Heian Period

• 794-1185

The Heian Period describes the era during which the political power of Japan was concentrated in the scholarly nobility living in the purposefully created capital of Heian-kyo. Dates vary slightly, but usually start with the founding of Heian-kyo in 794 and continue until the Gempei Wars between 1180 and 1185. The period, which started during the height of Japan's self-imposed sinification, saw dramatic changes sweep through the country, both politically and socially. It saw the rise of the Fujiwara and the Northern Regents, and later the Insei rule by retired emperors. Japan cuts its official ties to China in the late 9th century, and began to focus on internal issues of the court. In the provinces, the rise of the Shoen Estates and local cultivators as centers of power were one of the factors behind the rise of the military elite, which eventually led to military rule in the Kamakura Period. This was also a period of literary accomplishments, including the Tale of Genji, one of the most famous novels to come out of Japan.