Dashed left edge = started before this timeline ·
Dashed right edge = still ongoing
Events in 660 BC 1
660 BCEmperor Jimmu founds the empire (legendary)The mythical first emperor, descendant of the sun goddessBy tradition, Jimmu — a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu — founded the Japanese imperial line in 660 BC, making it the world's longest continuous hereditary monarchy. Jimmu is a legendary figure recorded in the 8th-century chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki rather than a historically verified ruler, but the date remains foundational to Japanese national identity.