Nara Period

The period during which the seat of government was at Heijokyo (now Nara) in Yamato. The Nara period proper began in 710, when the imperial capital was moved from Fujiwarakyo, and ended in 784 with the transfer of the capital to Nagaokakyo. Dates for the period are usually given as 710-794, however, to inckude the ten years during which the capital was in Nagaoka. The period was characterized by the full implementation of the ritsuryo system of govenment; the establishment of Buddhism as the religion of the court and, by extension, of the state; and new heights in intellectual and cultural achievement, as exemplified by the building of the Great Hall of the temple Todaiji. Modifications in the land tenure system, and the absconding from state lands of peasants overburdened by taxes, contributed to the breakdown of central authority.

Heian Period

The Heian period is a span of nearly 400 years extending from 794, when Emperor Kammu established Heiankyo (now Kyoto) as the Imperial capital of Japan, to 1185, when Monamoto no Yoritomo's forces defeated those of the Taira family, thus setting the stage for the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.
During Heian times, Japan fully assimilated the essence of Chinese society and created indigenous institutions in economics, government, and cultural style.

Age	Period	Affairs about Each Cultural Property	Social Movement
794~	Heian	Enryakuji (805) Ninnnaji (888) Byodoin (1016)	Emperor Kammu established Heiankyo in Kyoto. Thus Kyoto became the Imperial capital, and spaned more than a thousand years. In those days, noble caltures prospered. Fujiwara family typified the times.
1192~	Kamakura	Ujikami Jinja Kozanji	The military government (Shogunate) governed Japan first. It was built by Minamoto no Yoritomo.
1333~	Nanbokucho	There is nothing related.	In those days, Takauji Ashikaga's gonernment and Godaigo Emperor's one was contending against one another to be at the helm of politics. Then Takauji got the helm.
1338~	Muromachi	Kinkakuji (1397) Ryoanji (1450) Ginkakuji (1497)	The 2nd Shogunate (Muromachi Shogunate) built by Takauji Ashikaga was governing Japan.
1568~	Azuchi- Momoyama	Nishi-honganji	As the result of disturbed ages, Nobunaga Oda governed most of Japan. After he died, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a liege of Nobunaga, governed all of Jaoan.
1603~	Edo	Nijojo	After the death of Hideyoshi, some commanders fought to be boss on politics. As a result, Ieyasu Tokugawa became the boss and built the Edo Shogunate. Then the Shogunate continued until the middle of the 19th century.