In this week of the course, you are studying early Japanese 
history.  It is very difficult for me to say anything about Japanese history, 
since I know so very little other than what I have read in 
various textbooks, seen in the films of Akira Kurosawa or gathered 
from a smattering of literary sources, such as 
The Diary of Lady Murasaki by Murasaki Shikibu (978-1016?), an 
important, detailed--although rather tiresome--description of 
court life.  Again, a problem with studying early Japanese history 
is the paucity of available sources (and my relative lack of interest).