The Unification of Japan

1. The Unification of Japan 19.2 | From Warring States to Centralization

2. Japanese Social Structure Emperors | Shoguns | Daimyo | Samurai

3. The Heian Period • Japanese cultural awakening • Social stability and the rise of the daimyo • Much like European feudal lords • Beginning in 1467, central authority in Japan collapsed • 1467 – 1600 The Warring States Era (like in China) • Regional power (daimyo) fought for control

4. The Rise of Japanese Feudal Society • The importance of samurai (foot soldiers) grew during the WSE • By the end c. 1600, Japanese society resembled European feudal society • Japanese hegemony established by Hideyoshi • Centralized Japanese state

5. The Coming of Europe The Portuguese 1543 | The Spanish 1587 | The Dutch and English c. 1600

6. Christianity Fails in Japan • Initially, Christianity had great success – some 300,000 converts by 1600 • Spanish boasting of trade and Christianity as the precursor to occupation however, frightened Japanese elite (according to the story) • Persecutions began and continued until 1614, when Christianity was banished from Japan

7. The Tokugawa Era (1600-1868) Japanese Reengineering and Stabilizing

8. Centralization • Under Hideyoshi, the Japanese government sought to de-militarize the population from the WSE • “Sword Hunt” 1588 [meanwhile, the Spanish Armada sails to England] • Peasant arms were confiscated • Between the government and the samurai, 95% of the country’s weapons became monopolized • Social classes were froze • Peasants were barred from leaving land • Samurai were required to continue to service their lord • Land was surveyed, defined, and compartmentalized

9. Hideyoshi’s Death and Tokugawa • Hideyoshi’s death in 1598 led to two divided camps • Those that supported Hideyoshi • Those that supported rival Tokugawa Ieyasu • Tokugawa established a capital at Edo (Tokyo) • Took the title of Shogun in 1603 • Began conquering the daimyo and reorganizing them • Strongest supporters near Edo • Some 150 domains were conquered and 229 were transferred

10. Japanese Isolationism • During the Tokugawa Era, Japan forbade foreign travel and restricted foreign imports • Nagasaki was the only port open to foreigners (Chinese and Dutch) • Cut off political contacts • Internal focus on the state • Resources no longer needed for war were allocated to agriculture and development • Population 1600 c. 12 million • Population 1700 c. 24 million • National trade network established • Lack of foreign imports increased local production and competition • Tax system to benefit system as a whole

11. Stories of the Samurai Bushido and what it means to be an honorable warrior

12. 1701 • A daimyo is insulted at Edo Castle, pulls his sword and injures the insulter • Unsheathing your sword in court was a capital offense • Harakiri – self-disembowelment • He does it • His samurai became masterless, known as ronin • Free to do as they pleased, all 47 of them

13. 1703 • The roninplotted to avenge their master • Infiltrated the insulter’s estate and murdered him • Their crime was punishable by harakiri, which all 47 of them promptly did – their master had been avenged • Sense of duty, loyalty, and honor – bushido • A certain code for warriors – like chivalry • Also shows us the cultural adherence to the power of state law over everything