The Yamato state launched expeditions into [[Emishi]] ("barbarian") lands in northeastern Japan as early as the 7th century; though these largely took place in what is now considered the [[Tohoku|Tôhoku region]] of [[Honshu|Honshû]], Tôhoku at that time was in significant ways an extension of the same cultural area as Hokkaidô; these expeditions contributed to pushing the indigenous peoples north, out of Tôhoku and into Hokkaidô, as the Yamato state gradually expanded its influence over the region. | The Yamato state launched expeditions into [[Emishi]] ("barbarian") lands in northeastern Japan as early as the 7th century; though these largely took place in what is now considered the [[Tohoku|Tôhoku region]] of [[Honshu|Honshû]], Tôhoku at that time was in significant ways an extension of the same cultural area as Hokkaidô; these expeditions contributed to pushing the indigenous peoples north, out of Tôhoku and into Hokkaidô, as the Yamato state gradually expanded its influence over the region. |