[History Quiz] General History Questions You Should Know

Hirobumi Ito

Hirobumi Ito became Japan’s first Prime Minister in 1885. He was from the Choshu Domain, in what is now Yamaguchi Prefecture, and in his youth he studied abroad in Britain, where he learned about advanced Western politics and culture. Drawing on that experience, he played a central role in drafting Japan’s first constitution, the Meiji Constitution, and was a key figure in Japan’s development into a modern nation.

Sakuradamon Incident

This is the incident in which rōnin from the Mito and Satsuma domains lay in wait and attacked Ii Naosuke, who was the shogunate’s Tairō, outside Sakuradamon at Edo Castle. It is said that the incident arose because Ii had aroused strong resentment by opening the country—concluding the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States without the imperial court’s approval—and by carrying out the Ansei Purge, in which he severely punished those who opposed him. As a result of this incident, the shogunate’s authority was greatly shaken, and the flow of the times toward the Meiji Restoration became decisive.

Shinsengumi

The Shinsengumi was an organization that operated mainly in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period to maintain public order. It is known for its trademark flag bearing the character for “sincerity” (makoto) and its light blue haori coats with zigzag patterns. Under leaders such as Commander Kondō Isami and Vice-Commander Hijikata Toshizō, they established strict rules and rigorously cracked down on movements aiming to overthrow the shogunate. Their unwavering loyalty to the shogunate until the very end left a strong impression, and they continue to be depicted in many stories today.

Sei Shōnagon

Sei Shōnagon was a woman active in the mid-Heian period who served Teishi, the empress consort of Emperor Ichijō. The Pillow Book is said to be the oldest essay collection in Japan, and it records, with her keen sensibility, the beauty of the seasons in nature, scenes of life at court, and things that captivate the heart.

Ōnin War

The Ōnin War was a civil conflict that lasted for about eleven years from 1467 during the Muromachi period. It began due to a succession dispute over the shogunate and a rivalry between two powerful daimyō families, the Hosokawa and the Yamana. Kyoto, the main battlefield, was reduced to ashes by fierce fighting, the power of the Muromachi shogunate waned, and society shifted toward gekokujō—where the capable overthrew their social superiors—serving as a crucial turning point that led into the Sengoku period.