Chapter 5: Japan

1. Chapter 5: Japan Early Japan Shoguns and Samurai Life in Medieval Japan

2. Japan’s Geography • Japan’s mountains and islands isolated Japan and shaped its society • Because of Japan’s mountains, only 20% of its land can be farmed • The rugged terrain forced many Japanese to turn to the sea for a living • The vast ocean around Japan kept it isolated and as a result, Japan developed its own intensely independent society with its own religion, art, literature, and government

3. The First Settlers of Japan • The Yayoi people were the early settlers of Japan • Around 300 CE the Yayoi organized themselves into clans • A clan is a group of families related by blood or marriage • During the 500’s a clan called the Yamato became strong enough to rule all of Japan • Yamato chiefs claimed they were descendents of the Sun God and the emperor of Japan today is a descendent of these ancient rulers

4. Prince Shotoku’s Reforms • Around 600 CE, a Yamato prince named Shotoku took charge of Japan • He wanted to create a strong government so he looked to China as an example of what to do • Shotoku created a constitution and gave all power to the emperor • The emperor had the power to appoint all of the government officials • Government officials were sent to China to study Chinese art, medicine, government, Buddhism, and philosophy (much which came from Korea) • Shotoku ordered Buddhist temples and monasteries to be built throughout Japan • In 646 CE the Yamato began the Taika, or Great Change • They divided Japan into provinces and they were all run by officials who reported to the emperor • These reforms created the first strong central government in Japan

5. The Shinto Religion of Japan • The Japanese religion called Shinto was based on nature spirits • They believe that all things in nature have their own spirits • This idea is called animism • Nature spirits are called kami • The word Shinto means “way of the spirits”

6. Buddhism • During the same time the emperor’s government was growing strong, Buddhism became popular • Buddhism became a major religion in Japan and had an important role in government

7. Samurai • Nobles formed private armies to protect their land • To create their armies they gave land to warriors who agreed to fight for them • These warriors were called Samurai • Samurai lived by a code of conduct called Bushido • A Samurai would rather die in battle than betray his lord

8. Shogun • By the early 1100’s the most powerful Japanese families had begun fighting each other using their Samurai armies • In 1192, Yoritomo, the leader of a powerful family, was given the title of shogun • The shogun is the commander of all of the emperor’s military forces • The military government was known as the shogunate • Japan’s government was run by a series of shoguns for the next 700 years • In 1274 and 1281, the shogunate successfully held off attacks by the Mongols

9. The Daimyo Divide Japan • As the shogun’s power weakened, Japan broke into warring kingdoms run by rulers known as daimyo • The daimyo pledged loyalty to the emperor and the shogun, but they ruled their lands as if they were independent kingdoms • To protect their lands they created their own local armies made up of Samurai warriors • Samurai became vassals when they pledged to serve their daimyo in times of war and in return the daimyo gave them land • This bond of loyalty between a lord and a vassal is known as feudalism

10. Japanese Religion and Culture • Buddhism and Shinto shaped much of Japan’s culture • These religions affected Japanese art, architecture, novels and plays • The arts of Japan revealed the Japanese love of beauty and simplicity • The art of folding paper, know as Origami, was invented in Japan • Calligraphy, the art of writing beautifully, was much admired in Japan • Japan’s oldest form of poetry was the tanka • Tanka was an unrhymed poem of five lines • Tanka poems capture nature’s beauty and the joys and sorrows of life • By the 1600’s, tanka poems changed into a new form called haiku • Haiku consisted of 3 lines of words with a total of 17 syllables • The oldest type of Japanese plays were called Noh and they were written to teach Buddhist ideas • Some Japanese nobles, merchants, and artisans grew wealthy during the shogun period, but the lives of women remained restricted in many areas of life