Japanese history is long and fascinating. It all began about 40,000 years ago, with the first human beings moving to Japan, thanks to land bridges. From then on, the country endured a tumultuous series of events.
Its real prosperity began during the Heian (794-1185) and Kamakura (1185-1333) periods, when the Emperor ruled alongside the shogun, the head of the army, who more than once tried to seize absolute power.
During the late 19th century, Japan became a modern nation-state, thanks to the efforts of the Emperor: the so called Meiji restoration aimed to establish Japan as an international power, modernizing its social and cultural structures.
From World War II onwards, Japan has experienced both periods of wealth and periods of crisis, and nowadays it is one of the richest economies in the world.
Read our short article and learn more about Japanese history!
The earliest evidence of human habitation in Japan dates back to the Paleolithic period, about 40,000 years ago. 12,000 years ago Japan was inhabited by hunter-gatherers. Jōmon pottery comes from this period, decorated by impressing cord into the surface of clay.
During the Yayoi period (300 BC-250 AD), new technologies and modes of living swept through the island, which gradually became a united kingdom during the Kofun period (250-538 AD).
The Asuka period (538-710 AD) saw the introduction of Buddhism, while the Nara period (710-794 AD) saw production of the first two Japanese books: Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, containing historical chronicles and myths.
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98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
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Wonderful 10 day trip in Japan!!!
Well planned trip by Alisa . Everything was well scheduled, guides and drivers were excellent!! The cars were extremely comfortable and the hotel she chose for us was beautiful!! Enjoyed planning with her she was very professional and always offered other choices. More
Lianne Stone,
May 2023
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11 days trip to Japan
I am planning my trip to Japan in November with Sharon's help and she has provided amazing customer service.She is very responsive and put together very quickly an incredible plan for 11 days in Japan. She provided recommendations and made changes based on our interests and budget. She also provided information about visa restrictions and the best way to get tickets for transportation services. Thanks so much Sharon, looking forward to this trip! More
LE,
May 2023
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Japan trip
Hi Cathy! I just want to thank you for making our Japan trip so much fun & memorable! We loved everything that you had scheduled for us! All the guides and drivers were great & punctual! We love Japan so much that we’re planning to go back next year to different part of Japan! We’ll definitely contact Asia Highlights for our trip again! Serene More
Serene Storslett,
May 2023
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Quick, easy and detailed service
Alisa was our advisor from Asia highlights and she prepared for us a wonderful 28 day trip to Japan, taking into consideration our needs and desire not to be traveling everyday and to have a mixture of slow and busy days. We've not yet taken our trip, but very much looking forward to it Thank you Alisa for the quick response and wonderful itinerary More
Lynette Whittle,
Apr 2023
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Japan Tour
Sharon Huang did an excellent job in planningour 15 day Cherry Blossom Japan tour. Shewas available during our trip to answer our questions and readily agreed to the itinerary changes.Everything was arranged - accommodation,breakfast, guide, car, entrance fees and train tickets. The guides were knowledgeable, and managed the tour very efficiently. The drivers were punctual and very patient. We visited must see places in and near Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. We also got to experience Japanese Tea ceremony, Sushi making, Sake tasting, shopping etc.We highly recommend Asia Highlights for your travel needs. More
Madhu,
Apr 2023
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I organized a trip to Japan for my
I organized a trip to Japan for my parents who don’t speak English and Alisa was so amazing helping make an itinerary for them. They needed a Spanish guide and she coordinated everything so they wouldn’t have any trouble when they got there. She was so patient changing and adjusting the itinerary to their needs and wants, it’s been a total pleasure working with her and she always responds promptly to any question I have. I definitely recommend this company and if you can ask to work with Alisa. More
Luisa,
Apr 2023
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Trip to Japan. I have had the pleasure to book with…
For the reasons above, I decided to book again with Asia highlights for our trip to Japan this year in September. Until now it’s been a pleasure dealing with Albee Ning. She was so efficient and pleasant in adjusting our itinerary. Whenever I had any questions I could count on her to answer promptly. I am very lucky to have her as our organiser for our future trip to Japan. I have had the pleasure to book with Asia Highlights when we went to China in 2018. We were extremely satisfied with the exceptional services rendered by our organiser, Robert Hui and private guide William. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris,
Apr 2023
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Albee Ning and Asia Highlights - wonderful to work with.
I and my daughter planned a trip to China and Japan. We worked with Albee Ning who was fantastic in developing a itinerary based on our desires and needs. She was extremely responsive, taking into account all of our requests and worked closely with us, it wasn't just selecting from one of several pre-developed itineraries. We decided to postpone the trip until next year and received the guaranteed refund, minus a small deposit on next years trip. We look forward to working with her again on next years trip and trips in the future. We highly recommend Asia Highlights and Albee Ning More
Nancy K,
Apr 2023
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Handcrafted tour of Japan by Asia Highlights
My initial inquiry to this company (based in China) was answered in under 10 hours by an amazing travel consultant, named Alisa. She is such a professional in the ways she conducts herself and serves her clients. Alisa is a great communicator and listener. She is very open to requests for additional experiences which require research on her part to arrange. Alisa also provides very detailed information about each experience, location, guides, private car transfers, trains, hotels. This approach is very appealing since detailed communication is so useful and important to me. Alisa also makes the process simple and easy to follow. Answered tons of questions and created the perfect tour for us. We are looking forward to this once in a lifetime visit to Japan and are so grateful we have had the chance to work with Alisa at Asia Highlights! More
Laurie Lee,
Feb 2023
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Great Overall Experience
Our guide in Tokyo, Fuki, was outstanding. We saw things we would never have otherwise seen, if Fuki had not been there. More
Todd Hankinson,
Dec 2022
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Plenty of options and personalized tours as needed
Monica Mo was very helpful from the beginning after I enquired about my travel plans to Japan. She listened with understanding and took careful notes and clarified things to make sure she got everything. More
Ginybel Belgira,
Sep 2022
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Asia Highlights especially Ms. Kanae Chida superb
Asia Highlights and particularly our Tokyo guide, Ms. Kanae Chida, were the best. When Kanae met us, she asked for details of what we wished to see and she constructed an outstanding combination of visits for the day. More
Geoff Rayner-Canham,
May 2019
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I have arranged a 27 day tour of China, Japan and Hong Kong China
Peggie's English is impeccable and she uses lots of nuances which usually only a native English speaker would know. I have found her very prompt in responding to emails and her knowledge is terrific. More
Ailsa West,
Jul 2018
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Very professional, great customer service
We travelled to Japan this May (2018). We had contacted Asia Highlights to organise our trip for us. Miss Peggie Lyoo was very helpful, super-friendly, very professional and very prompt with all her replies! More
Tibor Marton,
May 2018
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Great job!
Great job!! We had an amazing vacation to Japan. We will use Asian highlights for all of our trips to Asia More
Joe,
May 2018
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Trip-of-a-lifetime
In addition, I want to specifically mention the guides provided in certain locations. Rum, in Siem Reap, made the most memorable experience possible. His positivity was contagious - even when it felt like 1000 degrees and we were tired. He brought it all to life, and created a couple days of Ankor Wat, etc. that we will never forget! He heard my daughter's request for specific Cambodian food, and changed our itinerary to go to a village and eat at a locally known shop. He brought the dessert she asked about to us in the car! Overall, he and his driver "Lucky" were a reason to go to Siem Reap. In addition, the other guides (minus one which was switched out immediately) were stupendous. Mon in Bangkok was friendly and provided a great day there; Eak in Chiang Mai gave us a world-class food-tour and day touring the city and its surrounding temples with lots of laughs; Tommy in Hanoi kept us from getting killed in the traffic and gave a stupendous food and architecture/history tour - so very friendly and funny; the fishing village tour in Hoi An, as well as the side-car tour in Saigon, were both unforgettable! Thank you Sharon, and Asia Highlights. Would definitely use again for future trips! More
Teri Simpson,
Apr 2023
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Cambodia and Vietnam adventure!
Our guide in Cambodia, Meas Darapolaith (Pol), was absolutely amazing. He was knowledgeable, friendly and so helpful. His English was excellent and he shared important insights about history and the magnificent sites we visited. We highly recommend him! More
Jennifer Roth Krieger,
Apr 2023
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My daughter and I wanted to discover SE…
My daughter and I wanted to discover SE Asia. Being the first in that region, we wanted to use a tour service company. We ended up using Asia Highlights. From the beginning we were impressed with their services. We left home with of mind because all the pre-travel arrangements were taking care and communicate to us efficiently. All our questions were answered promptly. Once in the countries, we were welcome by our excellent tour guides. Everything was taking care for us. We did not have one issue. They selected the right tours guides for us, they were highly knowledgeable and so much attentive to our needs. We had Dhat in Vietnam and Borin in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I came back home so much rested, and with plenty of wonderful pictures and memories. I will definitely use Asia Highlights again for my next trip to Asia. More
Isabelle Dessaux,
Apr 2023
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Fabulous tour and guide in Cambodia
We have been touring Cambodia, guided by Borin ( and driver 007) for the last 2 days. What a fabulous experience! Borin has been a wonderful guide, the best so far in Southeast Asia, explaining the history and culture of Cambodia through his tours of the temples in and around Angkor, as well as the Landmine museum. He has answered all our questions, made sure we were comfortable, and that we have had great food. 007 made sure we always had enough water and cool towels for our face/neck.We highly recommend Borin as a tour guide for Cambodia!! More
Monica,
Mar 2023
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Best Travel Service for Asia Travel
Alisa Liu was in charge of making the arrangements and she helped us from the start to make all of the arrangements and also helped us when we had questions and requested some adjustments. Her service is of the highest professional level. We are 100% confident that our trip will be perfect. We’re also 100% confident that, if anything comes up during our trip, that Alisa will be there to guide us through and take care of us. We won’t even consider using another agency for travel around Asia and we would like to have Alisa work for us again. More
Leo Pospichal,
Mar 2023
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Around 790, power was taken up by the Fujiwara clan, who held it until Emperor Horikawa ascended the throne. During this period, the power of the court began to decline, and landowners became more and more powerful, setting up their own samurai armies.
The Minamoto clan and the Taira clan fought over succession, starting a long lasting rivalry that ended in 1181, with the conclusive victory of the Minamoto clan, who became the rulers of Japan.
During this period, the royal court was a productive center of culture and art. The masterpiece of Japanese literature, The Tale of Genji, comes from this period; as well as the development of kana written syllabaries. The temple of Byōdō-in (1053) in Uji provides a noteworthy example of architecture from the period.
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Minamoto no Yoritomo set up government in Kamakura, eastern Japan, and its power was authorized by the imperial court in Kyoto. In 1192, he was declared shogun (head of the army), de facto ruler of the country.
When Yoritomo died in 1199, the office of shogun weakened. His wife, Hōjō Masako, took power behind the scenes, while their son was still young.
Kublai Khan of the Mongol Empire tried to invade the country twice, in 1274 and 1281. On both occasions, the Japanese army defeated the invaders, but the financial strength of the shogun diminished greatly, and the samurai couldn’t be paid. This contributed to worsening relationships between the samurai and the shogun.
At the end of the Kamakura shogunate (around 1333), Emperor Go-Daigo started a rebellion hoping to restore imperial power, and the men sent by the shogunate joined the imperial army.
Nowadays, the city of Kamakura is witness of the great prosperity of that period. A famous temple from this period is the Hasedera Temple, with a huge 10-meter tall statue Kannon, an eleven-headed goddess; while the Great Buddha of Kamakura, located in the grounds of the Kotokuin Temple, is an amazing bronze statue of the Ammida Buddha.
Many samurai became unhappy with the restoration of Emperor Go-Daigo, who tried to monopolize power. Takauji, a former general of the shogunate, rebelled against the emperor and seized Kyoto in 1338, supporting another emperor, Kōmyō, who appointed him shogun. A long period of conflict began.
After many difficulties, Takauji’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, managed to bring the country together. He expanded the power of the shogunate and ended the civil war. However, by 1477 the shogun had lost control over the daimyōs (feudal lords), who now ruled over their small independent states and fought against each other.
Amid this chaos, the first Europeans set foot in Japan. Soon, new European goods were introduced, especially the musket, which became extremely popular during the civil war. Christianity was also introduced in the country, and many Jesuit missionaries disembarked in Japan.
The Muromachi period was as prosperous as the previous one. The population grew and commerce flourished, especially thanks to the opening up towards Europeans markets. Some of the most representative Japanese art, like ikebana flower arrangements, tea ceremonies, and bonsai, developed during this period.
The Tokugawa shogunate assured a period of peace. It suppressed social discontent with severe penalties, and Christianity was gradually outlawed. The third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, imposed an isolationist policy to prevent other foreign ideas from entering the country.
The population reached 30 million; roads were constructed; literacy was vastly improved. These favorable developments led to a period of immense prosperity, and laid the foundation for the strong growth of the following centuries.
However, by the end of the eighteenth century the power of the shogunate began to decline, with famines devastating the country. When American ships arrived in Japan in 1853, there was chaos. The isolationist policy ended, and major western countries imposed “unequal treaties” on Japan.
In 1866, the new shogun struggled to maintain power, and in 1867 he resigned. The young Emperor Meiji was convinced to end the shogunate, and the armies of Chōshū and Satsuma marched on Edo starting the Boshin War, which led to the fall of the shogunate.
The imperial family moved to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo, and took back supreme power. However, samurai from Chōshū and Satsuma, the Meiji oligarchs, wanted Japan to become a modern nation and oversaw dramatic changes in the country.
The Neo-Confucian class structure was replaced by feudal domains with prefectures. Christianity was no longer banned, and a tax reform was instituted. Railways, telegraph lines, and a universal education system were introduced. The country underwent a process of westernization, and many western advisers were hired.
The Meiji Constitution was promulgated in 1889: there was an elected lower house and a House of Representatives, even if only 2% of the population could vote. Shinto became the national religion, and the emperor was declared a living god.
Thanks to Yamagata Aritomo, the Imperial Japanese Army was enlarged and empowered. The army’s contribution was fundamental to crushing a rebellion of samurai in southern Japan and helping Japan expand its territories.
In 1894, Japan defeated the army of the Qing dynasty in China, and Taiwan was ceded to Japan. Japan then fought with Russia in 1904-5, and annexed Korea in 1905.
Japan entered the world in 1941 with a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The US began to fight along with the Allies, and Japan invaded numerous Asian colonies of western countries. After the Battle of Midway (1942) Japan started losing many battles, and its army was responsible for many atrocities.
Life in Japan became more and more difficult, and major cities were destroyed by US bombing raids. The Battle of Okinawa was a great debacle for the Japanese army and, when the US dropped atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan decided to surrender and end the ultranationalist imperial ideology resulting from the Meiji restoration.
The Allies occupied Japan from 1945 to 1952. During this time, General MacArthur was the de facto ruler of the country.
The Emperor was forced to give up his divine status, and a new constitution came into effect in 1947, guaranteeing civil and labor rights. The following years saw a period of economic and cultural growth for the entire country.
When Hirohito died, his son Akihito became Emperor. An economic bubble burst in 1989, and banks had enormous debt. The birthrate declined, and the whole decade following is known as Japan’s Lost Decade. Unemployment rates rose, and the stock market failed to return to previous heights.
In 1995, the Japanese government didn’t react properly to the earthquake in Kobe and to some terrorist attacks, and this led to the creation of Non Governmental Organizations that have been increasingly important in the political scene.
When Shinzō Abe resigned, Yasuo Fukuda became Prime Minister. He resigned in 2008, and Taro Aso was elected as his successor. In 2009, the Democratic Party of Japan won 308 seats in the lower house election, ending 50 years of political domination by the LDP.
Japan cherishes its long history and tradition, and a trip there really will help you understand its fascinating and complex culture. Start planning your next adventure in Japan now: with the help of our knowledgeable staff, you will enjoy a hassle-free experience that you and your family will never forget.
At Asia Highlights, we create your kind of journey — your dates, your destinations, at your pace. You can have any trip tailor made for your travel.
1-to-1 Expert PlanningYour tour will be tailor-made to suit you by a destination expert. Your personal travel advisor will always reply within 24 hours. |
Personal JourneysEnjoy having your own personal local guide and ride. Explore destinations at your own pace. Have as much flexibility as possible. |
Authentic ExperiencesGo beyond the sightseeing. Understand the destinations by practicing the local culture and interacting with local people. |
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