Medieval Japan Timeline

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1147 - 1199
Life of Minamoto no Yoritomo, clan leader of the Minamoto and first shogun of Japan.
1168
Taira no Kiyomori significantly remodels the Itsukushima Shrine.
1180 - 1185
The Genpei War in Japan between the Taira and Minamoto clans.
1183 - 1198
Reign of Japan's Emperor Go-Toba.
1185 - 1333
The Kamakura period in Japan.
1185
Battle of Dannoura where the Minamoto defeat the rival Taira. The young emperor Antoku drowns.
1192 - 1333
The Kamakura Shogunate rules Japan.
1192 - 1199
Minamoto no Yoritomo is shogun in Japan.
1195
The Todaiji temple at Nara, Japan, is restored by the Minamoto clan.
1202 - 1203
Minamoto no Yorie is shogun of Japan.
1203 - 1219
Minamoto no Sanetomo is shogun of Japan.
1203 - 1205
Hojo Tokimasa acts as regent to Japan's shogun, the first of 16 such regents
c. 1218
The Tale of the Heike (Heike monogatari) is first published in Japan.
1219
Hojo Masako and Hojo Tokimasa take over as regents for the Japanese shogun, thus permanently transferring power from the Minamoto to Hojo clans.
1221
The Jokyu Disturbance - Japan's emperor Go-Toba launches a failed coup against the Kamakura Shogunate.
1225
The position of vice-regent to the shogun (rensho) is created in Japan.
1232
A new law code, the Joei Code (Joei shikimoku), is established in Japan.
1246 - 1259
Reign of Japan's Emperor Go-Fukakusa.
1249
A High Court, the Hikitsukeshu, is formed in Japan.
1249 - 1253
The Kenchoji Zen Buddhism monastery is built in Kamakura, Japan.
1254
The large gilded wood statue of Kannon is sculpted at Sanjusangendo, Heiankyo (Kyoto), Japan.
1259 - 1274
Reign of Japan's Emperor Kameyama.
1274
The first invasion of Japan by the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan fails.
1281
The second invasion of Japan by the Mongol ruler/Yuan dynasty emperor Kublai Khan fails.
1283
The Engakuji Zen Buddhist monastery is established at Kamakura, Japan by Hojo Tokimune.
1318 - 1339
Go-Daigo reigns as emperor of Japan.
1327 - 1333
Hojo Moritoki reigns as shogun in Japan, the last of the Kamakura Shogunate.
c. 1333
Nitta Yoshisada attacks and destroys Kamakura, capital of Japan's Kamakura Shogunate.
1333 - 1336
The Kenmu Restoration when the Japanese emperor Go-Daigo uses rebel warlords to oust the Kamakura Shogunate.
1333 - 1573
The Muromachi period of medieval Japan.
1333
The position of deputy shogun (kanrei) is created in Japan.
1336
Ashikaga Takauji captures Heiankyo (Kyoto).
1337 - 1392
Japan has two competing emperors: the 'Northern and Southern Courts.
1338
Ashikaga Takauji becomes the new shogun in Japan, it is the beginning of the Ashikaga (Muromachi) Shogunate.
1338 - 1573
The Ashikaga (Muromachi) Shogunate rules Japan.
1338 - 1358
Ashikaga Takauji rules as shogun in Japan.
1359 - 1368
Ashikaga Yoshiakira rules as shogun in Japan.
1395 - 1423
Ashikaga Yoshimochi rules as shogun in Japan.
1397
The Kinkakuji or 'Golden Pavilion' is built in Heiankyo (Kyoto) by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.
1401
Japan joins the tribute system of China's Ming Dynasty.
1407
The five-story Buddhist pagoda is added to the Shinto Itsukushima Shrine.
1420 - 1506
Life of the celebrated Zen priest and artist Sesshu (real name Toyo)
1429 - 1441
Ashikaga Yoshinori rules as shogun in Japan.
1449 - 1474
Ashikaga Yoshimasa rules as shogun in Japan.
1460 - 1483
Ginkakuji Temple (Silver Pavilion) is built in Heiankyo (Kytoto) Japan by Ashikaga Yoshimasa.
1467 - 1477
The Onin War between rival warlords rages in Japan.
1467 - 1568
The Sengoku Period or Warring States Period in Japan.
1473
Ryoanji in Heiankyo (Kyoto) becomes a Zen Buddhism temple.
1474 - 1489
Ashikaga Yoshihisa rules as shogun in Japan.
1494 - 1508
Ashikaga Yoshizumi rules as shogun in Japan.
1508 - 1521
Ashikaga Yoshitane rules in his second spell as shogun of Japan.
1521 - 1546
Ashikaga Yoshiharu rules as shogun in Japan.
1543
The first European contact is made with Japan when three Portuguese traders have their ship blown onto the shores of southern Kyushu.
1546 - 1565
Ashikaga Yoshiteru rules as shogun in Japan.
1549
Oda Nobunaga adds a specialist corps of 500 musketeers to his army.
1560
Oda Nobunaga defeats the warlord of Mikawa, Imagawa Yoshimoto, at the Battle of Okehazama.
1568 - 1582
Oda Nobunaga seizes Heiankyo (Kyoto) and is the dominant military leader in central Japan.
1568 - 1600
The Azuchi-Momoyama Period in Japan.
1568
Ashikaga Yoshihide rules as shogun in Japan.
1568 - 1588
Ashikaga Yoshiaki rules as shogun in Japan (but is exiled by Oda Nobunaga from 1573 CE).
1571
Oda Nobunaga attacks the Buddhist Enryakuji monastic complex near Kyoto.
1573
Oda Nobunaga exiles the last Ashikaga shogun, Yoshiaki.
1575
Oda Nobunaga wins the Battle of Nagashino.
1576
Oda Nobunaga instigates a 'sword hunt' to confiscate all weapons from the Japanese peasantry.
1579
Oda Nobunaga establishes a new headquarters at Azuchi castle.
1582 - 1598
Toyotomi Hideyoshi is the military leader of Japan.
1582 - 1598
Oda Nobunaga and his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi conduct an extensive land ownership survey across Japan.
1586
Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds the huge Osaka castle.
1588
Toyotomi Hideyoshi prohibits commoners from carrying weapons, including swords.
1588
Toyotomi Hideyoshi rules that only full-rank samurai may carry two swords.
1591
Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds the massive Odoi ("Great rampart") fortification wall around Heiankyo (Kyoto).
1591
Toyotomi Hideyoshi redefines the class system of Japan.
1591
Samurai are no longer permitted to farm their own land making them dependent on their lords for income.
1592
Toyotomi Hideyoshi sends an army to invade Korea. It is not successful.
1594
Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds the Fushimi Castle outside Heiankyo (Kyoto).
1597
Toyotomi Hideyoshi passes his second edict to remove Christian missionaries from Japan and executes 26 Christians in Nagasaki.
1597
Toyotomi Hideyoshi sends a second army to invade Korea. It is not successful.
18 Sep 1598
Death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the military leader of Japan.
1600
Tokugawa Ieyasu wins the Battle of Sekigahara against those generals who supported Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son. End of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period.
1603 - 1868
Edo period. The Tokugawa Shogunate rules Japan.
1603 - 1605
Tokugawa Ieyasu rules as shogun in Japan.