End of Heian Period

1. END OF THE HEIAN-
KYO PERIOD

2. THE HEIAN PERIOD IS KNOWN AS A
PEACEFUL GOLDEN AGE IN ANCIENT
JAPAN…HOWEVER,-Aristocrats, or wealthy landowners lived very well,
while the poor suffered.
-Peasants did all farming that supported the wealthy
-Wealthy looked down on the poor and ignored their
problems

3. WHAT CAUSED THE GOVERNMENT TO
WEAKEN?
• It was common for large pieces of land to be given to
nobles. This actually reduced the emperor’s power.
• Landowners often paid no taxes
• Both of the above points made it so that the government
could not support the emperor financially

4. JAPAN’S RULERS LOSE CONTROL! 
• Bandits roamed the countryside
• People of different religions fought, and robbed each
other
• No law enforcement
• Landowners hired own armies to try to protect them

5. BY 1180 THERE WAS CIVIL WAR IN JAPAN
• Local lords and clans struggled for power in
the capital
• In 1185 the head of the military family
(Minamoto Yoritomo) took power.
• He changed Japan!