▲Akihito, son of Emperor Hirohito, was the then-emperor of Japan.

▲Naruhito is the eldest son of the previous emperor, Akihito. The name Reiwa is comprised of "good fortune" ("rei") and "harmony" ("wa").

▲The previous era of Heisei started back in January 1989, and was defined by rapid economic growth and technological innovation.

▲The Shōwa period was also known as the "period of radiant Japan." This era saw the country's move into nationalist politics, the invasion of China, and involvement in WWII.

▲The period corresponded with the rule of Emperor Hirohito, who reigned longer than any other Japanese emperor, before or since. Hirohito was the son of Emperor Taishō.

▲The Hōreki period commenced in 1751, under the reign of Momozono (father of Go-Momozono), who had been in power since 1747.

▲The Meiji period lasted from 1868 to 1912. It marked the first era of the Empire of Japan, which saw a shift from feudalism to a Western-influenced society.

▲The sickly Emperor Taishō (son of Emperor Meiji) was Japan's new leader. The era saw power change hands from old oligarchs to democratic parties.

▲The period between 1912 and 1926 is known as the Taishō era. It's considered a liberal period in Japanese history, sandwiched between chaos and war.

▲Momozono abdicated in 1762, making way for his sister, the aforementioned Go-Sakuramachi. After that, Japan made headway with trade around Asia.

▲The Enkyō era was marked by the establishment of market fairs throughout the country. Tokugawa Ieshige became shōgun of the government.

▲Meiji was just 15 when he became emperor. The power lay in the hands of his advisers, who helped modernize the country. But before the birth of a modern Japan, there were many eras that shaped the country. We highlight several of them in the following slides.

▲Empress Go-Sakuramachi abdicated in 1771, with her nephew, Emperor Go-Momozono, stepping in as ruler.

▲Emperor Sakuramachi (father of Momozono and Go-Sakuramachi) and Emperor Momozono (pictured) reigned during this period.

▲The Kan'ei era was marked by major events, like a violent Christian rebellion. It's noted that nearly 40,000 rebels were killed.

▲This was a busy era in Japanese history. It started in 1716, when shōgun Tokugawa Ietsugu passed away. The reigning emperors were Emperor Sakuramachi, and his father before him, Emperor Nakamikado.

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Records show that tensions were starting to brew between city inhabitants and samurai from outer provinces during the Meiwa era.

▲The Tenbun era spanned from 1532 to 1555. Certain shōguns (like the one pictured) and government officials started to lose their grip on power during this period.

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Pictured: Emperor Tsuchimikado. New Buddhist sects were introduced in Japan during this era, like the Zen sect in 1191.

▲The capital was filled with huge Buddhist monasteries, which started to influence politics. To stop this, the capital was moved to Nagaoka.

▲Taika is one of Japan's first eras, starting in 645 and ending in 650. The era was kickstarted by Empress Kōgyoku stepping down.

▲The influential Emperor Go-Nara was in power at the time. Under his reign, political newcomers started to gain power.

▲Wadō was the era between 708 and 715, with Empress Genmei as the reigning monarch. Nara became the Japanese capital during this time.

▲After that, Christianity was removed from Japan. Empress Meishō (left) and her half-brother Emperor Go-Kōmyō (right) ruled during this era.

▲Hideyoshi destroyed many of Japan's castles, and confiscated weapons from farmers across the nation. He also finished the infamous Osaka Castle.

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Emperor Kōtoku, Kōgyoku's brother, took over during this period. The list of Japanese era names is the result of a periodization system he established. The first era apparently started in 498, although not much has been discovered about this unnamed era.

▲The period between 1573 and 1592 is known as the Tenshō era. One of the era's emperors was Go-Yōzei (left), but perhaps the most influential figure at the time was daimyō Hideyoshi (right).

▲Reiwa is the name of Japan's new era. Emperor Naruhito, formerly Crown Prince of Japan, had his enthronement ceremony, where he officially proclaimed his ascension to the throne, on October 22, 2019.

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During this period, Japan's markets started flourishing. There were also religious tours around the country.

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The nine years between 1190 and 1199 are known as the Kenkyū era. Emperor Go-Toba (pictured) and his son Emperor Tsuchimikado reigned during this period.

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Emperor Naruhito is Japan's 126th emperor, which has meant a new era. The Reiwa period follows the Heisei era under Naruhito's father and previous emperor, Akihito, who declared his historic abdication, becoming the first emperor to stand down in more than 200 years.

It's all relatively recent news, and yet we already know who the new heir to the throne will be. If you're thinking one of Naruhito's children, guess again. Naruhito only has a daughter, and Japanese tradition dictates that women cannot take the throne. Which means Naruhito's younger brother, Prince Fumihito, has been declared heir to the throne.

Over the years, Japan has seen hundreds of changes, from earthquake destruction to technological innovation. Get to know the country's history, and the world's oldest monarchy, with this guide to Japan's sprawling past. Click on!