TOML

Japanese Historical Periods - TOML

Japanese Historical Periods is a classification system that divides approximately 16,000 years of Japanese history from the Jomon Period to the Reiwa Period based on archaeological, cultural characteristics, and political transitions. It provides an important framework for understanding the distinctive cultures and social systems of each era, from prehistoric times (Jomon, Yayoi, Kofun) through the formation of the ritsuryo state, the rise of warrior government, to the transitions of early modern, modern, and contemporary periods.

Japanese history historical periods chronology archaeology Japan

[[items]]
code = "01"
slug = "jomon-period"
name = "Jomon Period"
description = "Period characterized by cord-marked pottery."
category = "prehistoric"
endYear = -300
startYear = -14000

[[items]]
code = "02"
slug = "yayoi-period"
name = "Yayoi Period"
description = "Period when rice cultivation and metal tools began."
category = "prehistoric"
endYear = 300
startYear = -300

[[items]]
code = "03"
slug = "kofun-period"
name = "Kofun Period"
description = "Period when large keyhole-shaped burial mounds were constructed."
category = "ancient"
endYear = 538
startYear = 300

[[items]]
code = "04"
slug = "asuka-period"
name = "Asuka Period"
description = "Period when Buddhism was introduced and the foundation of the ritsuryo state was laid."
category = "ancient"
endYear = 710
startYear = 538

[[items]]
code = "05"
slug = "nara-period"
name = "Nara Period"
description = "Period when the capital was established at Heijo-kyo (Nara) and the ritsuryo state was completed."
category = "ancient"
endYear = 794
startYear = 710

[[items]]
code = "06"
slug = "heian-period"
name = "Heian Period"
description = "Period when the capital moved to Heian-kyo (Kyoto) and aristocratic culture flourished."
category = "classical"
endYear = 1185
startYear = 794

[[items]]
code = "07"
slug = "kamakura-period"
name = "Kamakura Period"
description = "Period when the first warrior government (shogunate) was established."
category = "medieval"
endYear = 1333
startYear = 1185

[[items]]
code = "08"
slug = "muromachi-period"
name = "Muromachi Period"
description = "Period when the Muromachi shogunate was established, including the Northern and Southern Courts conflict and the Sengoku period."
category = "medieval"
endYear = 1573
startYear = 1336

[[items]]
code = "09"
slug = "sengoku-period"
name = "Sengoku Period"
description = "A period of civil wars in the late Muromachi period with competing regional daimyo."
category = "medieval"
endYear = 1573
startYear = 1467

[[items]]
code = "10"
slug = "azuchi-momoyama-period"
name = "Azuchi-Momoyama Period"
description = "Period of national unification under Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi."
category = "early-modern"
endYear = 1603
startYear = 1573

[[items]]
code = "11"
slug = "edo-period"
name = "Edo Period"
description = "A peaceful period of over 260 years under the Edo shogunate."
category = "early-modern"
endYear = 1868
startYear = 1603

[[items]]
code = "12"
slug = "meiji-period"
name = "Meiji Period"
description = "Period when Japan began its path to becoming a modern nation through the Meiji Restoration."
category = "modern"
endYear = 1912
startYear = 1868

[[items]]
code = "13"
slug = "taisho-period"
name = "Taisho Period"
description = "Period characterized by Taisho Democracy and democratic tendencies."
category = "modern"
endYear = 1926
startYear = 1912

[[items]]
code = "14"
slug = "showa-period"
name = "Showa Period"
description = "Period that experienced war, reconstruction, and high economic growth."
category = "modern"
endYear = 1989
startYear = 1926

[[items]]
code = "15"
slug = "heisei-period"
name = "Heisei Period"
description = "Period of economic stagnation after the bubble burst and advancing globalization."
category = "contemporary"
endYear = 2019
startYear = 1989

[[items]]
code = "16"
slug = "reiwa-period"
name = "Reiwa Period"
description = "Current period where digitalization and addressing social issues are advancing."
category = "contemporary"
endYear = ""
startYear = 2019