It is widely accepted that the first humans in the Japanese archipelago can be traced back to prehistoric times. The Jomon period, named after the "cord-marked" pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new technologies were introduced from mainland Asia. During this period, in the 1st century AD, the first known written reference to Japan was recorded in the Chinese Book of Han. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Between the 4th and 9th centuries, Japan's many kingdoms and tribes slowly reunited under a centralized government, mostly controlled by the emperor. The imperial dynasty founded in this period continues to reign over Japan to the present day. In 794, a new imperial capital was founded at Heian-kyo (modernly known as Kyoto), marking the beginning of the Heian period, which lasted until 1185. The Heian period is considered a golden age of classical Japanese culture. Japanese religious life from this period onwards was a mix of Buddhism and indigenous religious practices known as Shinto (Wikipedia). Religions remain similar to current ones. Over the next few centuries, the power of the Emperor and the imperial court slowly waned, eventually passing to the military clans and their armies of samurai warriors. The Minamoto clan under Minamoto no Yoritomo was victorious during the Genpei War of 1180–85. After taking power, Yoritomo established his capital in Kamakura and changed his title to shogun. In 1274 and 1281, the Kamakura shogunate resisted two Mongol invasions, but in 1333 it was defeated by a rival, ushering in the Muromachi period. During the Muromachi period, regional warlords called daimyo grew in power at the expense of the shogun. Eventually, Japan fell into a period of civil war. During the late 16th century, Japan ended its civil war and found peace under the leadership of daimyo Oda Nobunaga and his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Please note: this is just an example. Get a Custom Paper Now from Our Expert Writers Get a Custom EssayAfter Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu came to power and was appointed Shogun by the emperor. The Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled from Edo (modern Tokyo), developed in a prosperous and peaceful era known as the Edo period (1600–1868). The Tokugawa shogunate imposed a rigid class system on Japanese society and severed almost all contact with the outside world (Wikipedia). Japan has been separated from the rest of the world for a long time, leaving it with some trouble to recover from once it returns to the world.