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Amaterasu – SunAmaterasu – SunGoddessGoddessAmaterasu – SunAmaterasu – SunGoddessGoddess
Japan’sJapan’s GeographyGeography
• Japan is a series of islands—the group consists of over 3000 islands of which 600 are inhabited.
• The four main islands, Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido dominate Japanese history, however.
• The largest island is Honshu, but the overall geographical area of the inhabited islands is less than California.
Hokkaido
Honshu
Kyushu
Shikoku
Japan’sJapan’s GeographyGeography
• The climate is pleasantly moderate, for the islands lie in the path of the Black Current which flows north from the tropics.
• All the islands are mountainous and subject to a variety of natural disasters, especially earthquakes and tsunamis.
Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake
and Tsunami
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography
• All the islands are mountainous and subject to a variety of natural disasters, especially earthquakes and tsunamis.
• The mountainous terrain leaves its mark on Japanese culture; since the mountains provide natural and difficult barriers, political life in Japan centered around regional rather than national governments.
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography
• The earliest flowering of Japanese history took place in the low-lying plains on the island of Honshu, especially the Yamato plain in the south—a region that gave its name to the first official name for Japan, Yamato.
• There the very first Japanese kingdom arose and provided the basis of future Japanese civilizations.
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography
• This island status has also protected Japan from foreign invasions.
• Only twice in Japanese history has the island been successfully overrun by foreigners: in the third century BC by the wave of immigrations from the Korean peninsula, and in 1945 by the United States.
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography• The areas of Japan which have shown
the most cultural change are those, as you might imagine, that are closest to the mainland of Asia.
• The southern island of Kyushu and the southwestern peninsula of Honshu lie close to the Korean peninsula.
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography
• It is in this region that the Japanese first immigrated into Japan in the third century BC, and it is in this region that the first state in Japan was established: the Yamato State on the Yamato peninsula (the southwestern most peninsula on Honshu).
Japan’s GeographyJapan’s Geography
• Despite the late arrival of Japan into written history, the beginnings go back ten thousand years to a mysterious people which would eventually produce a unique and vital culture, the Jomon.
Japan’s Early Japan’s Early DevelopmentDevelopment
• Japan does not appear in history until 57 AD when it is first mentioned in Chinese histories, where it is referred to as Wa.
• The Chinese historians tell us of a land divided into a hundred or so separate tribal communities.
• The Japanese do not start writing their histories until around 600 AD.
Japan’s Early Japan’s Early DevelopmentDevelopment
• In order to get a handle on ancient Japanese history, it helps to consider that it is driven by outside influences.
• The first involved the settlement of Japan by a group of peoples from the Korean peninsula in the third century BC.
• Overnight they transformed the stone-age culture of Japan into an agricultural and metal-working culture.
• These early immigrants are ultimately the origin of Japanese language and culture.
Japan’s Early Japan’s Early DevelopmentDevelopment
• The second great push in Japanese history was contact with China from 200 AD onwards.
• From the Chinese, who demanded that Japan be a tribute state to China, the Japanese adopted forms of government, Buddhism, and writing.
• The bulk of Japanese culture is forged from the Chinese
Japan’s Early Japan’s Early DevelopmentDevelopment
• Japanese believed a different spirit protected each clan
• Emperor was godlike and very well respected
Clan Life in JapanClan Life in Japan
• The people of Japan lived in clans, which were held together by their common descent from a single ancestor.
• These clans were ruled by a powerful chief, who was also the religious priest of the group.
Clan Life in JapanClan Life in Japan
• Members of each clan practiced a form of ancestor worship known as Shinto.
• Clan members believed that the spirit of the common ancestor from whom they all descended still inhabited their village, and that it protected them, and worked to help better their lives.
• They worshiped this ancestor and prayed to it for help and guidance.
Clan Life in JapanClan Life in Japan
• The clan chief also acted as the The clan chief also acted as the military leader, and directed the military leader, and directed the efforts of the clan to protect efforts of the clan to protect themselves against outsiders, themselves against outsiders, and against other neighboring and against other neighboring clans. clans.
Yamata ClanYamata Clan• By the late A.D. 300s one clan in particular
began to stand out among all the rest in political power and influence.
• This clan was known as the Yamato Clan. • The Yamato Clan was known for their bravery in
battle, and their superior fighting techniques. • As a result, all other clans within Japan became
subject to them. The chief of the Yamato Clan became the first emperor of Japan.
Yamata ClanYamata Clan
• As a result, all other clans within Japan became subject to them. The chief of the Yamato Clan became the first emperor of Japan.
• Local clans still ruled their own lands, but they owed their loyalty to the emperor, who by A.D. 400 had become very powerful.
China’s influence on China’s influence on JapanJapan
• Japanese first told about Chinese by the Koreans – 1st Century CE
• Mid CE 500’s – Chinese missionaries arrived in Japan
• Brought Buddhism, customs, law, dress, architecture, art, and manners
China’s influence on China’s influence on JapanJapan
• Taika Reforms – (CE 645)• Established a system of
government for Japan• Based on the Chinese government• Japanese adapted some of the
laws to meet their own needs• Emperor of Japan now became
more of a political leader rather than just a religious figure
•Feudalism:•A political, economic, and
social system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service.
• Japan fell into a feudal system similar to that of Europe. Landowning warriors known as samurai pledged their allegiance to lords known as daimyos, and fought to protect their lands.
• In A.D. 1336 civil war broke out in Japan. Both the shogun and the emperor remained in office, but both became nothing more than figure heads, having no real political power.
FeudaFeudal l
SocietSocietyy
FeudaFeudal l
SocietSocietyy
The emperor The emperor reigned, but reigned, but
did not always did not always rule!rule!
Minamoto YoritomoMinamoto YoritomoMinamoto YoritomoMinamoto Yoritomo
Founded the Kamakura Shogunate: 1185-1333Founded the Kamakura Shogunate: 1185-1333
SamuraiSamurai• The samurai (or bushi) were the members
of the military class, the Japanese warriors.
• Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword.
• After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) by cutting their abdomen rather than being captured or dying a dishonorable death.
SamuraiSamurai
• Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido (the way of the warrior).
• Strongly Confucian in nature, Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior.
Code of Code of BushidoBushidoCode of Code of BushidoBushido
* Fidelity
* Politeness
* Virility
* Simplicity
* Fidelity
* Politeness
* Virility
* Simplicity
SamuraiSamurai
•After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) by cutting their abdomen rather than being captured or dying a dishonorable death.
Full Samurai AttireFull Samurai AttireFull Samurai AttireFull Samurai Attire
Samurai SwordSamurai SwordSamurai SwordSamurai Sword
Early Mounted Early Mounted Samurai WarriorsSamurai WarriorsEarly Mounted Early Mounted
Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriors
Underpinnings: Basic Steps in Self Defense
Underpinnings: Basic Steps in Self Defense
A COTTON BREECH CLOUTA COTTON BREECH CLOUT that extended up over the chest was the basic undergarment of a samurai’s costume
A SHORT SLEEVED KIMONOA SHORT SLEEVED KIMONO, or “armor robe,” was tied snugly at the waist with a special knot (lower right)
BILLOWING BILLOWING PANTALOONSPANTALOONS,,worn over the armor robe, fitted loosely in the legs to allow freedom of movement
STURDY STURDY SHINGUARDSSHINGUARDS of cloth or leather were reinforced with strips of iron to give protection from the front
AN EXQUISITE AN EXQUISITE BROCADEBROCADE, richly worked with a design of peonies, was one of the extravagant materials used in an armor robe that may have been made for a 14th Century imperial prince
Samurai ChargingSamurai ChargingSamurai ChargingSamurai Charging
Modern-Day “Samurai Modern-Day “Samurai Warriors”Warriors”
Modern-Day “Samurai Modern-Day “Samurai Warriors”Warriors”
Code of Code of ChivalryChivalryCode of Code of ChivalryChivalry
* Justice
* Loyalty
* Defense
* Courage
* Faith
* Humility
* Nobility
* Justice
* Loyalty
* Defense
* Courage
* Faith
* Humility
* Nobility
European knightEuropean knight Samurai WarriorSamurai Warrior
vs.vs.
Medieval WarriorsMedieval Warriors
Knight’s ArmorKnight’s Armor Samurai ArmorSamurai Armor
vs.vs.
Medieval WarriorsMedieval Warriors
