Ms. Jeelani

Amaterasu – sun goddess

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4MUjQxrPVc

380 000 km 1600: Population 12 million Forested mountains, steep valleys

18% of land is level for agriculture + settlement high population densityalong the coast

As an island country, it is considered:

GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED

(NOTE: the word isolated comes from the latin ‘insula’ which means island)

China-Japan interaction: 200 CE

Korea-Japan interaction: 400CE – 800CE

European-Japan interaction: did not exist • Sail across Pacific Ocean• Around Africa and across Indian Ocean

Kanji - Chinese characters was originally used

Kana - New system combining kanji + Japanese characters

Natural landscapes – source of pride (Geography)

Distinct, predictable seasons (Time)

Rituals and ceremonies to mark the changes of seasons (Beliefs)

New beginnings

Beauty

Shortness of beauty and life

The Ainu - indigenous people

Name means “human”

Kamuy – gods: fire, water, wind, thunder, animals, plants

Brown Bear

Lived in Northern Japan

Separate from the rest of Japan until the rest of the country began to take over their land

Fought against Japanese control, but lost

Japan began to assimilate the Ainu

Not allowed to speak their language or practice traditions and customs

Forced to live in areas the gov’t gave them

Forced to stop hunting and fishing, and to farm instead