1467–1568Reputable sourceWell documented
The Sengoku Period and the Arrival of the Europeans
On the timeline · around 1467–1568 · Feudal Japan
What happened
The shogunate's collapse plunged Japan into the Sengoku Jidai, the 'age of warring states,' as rival warlords (daimyō) fought for supremacy across a century of near-constant war. In 1543 shipwrecked Portuguese traders introduced the matchlock firearm, which quickly transformed Japanese warfare and battlefield tactics.
Why it matters
The warring-states era reshaped Japan's politics and military, and the arrival of European guns and traders opened Japan to the wider world — with consequences the country would soon try to shut out entirely.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Sengoku Period · Reputable source