JAPAN AND ITS LEGACIES

1. JAPAN ANDITSLEGACIES By: Joshua, FeiFei, and Brendan

2. Samurai • Samurai were members of the military class in Japan. • They were the Japanese warriors. • Samurai followed the Bushido Code which means “the way of the warrior.” • The Bushido Code had stressed concepts such as loyalty, self discipline, and honour. • A samurai would rather die in battle than be captured by their enemy. • A samurai could use a range of weapons but their favorite was the sword.

3. Rise of the Samurai • The samurai importance rose dramatically in the Heian Period(794-1185). • During this period, powerful landowners hired private warriors (samurai) to protect their property. • In the Muromachi Period(1333-1573) Japan was locked in civil wars between several independent states. • This made the demand for samurai very high which also contributed to the rise of the samurai. • Finally, in the Edo Period(1603-1868) the official hierarchy system place the samurai at the top. Only a samurai was allowed to carry a sword in Japan. • Samurai were forced to lie in castle towns and received income from their owners in the form of rice.

4. Decline of the Samurai • In 1615 the Osaka Castle was defeated, this was Tokugawa’s last potential enemy. • When this happened the need for military skill fell and a lot of samurai became bureaucrats, artist, or teachers. • By 1868, Japan’s feudal era ended and the samurai class was abolished. • Although samurai do not exist today, it is a legacy that we all remember.

5. Shinto • Shinto is an ancient Japanese religion. • It started in 500 BCE and its name was derived from the Chinese word shin tao which means “the way of the gods” • Unlike other religions, Shinto has no real founder, scriptures or religious law. • Shinto creation stories tell of the lives of Kami (gods).

6. The Kami • Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto were a divine kami couple, who in gave birth to the Japanese islands and many other kami. • Amonth these kami was the Amaterasu Omikami (sun goddess) and was considered as the chief deity. • Most kami have shrines dedicated to them and Amaterasu’s shrine is at Ise. • Shintoist follow the code of Confucianism.

7. Four Affirmations • There are four affirmations in Shinto: • Tradition and Family: The family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. • Love and Nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to the Gods. Natural objects are worshipped as sacred spirits. • Physical Cleanliness: Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouth often. • Matsuri: The worship and honor given to the Kami and ancestral spirits.

8. Noh and Kyogen • Traditional Japanese performing arts developed in the fourteenth century during the Muromachi period (1333 to 1573) under the playwrights Kannami (1333–1384) and his son Zeami (1363–1443). • There were two types called Noh and Kyogen. However, they have been combined to form "the art of Nogaku".

10. Noh and Kyogen • Noh is a combination of dance, drama, music and poetry. Kyogen, on the other hand, is more comical and puts emphasis on dialogue. • Noh tends to be more serious and uses subjects from history or classical literature, while Kyogen generally uses everyday life as its subject. • Often, Kyogen is performed during intermissions of Noh performances to change the mood.

11. Facts • There are about 1500 people who make a living from Noh, including musicians and performers • There are about 250 plays in the classical repertoire of Noh • Noh aims to express "yuugen", which means "elegant and ideal beauty". To show this, the main actor wears a very beautiful mask when performing.