| Hint | Answer | % Correct |
|---|---|---|
| Period from 1603-1868, named for the new shogunal capital and former name of Tokyo (or, alternatively, for the new shogunal clan) | Edo or Tokugawa | 98%
|
| Group of ruling warriors that were the highest of the "four classes" of society in the above period | Samurai | 89%
|
| Religion "officially" introduced to Japan in 552 | Buddhism | 87%
|
| Religion that was banned early in the above period | Christianity | 87%
|
| For much of the above period, this was the only European country allowed to trade with Japan | Netherlands | 85%
|
| Sailors from this country are the first Europeans to visit Japan, first arriving in the 16th century | Portugal | 85%
|
| Grain that became a staple of the Japanese diet during the above period | Rice | 85%
|
| The third "unifier" of Japan, appointed shogun in 1603 | Tokugawa Ieyasu | 85%
|
| Sect of Buddhism introduced to Japan in 1227 | Zen | 77%
|
| The first "unifier" of Japan, died in 1582 | Oda Nobunaga | 75%
|
| First used extensively at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, this invention brought from Europe changed the face of war in Japan | Firearms | 74%
|
| Period from 794-1185. Also the former name of Kyoto. | Heian | 74%
|
| Period from 14,000-300 BCE, named for its "rope-patterned" pottery | Jōmon | 72%
|
| U.S. commodore who forced Japan to open up to the west | Matthew Perry | 72%
|
| This was the only city where ships of that country were allowed to enter Japan | Nagasaki | 72%
|
| Japanese for "divine wind," this term refers to two fortuitous typhoons that helped to drive away the Mongol invasions in 1274 and 1281 | Kamikaze | 70%
|
| The second "unifier" of Japan, died in 1598 | Toyotomi Hideyoshi | 68%
|
| Term for the latter half of the above period, when the shogunate had lost control over the provinces and regional warlords battled for supremacy | Warring States Period | 68%
|
| Period from 710-794. Also the name of Japan's first permanent capital | Nara | 66%
|
| Period from 1185-1333, named for the new shogunal capital | Kamakura | 64%
|
| Theatrical style that rose to prominence in the above period, known for its dramatic poses and for male actors playing female roles | Kabuki | 62%
|
| "Eastern" clan in this war (they won!) | Minamoto | 62%
|
| Period from 1336-1573, named for an area in Kyoto where the new shogunate's capital was established (or, alternatively, for the new shogunal clan) | Muromachi or Ashikaga | 62%
|
| Written in the early 11th century, this work is sometimes considered the world's first novel | The Tale of Genji | 58%
|
| Theatrical style that rose to prominence in the above period, known for its slow pacing and dream-heavy plots | Noh | 58%
|
| Most dominant clan in the politics of the above period, frequently acting as regents to emperors | Fujiwara | 57%
|
| "Western" clan in this war (they . . . didn't so much win) | Taira | 57%
|
| Name of the clan that rose to power in this period and eventually became the imperial family. Also a poetic way to refer to Japan in general. | Yamato | 55%
|
| Period from 300 BCE-300 CE, named for a neighborhood in Tokyo where artifacts of the period were first discovered | Yayoi | 55%
|
| Battle in 1600 at which the third unifier claimed decisive victory over his enemies | Battle of Sekigahara | 53%
|
| Period from 300-538 CE, named for its distinctive tombs | Kofun | 51%
|
| War that brought an end to the above period | Genpei War | 43%
|
| The first shogun | Minamoto no Yoritomo | 43%
|
| Nickname of the fleet of modern warships he took to the capital | "The Black Ships" | 43%
|
| Period from 1573-1603, named for two significant castles | Azuchi-Momoyama | 42%
|
| Queen of the Kingdom of Yamatai mentioned in the Chinese Book of Wei | Himiko or Pimiko | 42%
|
| Shape of the tombs that gave the above period its name | Keyhole | 40%
|
| The first shogun of the above period | Ashikaga Takauji | 25%
|
| Theatrical style that rose to prominence in the above period, known for its near-life-size puppets | Bunraku | 25%
|
| Famous early 8th century history of Japan and the imperial family (NOTE: there are two. Name either one.) | Kojiki or Nihon shoki | 25%
|
| Temple in the capital where a giant Buddha statue was completed in 752. Also formerly the world's largest wooden building. | Tōdai-ji | 23%
|
| Published in the early 10th century, this was the first of 21 imperial poetry anthologies | Kokinshū | 9%
|