530 – 540s

Events in the 530s 2

• 300 – 538 Kofun period Giant keyhole tombs and the rise of Yamato The Kofun period is named for the massive keyhole-shaped burial mounds (kofun) built for powerful rulers. During this era the Yamato court in the Nara plain rose to dominance over rival polities, laying the basis for a unified Japanese state under the imperial line.
• 538 – 710 Asuka period Buddhism, writing and the first Japanese state The Asuka period saw Buddhism introduced from Korea, along with Chinese writing, architecture and statecraft. Prince Shotoku promoted the new faith and a Chinese-style bureaucracy, and the Taika Reforms of 645 strengthened imperial power — transforming Japan into a centralised state.