Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EARLY HISTORY
Although the origins of the Japanese race remain unclear, anthropologists believe humans
first arrived on the islands as early as 100,000 years ago via the land bridges that once con-
nected Japan to Siberia and Korea, and by sea from the islands of the South Pacific. The
first recorded evidence of civilisation in Japan is jōmon (pottery fragments with cord
marks) produced around 10,000 BC. During the Jōmon period (10,000-300 BC), people
lived a primitive existence as independent fishers, hunters and food gatherers.
Jōmon pottery vessels dating back some 15,000 years are the oldest known pottery vessels in
the world.
This stone age period was gradually superseded by the Yayoi era, dating roughly from
300 BC to AD 300. The Yayoi people are considered to have had a strong connection with
Korea. Their most important developments were the wet cultivation of rice and the use of
bronze and iron implements, and they also introduced new practices such as weaving and
shamanism. The Yayoi period witnessed the progressive development of communities rep-
resented in more than 100 independent family clusters dotting the archipelago.
As more and more of these settlements banded together to defend their land, regional
groups became larger and by AD 300 the Yamato kingdom had emerged in the region of
present-day Nara. Forces were loosely united around the imperial clan of the Yamato court,
whose leaders claimed descent from the sun goddess, Amaterasu, and who introduced the
title of tennō (emperor). The Yamato kingdom established Japan's first fixed capital in
Nara, eventually unifying the regional groups into a single state. By the end of the 4th cen-
tury, official relations with the Korean peninsula were established and Japan steadily began
to introduce arts and industries such as shipbuilding, leather-tanning, weaving and metal-
work.
During the Yamato period a highly aristocratic society with militaristic rulers developed.
Its cavalry wore armour, carried swords and used advanced military techniques similar to
those of northeast Asia. The Yamato government also sent envoys directly to the Chinese
court, where they were exposed to philosophy and social structure.
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search