A very general survey of the history of Japanese art. Click on any of the time periods to learn more specific information about each one. Includes several examples; click on the title of each work to enlarge the image and to learn more.

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the first shogun to unite and bring peace to Japan. His early life and rise to power is documented in this essay. Requires Adobe Reader. [PDF]

A rich site that tells of an ancient kingdom of warriors, tradesmen and artists that would influence the modern world.

The picture shown in this essay is part of the Black Ship Scroll which depicts two of the nine American ships that arrived in Japan under Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854: U.S.S. Powhatan and U.S.S. Supply. Read the history of the U.S.S...

Dog chasing was one of three archery drills popular during the Edo period (1615-1868). Originally an exercise to improve martial skills, it became a formal sport with defined rules as early as the 14th century.