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Minamoto no Yoritomo became the first shogun of Japan in 1192, establishing the Kamakura shogunate and ushering in a new era of military rule. After defeating the rival Taira clan in the Genpei War (1180–1185), he created a new military government based in Kamakura, which fundamentally shifted power from the emperor and aristocracy to the warrior class. The title of shogun, or "supreme commander," symbolized this transfer of power.
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Bushido became the central code for samurai life by providing an unwritten ethical framework that governed their behavior, emphasizing virtues like honor, loyalty, courage, and self-discipline. This code guided samurai in both battle and daily life, sg their identity as warriors, administrators, and cultural practitioners, and was influenced by various factors, including battlefield experience and family traditions.
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The samurai class rose to power during Japan's Heian period (794-1185) and became the dominant military and political force by the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Initially, they were hired by wealthy landowners to protect their estates, but eventually, the most powerful clans battled for control, leading to the establishment of the first shogunate by Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192. This shift marked the beginning of warrior-led military governments that ruled Japan for nearly 700 years.
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Zen Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 1191 CE when the monk Eisai brought the Rinzai school, though some forms were introduced earlier around 653-656 CE. Another significant introduction was in 1227 CE when Dogen brought the Soto school.
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The Mongol Invasions of Japan were two attempted invasions by Kublai Khan in 1274 and 1281 that were ultimately repelled by the Japanese. Both invasions were thwarted by violent typhoons, which the Japanese came to call kamikaze or "divine winds". The invasions were significant in Japanese history, strengthening the image of the samurai and leading to an enduring sense of national pride and isolationist fear.
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The Ashikaga Shogunate, also known as the Muromachi period, began in 1336 when Ashikaga Takauji overthrew the Kamakura shogunate. The government was officially established in 1338 when Takauji took the title of shogun, with its headquarters in the Muromachi district of Kyoto.
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The Onin War (1467-1477) is considered the start of Japan's Sengoku period, or "Warring States period". This decade-long, destructive conflict, initially a dispute over shogunal succession, shattered the central authority of the Ashikaga shogunate and ignited a century of civil war as provincial warlords (daimyo) fought for land and power.
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Christian missionaries, led by St. Francis Xavier, first arrived in Japan in 1549, landing in Kagoshima before moving to Hirado. Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit priest, was sent by the Society of Jesus to introduce Christianity to Asia. His mission was part of the Counter-Reformation, aimed at preserving Catholic traditions.
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Oda Nobunaga unified much of central Japan, ending the long Sengoku period of civil war, but was assassinated before he could complete the task. He overthrew the Ashikaga shogunate and, through a series of campaigns, brought about half of Japan's provinces under his control. His work paved the way for his successors, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who would ultimately complete the unification of Japan.
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Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed Japan's unification by defeating his rivals and securing control of the remaining territories by 1590, culminating in the Siege of Odawara. He inherited the task from his predecessor, Oda Nobunaga, and consolidated power through military campaigns and political maneuvering. His unification efforts brought an end to the long period of civil war known as the Sengoku period.
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Tokugawa Ieyasu became shogun in 1603, marking the start of the Edo period, which lasted until 1868. This followed his decisive victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which cemented his power and ended the Sengoku period of civil wars. He established his government in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and began a new era of stability and relative peace under the Tokugawa shogunate.
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Sakoku, or "locked country," was Japan's self-imposed isolation policy during the Edo period (1603–1867), enforced by the Tokugawa shogunate to maintain political control and prevent foreign influence like Christianity. The policy strictly limited foreign contact and trade to specific ports and nations, banned Japanese from leaving the country, and severely punished any violations, although trade continued with the Dutch and Chinese under tight control.
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Japan's opening to the world, ending its long period of isolation (sakoku), was triggered by the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's "Black Ships" in 1853. Perry's display of naval power forced the Tokugawa shogunate to sign the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854, which opened two ports to American ships for supplies and ended Japan's isolationist policy. This event led to a period of rapid modernization and the end of the shogunate, culminating in the Meiji Restoration in 1868.