Japan

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  Ancient Japan

  The people of ancient Japan believed their islands were created by the goddess Izanami and her brother and husband Izanagi. According to legend, Jimmu, a descendant of the Sun...

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  Medieval Japan

  Until the 6th century AD, few people from the outside world had ever visited Japan. But after about 550, Japan began to fall under the influence of its much larger neighbour...

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  Samurai

  The samurai were brave Japanese warriors. Originally farmers and landowners, the samurai first emerged in the 8th century. At this time, Japan was beset by many wars between rival...

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  Edo and Meiji Japan

  From the 1630s, the ruling Tokugawa shoguns shut Japan down for more than 200 years. Few foreign visitors were allowed in and no Japanese were allowed out. Nearly all trade and...

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  Modern Japan

  Emperor Showa's 63-year reign from 1926 to 1989 was the longest in Japanese history. The first 20 years of the reign of Hirohito (as he was known during his life) saw the rise of...

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