Japan - Geography Japan is an archipelago. (an island chain

consisting of many small islands) Japan is within reach of many countries

including Korea and China.

Geography Japan developed out of Volcanic activity lava

hardening and reaching surface. There is an island growing off the coast of Japan as I speak.

Japan has 108 active volcanoes. 4 main islands (Shikoku, Honshu, Hokkaido,

Kyushu) Japans geography will lead to specific agriculture.

Economy and Trade Mainly an agrarian society (agriculture focus) Main product grown rice. Cultivation was passed up

on from Chinese, then spread throughout Japan. Rice was main product traded (KOKU) along with

cloth. (Japanese did not manufacture much, lack of resources on volcanic rock)

In return Japan received silks and other fine goods through trade with Korea/China and much later Europeans. (very isolated at times much like China under ming)

Chinese and Korean Impact Japanese embraced Social Changes and Religious

changes from China and Korea, presented by regent (substitute ruler) Prince Shotoku.

Written/Spoken (China influenced Japan) Social Change – Confucianism played a large role.

Father is the head of the family. Wives obey husbands, children obey parents, siblings obey older siblings.

Religion- Buddhism grew amongst nobles (interesting) people will live by Confucious policies but have a Buddhist religious mindset.

Politics & Government: Prince ShotokuPolitics & Government: Prince Shotoku 4-8-1

-Prince Shotoku:-ruled as regent (someone who rules for someone who cannot rule alone) for his aunt, the empress-great leader-brought Buddhist ideas to Japan (built Buddhist temple, wrote about Buddhist ideas)-ruled 573-621 (rule began when he was 20)

Politics & Government : Heian (Hay-ahn) Rule *204*Politics & Government : Heian (Hay-ahn) Rule *204*

4-8-2

-Heian (Hay-ahn) rule:

-794 empress and emperor moved to Heian *PG. 204*

-created imperial court to help rule-very wealthy and disconnected from common people…

-golden age of arts in Japan (794-1185)

-silk robes

-gold jewelry

-decorative fans to complete outfit4-8-3

-Emperor continued to focus on court life and lost touch with people…

Politics & Government: Daimyo and SamuraisPolitics & Government: Daimyo and Samurais

-Daimyo (Dy-mee-oh) hired samurais to protect their land-samurais were trained warriors *PG. 214*-samurais (“servant”) served lords-samurais were paid in land and/or food-samurais were well-respected (people could be killed if they

disrespected a samurai)

Politics & Government: Samurai--Bushido Politics & Government: Samurai--Bushido

-Bushido (“the way of the warrior”) –both men and women in samurai families followed this code

-brave and honorable (honor MOST important)-if he lost honor (lost a fight, disobeyed an order, failed to protect lord), he was expected to kill himself

-men and women learned to fight (men for war and women to protect homes)-live simple, disciplined lives (bonsai trees)-loyal to his lord

-eventually, local nobles outside Heian got angry-Minamoto clan won power around 1180 (kept emperor as

figurehead-took over as shogun in 1192)-when he died, he passed power to his son-shoguns (dictators) ruled Japan for the next 700 years

Politics & Government: Mongol Invasion *PG. 216*

-Mongols invaded (under Kublai Khan) in 1274 and 1281

-Japanese and Mongols fought and suffered loss

-Both times, storms defeated the Mongols

-Japanese referred to these storms as kamikazes (“divine wind”)

-daimyo unhappy because they didn’t believe the shogun gave them enough credit for their fighting

-emperor was unhappy that he did not have any real power

-by late 1400s, the shoguns had lost power, the emperor remained powerless and the daimyo ruled their own territories

-made laws

-collected taxes…

-no central authority

Politics & Government: Mongol Invasion Cont’d.

-by 1500s daimyos began to rise to power to unify Japan

-Oda Nobunaga (Ohd-ah noh-booh-nah-gah) gained power by giving his warriors guns from Portugal

-Tokugawa Ieyasu (toh-koohg-ah-wuh ee-e-yahs-ooh)-established Tokyo as capital

-Tokugawa family ruled until 1868

-let Christian missionaries in

-much trade with other countries

-some shoguns outlawed trade and technology (fear of becoming like Europe and fear of rebellion)

Religion

4-8-1

-Shinto:

-traditional religion of Japan

-belief that everything living and non-living has a kami (spirit)

-respect for nature and ancestors4-8-2

-Buddhism:

-Prince Shotoku brought Buddhism into everyday life

-Buddhism varied by class (upper class had elaborate rituals and lower class did not have time or money for the rituals)

-After time, different forms of Buddhism came about:

-Pure Land Buddhism (for common people-no rituals- chanted Buddha’s name to gain salvation)

-Around 1100 Zen (“meditation”) Buddhism was popular with warriors (focused on wisdom gained through quiet reflection rather than faith or being good—

enlightened nature through martial arts, gardening, calligraphy)

Society & CultureSociety & Culture

4-8-2

-the first Japanese people lived in clans with a chief leader

-isolated from other Asian civilizations, but by mid-500s, Japanese leaders sent representatives to Korea and China *PG. 201*:

-Chinese characters in writing (Japanese was spoken language, but they wrote in Chinese characters for 200 years)

-Confucius’ ideas

-wealthy people wore elaborate outfits:

-silk, gold jewelry, decorative fans

-writing very important (women wrote in Japanese instead of Chinese-so many of the early writings are by women)…

-Lady Murasaki Shikibu *PG. 209*-The Tale of Gengi is considered to be the first full-length novel—written in 1000— about a prince’s quest for love

• 4-8-3-Social Classes (after Minamoto took control in 1192) *PG. 213*:

1. Emperor (as figurehead)2. Shogun (ruled in emperor’s name)3. Daimyo and Samurai (lords and warriors)4. Peasants (most Japanese people)

-Bushido:-values of Bushido still honored in Japanese culture

Society & Culture ContSociety & Culture Cont’’d.d.

Science & Technology *PG. 174*Science & Technology *PG. 174*

4-8-2-literature (women, Lady Shikibu, Haiku, Tanka)-paintings:

-bright, bold colors-paintings told stories-often painted on doors and furniture

-calligraphy (decorative writing):-wanted poems to look as beautiful as they sounded

Science & Technology Cont’d.-architecture:

-modeled Heian after Chinese capital-surrounded buildings with gardens and ponds to add to the elegance

-performing arts:-jugglers-musicians-acrobats

-later this art became known as Noh (1300s)—plays that combined music, speaking, and dance