Sengoku jidai

The was an unstable period of time in Japan from about the 15th century to the 17th century in which political, social and military unrest was common place. It was a time of war and chaos and constitutes the latter part of the "Feudal era" of Japan. The Sengoku period was roughly 500 years before Kagome's time in the modern era.

Explanation of Time Travel
The modern time is "-X-", a period in the Sengoku jidai is "-Y-", and 50 years before -Y- is "-Z-". At -Z-, Kikyō dies soon after sealing Inuyasha to the Goshinboku, causing him to go into suspended animation. She is then cremated with the jewel. 50 years pass and the story takes place at -Y-, where Inuyasha is still in suspended animation. At -X-, Kagome Higurashi, the 20th century reincarnation of Kikyō, is pulled into the Bone-Eater's Well bringing the jewel embedded in her body with her. She ends up at -Y- where she frees Inuyasha and they start their journey together.



Trivia

 * Although the series takes place in the Sengoku period, in the English dub this is often simply translated as the "Feudal era". While this is not wholly inaccurate factually, it is nevertheless an inaccurate translation. The so-called "Feudal era" of Japan is a much broader time period that stretches for many hundreds of years, and only encompasses the Sengoku jidai as its final stage.
 * With the earliest appearance in Japan of the matchlock firearm occurring in 1543, that places the time period in which the story takes place approximately at this time.