Can You Place Japan’s Past in the Right Order?

Travel through time and match key historical moments in Japan history. Fun educational game, suitable for online lessons, interactive classes and exciting homework.

You’re given 15 major historical events in Japan history in random order. Your task is to drag and drop them into the correct place on the timeline - from oldest to most recent.

Here are the 15 Japan historical events in chronological order:

• 1. Jomon Period Begins – ca. 14,000 BCE
  The Jomon people were early hunter-gatherers in Japan who created some of the world's oldest pottery. They lived in small communities and used stone tools for daily life.


• 2. First Emperor: Emperor Jimmu Ascends – 660 BCE (legendary)
  According to legend, Emperor Jimmu became Japan’s first emperor and started the imperial line. This myth links the emperor's ancestry to the sun goddess Amaterasu.


• 3. Yayoi Culture Introduced – ca. 300 BCE
  People from the Asian continent brought rice farming, metal tools, and new social structures to Japan. This began the shift from a hunter-gatherer society to a more settled, agricultural one.


• 4. Buddhism Introduced to Japan – 552 CE
  Buddhist teachings arrived from Korea and began to influence Japanese religion, art, and politics. It soon blended with native Shinto beliefs.


• 5. Taika Reforms Begin – 645 CE
  The Japanese court introduced sweeping reforms to centralize power under the emperor. Inspired by Chinese systems, they aimed to strengthen imperial rule.


• 6. Heian Period Begins – 794 CE
  The capital moved to Heian-kyō (Kyoto), marking an era of cultural and literary growth. Aristocrats flourished, and classic works like The Tale of Genji were written.


• 7. Kamakura Shogunate Established – 1192 CE
  Japan’s first shogunate was founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo, starting samurai-led military rule. The emperor remained a figurehead as power shifted to warrior clans.


• 8. Mongol Invasions Repelled – 1274 & 1281 CE
  The Mongols tried to invade Japan twice but failed, partly due to fierce resistance and typhoon winds called kamikaze. These events became legendary in Japanese history.


• 9. Ōnin War Begins (Sengoku Period Starts) – 1467 CE
  A civil war erupted over succession disputes, plunging Japan into over a century of fighting between regional warlords. Central authority collapsed, and chaos followed.


• 10. Unification Under Tokugawa Ieyasu (Battle of Sekigahara) – 1600 CE
  Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated rival factions at Sekigahara, leading to peace and unification. He established the Tokugawa Shogunate, ruling from Edo (Tokyo).


• 11. Sakoku Policy Enacted (National Isolation) – 1639 CE
  Japan closed its borders to most foreign influence and trade, aiming to preserve its culture and stability. Only limited contact with China and the Dutch was allowed.


• 12. Perry’s Black Ships Arrive – 1853 CE
  U.S. Navy Commodore Matthew Perry arrived with steam-powered warships, demanding Japan open for trade. This event ended over two centuries of isolation.


• 13. Russo-Japanese War Victory – 1905 CE
  Japan defeated Russia in a major war over influence in East Asia. This shocked the world and marked Japan’s rise as a modern military power.


• 14. Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – 1945 CE
  The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, causing massive devastation. Japan surrendered shortly after, ending World War II.


• 15. 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami – March 11, 2011
  A powerful earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan. The disaster triggered a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plant.