HISTORY Study materials
Created by the EAST Asia National Resource Center of George Washington University
HISTORY Study materials
Created by the EAST Asia National Resource Center of George Washington University
Embedded Files
The 10th Jr. Japan Bowl will be on April 24, 2026. Study Guide will be published on November 1, 2025.
Created by the EAST Asia National Resource Center of George Washington University
Meiji Era-明治・めいじ
Meiji Era-明治・めいじ
The Meiji period or Meiji era is the period of Japanese history from 1868 to 1912. It followed the Edo period. Meiji means "Enlightened Rule" or "Enlightened Government".
When the Meiji era began, the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate ended, and the Emperor Meiji (めいじてんのう) was reinstated as the head of the government. The Meiji Emperor, Mutsuhito, was only 15 when he ascended the throne. During his reign Japan underwent great political, social and industrial changes and became a world power.
This return to an emperor-ruled government is referred to as the Meiji Ishin (めいじいしん) in Japanese, and the Meiji Restoration or Meiji Revolution in English.
The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War (せいなんせんそう）was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government led by Saigou Takamori（さいごうたかもり) occurred in 1877. The rebellion ended the samurai class. Saigou Takamori is considered Japan’s last samurai.
MEIJI RESTORATION. 1868. - Young Emperor Mutsuhito is payed homage at the restoration of the Meiji Emperor, January 1868, after 265 years of rule by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
©The Granger Collection / Universal Images Group
SATSUMA REBELLION. - Women from the island of Kyushu fighting against government cavalry during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. Woodblock print, triptych, 1877, by Nagayama Umosai.
©The Granger Collection / Universal Images Group
PARLIAMENT, 1890. - First meeting of the Japanese Parliament, with the Meiji Emperor Mutsuhito top center. Woodblock print, triptych, 1890, by Shosai Ginko
©The Granger Collection / Universal Images Group
End of the Samurai - Black Ships - Extra History - #1
By Extra Credits
End of the Samurai - Gangs of Kyoto - Extra History #2 by Extra Credits
End of the Samurai - The Boshin War - Extra History - #3 by Extra Credits
End of the Samurai - The Imperial Army - Extra History - #4 by Extra Credits
End of the Samurai - The Last Samurai - Extra History - #5 by Extra Credits
End of the Samurai - Lies - Extra History by Extra Credits
Feature History - Meiji Restoration by Feature History
Saigo Takamori
さいごう たかもり
(1828-1877)
Japan's Last Samurai
image: Public Domain
Iwakura Tomomi
いわくら ともみ
(1825-1883)
Nobleman who lead a mission tour of Western Countries in 1871.
Ito Hirobumi
いとう ひろぶみ
(1841-1909)
Japan's First Prime Minister
Image: Public Domain
Emperor Meiji - Japan's First Modern Emperor
by Late modern History
Tsuda Umeko
つだ うめこ
(1864-1929)
Japan's youngest women who received education in the US
Photo: Public Domain
Nakahama Manjiro
なかはま まんじろう
(1827-1898)
Japan's first person to live in the US and received education
Image: Public Domain
Ernest Fenollosa
アーネスト・フェノロサ
(1853–1908)
American orientalist who helped preserve Japanese traditional arts
Image: Public Domain
Horace Wilson
ホーレス・ウィルソン
(1882-1972)
American educator who introduced baseball to Japan
Photographed by Kuichi Uchida in 1874
Tokyo Old Revives in color by D☆cova ch.
You can see Tokyo in Meiji ~ Taisho era.
"Rokumeikan" , the banqueting House built in Tokyo in 1883, a symbol of Westernization in Meiji era.
Image by TBS Sparkle Library
Whitfield-Manjiro Friendship Society by David Fortin
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final/The Beginning by FilsNow Action Movie Trailers
Rurouni Kenshin is a Meiji Swordsman Story based on a manga series.
Taisho-大正・たいしょう
Taisho-大正・たいしょう
The Taisho era （たいしょうじだい）is the period of history of Japan from 1912 to 1926. Taishō means "Great Justice" or "Great Righteousness". The Taisho Tennou or Taisho Emperor (たいしょうてんのう) ruled Japan. Taisho era was a time of change in Japanese politics and society. It is known in English as Taisho Democracy (たいしょうデモクラシー). There was an increase in social movements and the emergence of party politics in Japan. The cultural phenomena that convey the atomosphere of the liberal period of Taisho is called Taisho Roman(大正ロマン). Takehisa Yumeji (たけひさゆめじ）is representative poet and painter for Taisho Roman style.
Crown Prince Yoshihito/Taishō Emperor
たいしょうてんのう
by Imperial Household Agency
(1900)
Lady Sadako Kujō/Empress Teimei
ていめいこうごう
by Imperial Hosehold Agency
(1900)
Japan: The Taishō Era
(1912-1926)
by Francis Osuna
Historical Connections To Actual Japanese History You Never Noticed on Demon Slayer
by Clye Gerson's Corner
Haikara-San: Official U.S. Trailer
Anime based in Taisho era
by Eleven Arts
Visit to Yumeji Seika Museum in Oku, Okayama Prefecture: Q2 Japan
in Japanese with English subtitle
by Q2 Japan
Photo from Albert Einstein's 1922 visit to Tohoku University.
Einstein described Japanese as " quiet, modest, intelligent, appreciative of art, and considerate, nothing is for the sake of appearances, but rather everything is for the sake of substance"
Photo: WikiMedia Commons
Imperial Hotel Lobby and Front Entrance (1923). The front lobby was designed by an American architect, Frank Lloyd Write during Taisho Period. He is well known for his collection of Japanese print.
Photo by Meiji Mura
Frank Lloys Wright
フランク・ロイド・ライト
(1867-1959)
Photo credit: Franklloydwirht.org
Showa-昭和・しょうわ
Showa-昭和・しょうわ
The Showa era is the period in Japanese history from 1926 to 1989. It corresponds with the reign of the Showa Tenno (しょうわてんのう), whose given name was Hirohito. He was the longest reigning monarch in Japanese history, ruling for 62 years. Showa means “bright peace”.
Emperor Showa and Empress Teimei
image by Imperia Household Agency
The Voice of Hirohito - 1945 Jewel Voice Broadcast (玉音放送) by Historical Recordings
Tokyo Tower History Tour | From 1958 to the Present | 東京タワー by Japanese History
Japanese Bullet Train Shinkansen Construction Documentary 1964 東海道新幹線 by Japanese History
Osaka World Expo: Expo 70 Tower of the Sun & Monorails by Japanese History
Ando Momofuku
あんどう ももふく(1910-2007)
At the end of WWII, Japanese citizens suffered from poverty, hunger, and food shortages. Driven by the strong will to combat hunger, Ando Momofuku (あんどうももふく) invented the world’s first instant ramen (インスタントラーメン). In 1958, Ando Momofuku’s Nissin Food (にっしん） sold the first instant ramen, Chicken Ramen (チキンラーメン). Ando also developed Cup Noodles (カップヌードル), which Nissin began selling in 1971.
Momofuku Ando's Instant Ramen Museum by Tofugu
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang by Lady C's Reading Jamboree
Heisei-平成・へいせい
Heisei-平成・へいせい
The Heisei era is the period in Japanese history that corresponds to the reign of Emperor Akihito. He ascended the throne in 1989 and retired in 2019. He has been called Jyoukou (じょうこう) or Emperor Emeritus after his retirement (abdication). Heisei means “peace everywhere.”
Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita image by Imperia Household Agency
Sayonara, Heisei | 30 years of memories by Rec Loc Japan
The royal wedding that changed Japan forever by BBC World Service
Remembering Operation Tomodachi by Kadena Air Base
Taylor Anderson
テイラー・アンダーソン
“To Be a Bridge Between Our Two Nations” -The Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund- by Sugiyama Univ.
Kurita Shigetaka
くりた しげたか
Meet the man behind the emoji craze by Eyewitness News
Toyohiro Akiyama
あきやま とよひろ
Toyohiro Akiyama the astronaut, remembered he stayed in Mir by Koyomi neko
Yokozuna Akebono
よこづな あけぼの
Chad Akebono Rowan Sumo Yokozuna - Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame 2002 by Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame
Tamagotchi - Review by arhn.eu
History of Meiji & Taisho
All Levels
History of Meiji & Taisho
Level 2 & 3
History of Showa & Heisei
All Levels
History of Showa & Taisho
Level 2 & 3
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