Japan

1. Japan Geography • Chain of mountainous islands • Fertile volcanic soils • Geographic isolation led to development of unique culture, belief that destiny separate from other Asians

2. Rise of the Japanese State • Early A.D.’s society developed Yamato Plain • Small aristocratic clans • Large population of farmers • Ruler of Yamato clan unified clans to resist Chinese • Sent representatives to China to learn about government • Centralized government limited power of aristocratic clans • 622 Yamato rule replaced by Fujiwara family • Power became decentralized

3. Heian Period • Fujiwara clan ruled Japan • Local aristocrats had local power • Used military force to control areas, protect interests • Military class called samurai • Samurai lived by warrior code (bushido= way of the warrior)

4. Kamakura Shogunate • 12th century constant civil war between aristocratic families • Minamoto Yoritomo developed military state ruled by shogun (general) allowed Japanese to defeat Mongol invasion • 1333 Shogunate overthrown by group of powerful families

5. Kamakura Shogunate and the Collapse of Central Rule • 12th century constant civil war between aristocratic families • MinamotoYoritomo developed military state ruled by shogun (general) allowed Japanese to defeat Mongol invasion • 1333Shogunate overthrown by group of powerful families • Noble families (daimyo) controlled land, collected taxes, tribute from farmers • Relied on samurai for protection • 1500 Japan was ruled by aristocratic families in constant state of civil war

6. Japan Returns to Isolation • By 1467 the country was separated into hundreds of separate domains • 1467-1568 known as period of “warring states” • Samurai took control of feudal states and offered peasants protection for their loyalty • Warrior chieftains known as daimyo and used samurai as warriors • Emperor in Kyoto was just a figurehead with no power • Daimyo lived in fortresses and fought each other for control of land

7. Japan Returns to Isolation • Many daimyo tried to seize and control power • OdaNobunga–was the first to use soldiers with muskets to defeat rival samurai (1575) • ToyotomiHideyoshi- took control and tried to conquer Korea, when he died the troops returned to Japan (1590) • 1600TonkugawaIeyasutakes control of country by defeating his rivals and earning the loyalty of other daimyo • He moved the capital to Edo (Tokyo) • Kept daimyo tamed and helped centralize power in Japan • To keep daimyo in check he made them live in the capital every other year and when they were gone they had to leave their families behind as hostages, had them help build his castle in Edo • Founded Tokugawa Shogunate that held power until 1867

8. Japan Returns to Isolation • Japan enjoyed over 250 years of stability under Tokugawa shoguns • Farmers produced more food and population rose, even though they lived lives of misery Society was very structured • Ruler was shogun and supreme military commander • Below him was the landholding daimyo who controlled samurai warriors • Artisans and peasants were next with merchants at the bottom • 80% of society were peasants • Merchants became more important as the economy expanded • Confucian ideas ruled society and the ideal citizen depended on agriculture not commerce • However the farmers paid the most in taxes, many abandoned land and moved to cities for economic opportunity • Mid 1700’s Japan shifted from a rural to an urban society • Edo was the largest city in the world

9. Japan Returns to Isolation • Contact Between Europe and Japan • Europeans began to arrive in the 1500’s • 1543 first Europeans were shipwrecked Portuguese sailors and merchants soon followed with clocks, tobacco, firearms • Japanese welcomed traders and missionaries • Europeans introduced new technologies and ideas • Japanese merchants eager to expand their markets welcomed Europeans • Daimyo welcomed traders for their guns to gain an advantage over their rivals • Guns changed the tradition of the Japanese warrior whose principal weapon was the sword • Cannons changed the way castles were built • Fortified castles attracted merchants and artisans and caused the growth of towns across Japan

10. Japan Returns to Isolation • 1549 first missionaries came to Japan • Catholic Jesuits, Franciscans and Dominican missionaries came to convert the Japanese • By 1600 they had converted over 300,000 Japanese • Missionaries teachings went against traditional Japanese beliefs and by 1612 Christianity was banned and Tokugawa Shoguns focused on ridding the country of them • 1637 situation came to a head after rebellion led by Christians • All Christian missionaries were kicked out of China and all Japanese had to demonstrate faithfulness to some branch of Buddhism

11. Japan Returns to Isolation • Persecution just one part of attempt to control foreign ideas • Shoguns did not like the introduction of European ways, but they wanted European trade • 1639 Japan sealed the borders of the country except one port, Nagasaki (a man made island in the harbor) • Only Dutch and Chinese were allowed to trade there • Tokugawa shogunate had a monopoly on all trade for over 200 years • During this time Japan remain basically closed to outsiders and Japanese were forbidden to leave • During this time Japan developed a self-sufficient country free from European intervention

12. Dejima

13. Japanese Culture and Society • Most people were farmers • Manufacturing, trade with China and Korea began 11th century Role of Women • Some equality with men • Women were writers, poets (prose seen as “vulgar gossip” by men)

14. Japanese Culture and Society • Most people were farmers • Manufacturing, trade with China and Korea began 11th century Role of Women • Some equality with men • Women were writers, poets (prose seen as “vulgar gossip” by men) Religion • Early Japanese worshiped kami (spirits) lived in trees, mountains, streams • Ancestors were important • Divinity of emperor • Sacredness of Japanese nation • Beliefs evolved into state religion Shinto (sacred way)

15. Japanese Culture and Society • Buddhism came from China 6th century • Zen Buddhism became most popular sect • Became part of Samurai code Zen • Achieve enlightenment through direct experience, mindfulness of daily activity • Meditation (zazen) • Study of riddles to answer life questions (koans)

16. Japanese Culture and Society • Art and Architecture reflects harmony with nature and natural surroundings • Landscape important means of expression