Japans Cultural History

Japans Cultural History Timeline

The Meiji Restoration 1868

This historical event took place during the Meiji period which lasted from1868 to 1912 . The Meiji Restoration marks the end of the Tokugawa era and the Shogun military rule which was a federal rule over Japan. This period also restored Imperial power under emperor Meiji. During this time the capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Tokyo which is also the capital today. This was a period of modernization, industrialization and the integration fo western technologies. This new government aimed to make Japan a democratic state with equality for all. Barriers between social classes were broken down and bridged. Infrastructure developments such as railroads increased during this time. This was a period that established human rights and religious freedom for Japan. Overall, the people of Japan benefited from this time period. This was a time of great growth and modernization for Japan leading it to be the country it is today. 

Meiji restoration Period

The great Kanto earthquake of 1923

Natural disasters in japan are a very significant part of Japanese culture and history as they have impacted so much of Japan. Japan's geological conditions, location and climate make it very prone to harsh natural disasters. The Kanto earthquake is considered one of the worst natural disasters to ever strike Japan. Following the 9.0 earthquake was a 40 foot high tsunami that swept away thousands of people. This earthquake affected Yokohama and Tokyo, two of Japan's largest cities. These tsunami waves swept through these cities destroying anyone and everyone along its way. This destroyed theses and cities, peoples homes, families and traumatized the nation. The damage from this disaster cost over 300 billion dollars and left people without fuel, food and water for weeks. Before the earthquake, Japan was filled with pride and optimism, this disaster caused a shift in the morale of the people of Japan. After some time this disaster fostered political and idealism opportunism as well as great growth for the country. The people of Japan described this earthquake as divine punishment. This also instilled fear in the people of Japan concerning future natural disasters.

After math of the great Kanto earthquake

United States Atomic bombing on Hiroshima in 1945

Japan was very involved in World War II and joined in alliance with Nazi Germany in 1936. This led to Japan launching an attack on a United States Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The US then declared war on Japan and in August of 1945 the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima. This caused quite a disturbance for Japan's place in the war and led to Japan surrendering and being placed under US government. All Japanese military and naval forces were disbanded. It took until 1951 for Japan to sign a peace treaty with the US and regain their independence. The bombings of Hiroshima destroyed more than half of the city's infrastructure and killed nearly 140,000 people . Radiation from the bombs caused very long lasting effects on people and the area. These bombings deeply scarred the people of Japan and had a major cultural impact on the nation. When Hiroshima was rebuilt it became a symbol of peace and resilience.

Atomic bombing of Hiroshima

Short Documentary on Japanese History

https://youtu.be/JCBFomqHoFA?si=ZKvAUBkf5pe1zzro

This 10 minute long video does a great job at highlighting important historical events in Japan. This documentary begins with the Yayoi Period which dates back to 300 BCE and this history lesson goes all the way until 1966. This documentary goes in detail on the early eras of Japanese culture and their influence on other asian countries. This video describes Japans their participation in World War II, monumental wars in Japanese history and their relationships with other countries. This documentary provides information on geological, religious and cultural history.