Yayoi Period (ca. 300 b.c-ca. a.d. 300)
Mound Tomb Era (ca. a.d. 300-552)
Asuka Period (552-645)
Buddhism introduced (552)
Chinese government and institutions copied
Early Nara Period (645-710)
Late Nara Period (710-794)
Japan ruled from replica of Chinese capital of Ch'ang-an built at Nara (710)
Bronze Buddha largest in world dedicated at Nara (752) Compilation of early poetry anthology Manyoshu (780)