Japan has such a long history spanning thousands of years. It is thought that the first inhabitants of the islands were fisherman and hunter/gatherers – this early stage in Japan’s history was known as the Jomon period.

In 300 BC invaders came from the Korean Peninsula, (the start of the Yayoi period) and slowly cultivated the land, introducing agriculture, iron and the evolution of social classes. The islands became a united country around 300-538 BC in the Kofun period where the central power was developed on the Kinai plain. [Read more...]