Life in Old Edo and Modern Tokyo Here is an interesting article comparing life in Tokyo across 200 years. The photos and the charts are very informative.

Introduction to Kanji. The Japanese adopted the Chinese pictographic system for writing their language. This is a children's site that gives a brief introduction to some basic kanji characters.

All About Kanji gives an introduction to how the Chinese writing system was introducted to Japan and adapted by the Japanese. It's a commercial site and links to many books and manuals for learning to write Japanese.

National Museum of Japanese History is a research treasure trove. Check out the "Exhibitions" section which has detailed information about various historical periods as well as "The Power of Poetry" and Japanese musical instruments. The Internet Gallery is a thorough guide to the Rekihaku screens of scenes in and around Kyoto from the 16th century. You can zoom in for great detail.