Japan through the Ashikaga Period (16th c.)

Jomon Period

c. 14,000-300 BCE

Vessel, 3rd millennium BCE

Vessel, 3rd millennium BCE

Dogu Figurine, c. 1000-400 BCE

Dogu Figurine, c. 1,000-400 BCE

Kofun Period

c. 300-552 CE

Burial Mounds

Chieftain Haniwa, c. 500

Horse Haniwa, 6th c.

Shinto

Female Shinto Spirit, 12th c.

Usa Shrine, Usa, est. 8th c.

Ujigami Shrine, Uji, est. 11th c.

Asuka Period

552-646

Asuka Temple, Asuka (Nara), est. 588

Prince Shotoku, ruled 593-622Kogan Zenji, 1800

Prince Shotoku and His ChildrenPortrait from the Nara Period

Prince Shotoku Deified, early 14th c.

Shitenno-ji Temple, Osaka, est. 593

Horyu-ji Temple

Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, est. 607

Buddha of Healing, Horyu-ji Temple, 7th c.

Nara Period

646-794

Rinno-ji Buddhist ShrineNikko, est. 766

Heian Period

794-1185

Enryaku-ji Temple

Kyoto, est. 794

Daigo-Ji Temple

Kyoto, est. 874

The Heian Court

Fujiwara Michinaga (ruled de facto 997-1027)Kikuchi Yosai, 1878

Formal

Semi-formal

Informal

Courtesan

Heian Court WomanUtagawa Kunisada, 19th c.

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom Viewing, 17th c.

Murasaki Shikibu

The Tale of Genji, c. 1010

Lady Murasaki Writing at Ishiyama Temple, 1767

Murasaki ShikibuKikuchi Yosai, 1878

Murasaki Shikibu at Ishiyama TempleHiroshige III, c. 1880

Murasaki at Ishiyama TempleKyosen Kawasaki, 20th c.

Murasaki ShikibuSumi-e Azusa, 21st c.

Tendai Buddhism

Tendai Daishi, 14th c. Portrait

Lotus Sutra, 12th c.

Lotus Sutra, Heian Period

Fugen Riding Elephant, Heian Period

Fugen Riding Elephant, 1225-50

Monju Atop Shishi Lion, 10th c.

Monju Riding Lion, 1324

Buddha with Fugen and Monju, 17th c.

Pure Land Buddhism

Paradise of Amida BuddhaKasuga Kaishi, Late Heian Period

Bodhisattvas Descending from Paradise, c. 1300

Byodo-in (Phoenix Hall)

Kyoto, 1053

Byodo-in Amida Buddha

Kamakura Period

1185-1392

The Minamoto (Genji) Clan Fights the Taira (Heike) Clan

Late 17th c. Illustrations ofThe Heike Tale (12th-13th c.)

The Battle at Uji Bridge, 1180

Late 17th c. Illustrations ofThe Heike Tale (12th-13th c.)

Samurai of the Kamakura Period

Seppuku, 19th-c. Illustration

Yoroi Armor, Early 14th c.

Zen Buddhism

Ryoan-ji Temple Garden, Kyoto, late 15th c.

The Tea Ceremony

Tea-Grinding Stone MillHukuin Ekaku, 1740s-50s

Zen LandscapeTani Bucho, 18th-19th c.

Ashikaga Period

1392-1523

The Golden Pavilion

Kyoto, 1397