca. By 1579, Nagasáqui had four hundred houses, and some Portuguese had gotten married. Fearful that Nagasaki could fall into the hands of its rival Takanobu, Omura Sumitada (Dom Bartolomeu) decided to guarantee
9440-550: The late Heian period after hundreds of years of decline. During the early Heian period, the imperial court successfully consolidated its control over the Emishi people of northern Honshu. Ōtomo no Otomaro was the first man the court granted the title of seii tai-shōgun ("Great Barbarian Subduing General"). In 802, seii tai-shōgun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro subjugated the Emishi people, who were led by Aterui . By 1051, members of
9558-508: The late Meiji period was coupled with the rise of secret and semi-secret patriotic societies, such as the Gen'yōsha (1881) and Kokuryukai (1901), which coupled political activities with paramilitary activities and military intelligence , and supported expansionism overseas as a solution to Japan's domestic issues. Japan felt looked down on by Western countries during the late 19th century. The phrase fukoku kyōhei (rich nation, strong army)
9676-617: The military to indoctrinate thousands of men from various social backgrounds with military-patriotic values and the concept of unquestioning loyalty to the Emperor as the basis of the Japanese state ( kokutai ) . Yamagata, like many Japanese, was strongly influenced by the recent striking success of Prussia in transforming itself from an agricultural state to a leading modern industrial and military power. He accepted Prussian political ideas, which favored military expansion abroad and authoritarian government at home. The Prussian model also devalued
9794-680: The notion of civilian control over the independent military, which meant that in Japan, as in Germany, the military could develop into a state within a state, thus exercising greater influence on politics in general. Following the German victory in the Franco-Prussian War , the Army Staff College and the Japanese General Staff paid close attention to Major Jakob Meckel 's views on the superiority of
9912-427: The official capital. This system has been contrasted with the "simple warrior rule" of the later Muromachi period. Yoritomo soon turned on Yoshitsune, who was initially harbored by Fujiwara no Hidehira , the grandson of Kiyohira and the de facto ruler of northern Honshu. In 1189, after Hidehira's death, his successor Yasuhira attempted to curry favor with Yoritomo by attacking Yoshitsune's home. Although Yoshitsune
10030-407: The party was suppressed during the mid-1930s within Japan. Personal opposition included individuals from the fields of party politics, business and culture. Some notable examples include: The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor happened on December 7, 1941. Multiple events led to the attack , such as the Japanese peoples' opposition to Westernism and the breaking off of negotiations between Japan and
10148-419: The period, some of Japan's most representative art forms developed, including ink wash painting , ikebana flower arrangement, the tea ceremony , Japanese gardening , bonsai , and Noh theater. Though the eighth Ashikaga shogun, Yoshimasa , was an ineffectual political and military leader, he played a critical role in promoting these cultural developments. He had the famous Kinkaku-ji or "Temple of
10266-409: The phrase, "The ruler of the land of the rising sun addresses the ruler of the land of the setting sun" as seen in the kanji characters for Japan ( Nippon ). By 670, a variant of this expression, Nihon , established itself as the official name of the nation, which has persisted to this day. In 645, the Soga clan were overthrown in a coup launched by Prince Naka no Ōe and Fujiwara no Kamatari ,
10384-644: The planning and execution of military operations, and reported directly to the emperor. As the Chiefs of the General Staff were not cabinet ministers, they did not report to the Prime Minister of Japan , and were thus completely independent of any civilian oversight or control. The Army and the Navy also had decisive say on the formation (and survival) of any civilian government. Since the law required that
10502-568: The population of the Yayoi began to grow rapidly and ultimately overwhelmed the Jōmon people , natives of the Japanese archipelago who were hunter-gatherers. Between the fourth and ninth centuries, Japan's many kingdoms and tribes gradually came to be unified under a centralized government, nominally controlled by the Emperor of Japan . The imperial dynasty established at this time continues to this day, albeit in an almost entirely ceremonial role. In 794,
10620-441: The posts of Army Minister and Navy Minister be filled by active-duty officers nominated by their respective services, and since the law also required that a prime minister resign if he could not fill all of his cabinet posts, both the Army and the Navy had final say on the formation of a cabinet, and could bring down the cabinet at any time by withdrawing their minister and refusing to nominate a successor. In reality, while this tactic
10738-561: The postwar Constitution of Japan as one of its key tenets. The military had a strong influence on Japanese society from the Meiji Restoration . Almost all leaders in Japanese society during the Meiji period (whether in the military, politics or business) were ex - samurai or descendants of samurai , and shared a set of values and outlooks. The early Meiji government viewed Japan as threatened by western imperialism , and one of
10856-680: The prime motivations for the Fukoku Kyohei policy ("Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Armed Forces") was to strengthen Japan's economic and industrial foundations, so that a strong military could be built to defend Japan against outside powers. The rise of universal military conscription , introduced by Yamagata Aritomo in 1873, along with the proclamation of the Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors in 1882 enabled
10974-518: The rivalry between the Minamoto and Taira clans. As a result, the dispute and power struggle between both clans led to the Heiji rebellion in 1160. In 1180, Taira no Kiyomori was challenged by an uprising led by Minamoto no Yoritomo , a member of the Minamoto clan whom Kiyomori had exiled to Kamakura. Though Taira no Kiyomori died in 1181, the ensuing bloody Genpei War between the Taira and Minamoto families continued for another four years. The victory of
11092-498: The southern archipelago. They had a significant impact on Japan, even in this initial limited interaction, introducing firearms to Japanese warfare . The American Perry Expedition in 1853–54 more completely ended Japan's seclusion; this contributed to the fall of the shogunate and the return of power to the emperor during the Boshin War in 1868. The new national leadership of the following Meiji era (1868–1912) transformed
11210-409: The throne to his son Emperor Horikawa but continued to exercise political power, establishing the practice of cloistered rule , by which the reigning emperor would function as a figurehead while the real authority was held by a retired predecessor behind the scenes. Throughout the Heian period, the power of the imperial court declined. The court became so self-absorbed with power struggles and with
11328-617: The time in tactics, strategy and organization, he was able to replace the previous influences of the French advisors with his own philosophies. Meckel especially reinforced Hermann Roesler 's ideal of subservience to the Emperor , as expressly codified in Articles XI-XIII of the Meiji Constitution , by teaching his pupils that Prussian military success was a consequence of the officer class's unswerving loyalty to their sovereign Emperor. The rise of political parties in
11446-473: The titles of shugo or jitō , from among his close vassals, the gokenin . The Kamakura shogunate allowed its vassals to maintain their own armies and to administer law and order in their provinces on their own terms. In 1221, the retired Emperor Go-Toba instigated what became known as the Jōkyū War , a rebellion against the shogunate, in an attempt to restore political power to the court. The rebellion
11564-412: The twin challenges of fighting the Southern Court and of maintaining its authority over its own subordinate governors. Like the Kamakura shogunate, the Muromachi shogunate appointed its allies to rule in the provinces, but these men increasingly styled themselves as feudal lords—called daimyōs —of their domains and often refused to obey the shogun. The Ashikaga shogun who was most successful at bringing
11682-486: The underage emperor. His son Fujiwara no Mototsune created the office of kampaku , which could rule in the place of an adult reigning emperor. Fujiwara no Michinaga , an exceptional statesman who became kampaku in 996, governed during the height of the Fujiwara clan's power and married four of his daughters to emperors, current and future. The Fujiwara clan held on to power until 1086, when Emperor Shirakawa ceded
11800-446: The victory. This had permanent negative consequences for the shogunate's relations with the samurai class. Discontent among the samurai proved decisive in ending the Kamakura shogunate. In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo launched a rebellion in the hope of restoring full power to the imperial court. The shogunate sent General Ashikaga Takauji to quell the revolt, but Takauji and his men instead joined forces with Emperor Go-Daigo and overthrew
11918-599: The year 630, ended during the ninth century, though informal missions of monks and scholars continued, and thereafter the development of native Japanese forms of art and poetry accelerated. A major architectural achievement, apart from Heian-kyō itself, was the temple of Byōdō-in built in 1053 in Uji . Upon the consolidation of power, Minamoto no Yoritomo chose to rule in concert with the Imperial Court in Kyoto . Though Yoritomo set up his own government in Kamakura in
12036-463: Was a Japanese era name ( 年号 , nengō , "year name") after Entoku and before Bunki . This period spanned the years from July 1492 (532 years ago) ( 1492-07 ) through February 1501 (523 years ago) ( 1501-02 ) . Reigning emperors were Go-Tsuchimikado -tennō ( 後土御門天皇 ) and Go-Kashiwabara -tennō ( 後柏原天皇 ) . Change of era [ edit ] 1492 Meiō gannen ( 明応元年 ) : The era name
12154-451: Was a failure and led to Go-Toba being exiled to Oki Island , along with two other emperors, the retired Emperor Tsuchimikado and Emperor Juntoku , who were exiled to Tosa Province and Sado Island respectively. The shogunate further consolidated its political power relative to the Kyoto aristocracy. The samurai armies of the whole nation were mobilized in 1274 and 1281 to confront two full-scale invasions launched by Kublai Khan of
12272-416: Was appointed regent to the shogun , Yoritomo's son Minamoto no Sanetomo . Henceforth, the Minamoto shoguns became puppets of the Hōjō regents , who wielded actual power. The regime that Yoritomo had established, and which was kept in place by his successors, was decentralized and feudalistic in structure, in contrast with the earlier ritsuryō state. Yoritomo selected the provincial governors, known under
12390-495: Was appointed shōgun by the emperor. The Tokugawa shogunate , which governed from Edo (modern Tokyo ), presided over a prosperous and peaceful era known as the Edo period (1600–1868). The Tokugawa shogunate imposed a strict class system on Japanese society and cut off almost all contact with the outside world . Portugal and Japan came into contact in 1543, when the Portuguese became the first Europeans to reach Japan by landing in
12508-565: Was changed to mark an event or a number of events. The old era ended and a new one commenced in Entoku 4. Events of the Meiō era [ edit ] 1492 ( Meiō 1, 8th month ): Shōgun Yoshimura led an army against Takayori in Ōmi Province . He laid siege to Mii-dera . Takayori saved himself by escaping in the slopes of Mount Koka. Then, Shōgun Yoshimura returned to Heian-kyō . 1492 ( Meiō 2, 1st month ): The kampaku Ichijō Fuyuyoshi
12626-553: Was created during this time and shows how Japanese officials saw imperialism as the way to gain respect and power. With a more aggressive foreign policy, and victory over China in the First Sino-Japanese War and over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War , Japan joined the imperialist powers. The need for a strong military to secure Japan's new overseas empire was strengthened by a sense that only through
12744-408: Was even reflected in the clothing trends of the 1930s. Male kimono designs adopted explicitly militaristic imagery, including soldiers, bombers and tanks. These designs were not on public display but on linings and undergarments. They symbolised – or in the case of boy's clothes, were hoped to bring about – the alignment of the individual's goals with those of Japan as
12862-498: Was killed, Yoritomo still invaded and conquered the Northern Fujiwara clan's territories. In subsequent centuries, Yoshitsune would become a legendary figure, portrayed in countless works of literature as an idealized tragic hero. After Yoritomo's death in 1199, the office of shogun weakened. Behind the scenes, Yoritomo's wife Hōjō Masako became the true power behind the government. In 1203, her father, Hōjō Tokimasa ,
12980-441: Was named daijō-daijin . 1492 ( Meiō 2, 2nd month ): Shōgun Yoshimura, accompanied by Hatakeyama Masanaga , marched against Kawachi Province , with plans to capture and put to death Hatakeyama Toshitoyo, the son of Yoshinari . September 12, 1495 ( Meiō 4, 24th day of the 8th month ): Earthquake at Kamakura ( 35°06′00″N 139°30′00″E / 35.100°N 139.500°E / 35.100; 139.500 ), 7.1 on
13098-516: Was rent internally with its own political factions . Even Japan's wartime Prime Minister, Hideki Tōjō , had difficulty controlling portions of his own military. Japan's overseas possessions, greatly extended as a result of early successes in the Pacific War were organized into a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere , which was to have integrated Asia politically and economically—under Japanese leadership—against Western domination. Militarism
13216-761: Was signed by Japan and Germany ( Italy joined a year later). War was launched against China with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of July 7, 1937 in which a clash near Beijing between Chinese and Japanese troops quickly escalated into the full-scale warfare of the Second Sino-Japanese War , followed by the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars and the Pacific War . Despite the military's long tradition of independence from civilian control, its efforts at staging
13334-551: Was the ideology in the Empire of Japan which advocated the belief that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and the belief that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation. It was most prominent from the start of conscription after the Meiji Restoration until the Japanese defeat in World War II , roughly 1873 to 1945. Since then, pacifism has been enshrined in
13452-466: Was thus deprived of the tax revenue to pay for its national army. In response, the owners of the shōen set up their own armies of samurai warriors. Two powerful noble families that had descended from branches of the imperial family, the Taira and Minamoto clans , acquired large armies and many shōen outside the capital. The central government began to use these two warrior clans to suppress rebellions and piracy. Japan's population stabilized during
13570-464: Was to bring about greater centralization and to enhance the power of the imperial court, which was also based on the governmental structure of China. Envoys and students were dispatched to China to learn about Chinese writing, politics, art, and religion. After the reforms, the Jinshin War of 672, a bloody conflict between Prince Ōama and his nephew Prince Ōtomo , two rivals to the throne, became
13688-534: Was toppled by a rival claimant to the shogunate, ushering in the Muromachi period . During this period, regional warlords called daimyō grew in power at the expense of the shōgun . Eventually, Japan descended into a period of civil war . Over the course of the late 16th century, Japan was reunified under the leadership of the prominent daimyō Oda Nobunaga and his successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi . After Toyotomi's death in 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu came to power and
13806-712: Was trying to take over and control more territories. Despite efforts to totally militarize Japanese society during the war, including such measures as the National Service Draft Ordinance and the National Spiritual Mobilization Movement , Japanese militarism was discredited by the failure of Japan's military in World War II and by the American occupation . After the surrender of Japan , many of its former military leaders were tried for war crimes before
13924-516: Was used only one time (ironically to prevent a General, Kazushige Ugaki , from becoming Prime Minister in 1937), the threat always loomed large when the military made any demands on the civilian leadership. During the Taishō period , Japan saw a short period of democratic rule (the so-called "Taisho democracy"), and several diplomatic attempts were made to encourage peace, such as the Washington Naval Treaty and participation in
#306693