Japanese Geography

Japan: Physical Characteristics

• Japan’s four major islands are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku

• Japan actually consists of 1000s of islands

• The capital of Japan is Tokyo

Japan: Physical Characteristics

• Japan is a little smaller than California• Japan’s climate varies greatly….Why?– Land is distributed North to South– Northern areas have climates similar to Portland– Southern areas have climates similar to the

Bahamas

Japan: Land of Earthquakes

• Japan suffers through frequent earthquakes because of its position along the intersection of tectonic plates.

Physical Characteristics

• Much of Japan is covered in mountains or volcanoes.

• Population: 125 million– Most people live

crowded along cities on the coast.

CREATION MYTH

Gods thrust a spear into the ocean, drops of water fell to the surface and formed the islands

EARLY INHABITANTS

HUNTER GATHERERS CAME TO JAPAN FROM THE MAINLAND (10,000 YEARS AGO)

CHINESE INFLUENCES

• Introduction of Buddhism to Japan in the 500s opened Japan up to Chinese influences

• Art, medicine, astronomy, philosophy, writing

SETTLING DOWN

710 - first permanent Japanese capital is built at Nara

SETTLING DOWN

794 - capital is moved to Heian (Kyoto)

1867 – capital is moved to Tokyo

NARA PERIOD (700s)

• Formal capital with palace, broad streets, public squares…

• Buddhism reaches its peak, does not replace Shinto

• First written literature (histories, poems)

TODAJJI TEMPLE

HEIAN (KYOTO) PERIOD (800s – 1800s)

• Pursuit of beauty (poems, calligraphy, gift wrapping….)

• Women & literature (Tale of Genji)

• Political decay (warlords controlled local areas)

WARRIOR CULTURE

SHOGUN

• Means “General”

• Title given by the emperor in late 1100s

• Had military and political power

• “Shogunate” – military government

• Yoritomo Minamato – first shogun

DAIMYO

• Land-owning warriors & highest ranking samurai (medieval lords)

• Daimyo offered protection to peasants who worked their land, in return the peasants paid taxes (feudalism)

• Samurai pledged their loyalty to a daimyo

SAMURAI• Loyal to a daimyo

• Fought on horseback

• Loose fitting clothes/armor

• Bows, arrows, swords

• Honor, Honor, Honor

BUSHIDO

• Shoguns, daimyo, and samurai all followed the code of Bushido

• “The way of the warrior” – bravery, self-discipline, loyalty

• Dishonor or defeat led to ritual suicide (seppuku)

BY THE 1500S….

• Japan was in turmoil

• Emperor and Shogun were figureheads

• Daimyo (warlords) were fighting against each other

• “the strongest eat the weak and become the meat” – Japanese saying of the time

TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE

• Began in 1600 when Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun (lasted for 250 yrs)

• Established his gov’t in Edo (Tokyo)

• Emperor remained in Kyoto but Tokugawa had the real power

TOKUGAWA IEYASU

CHANGES UNDER THE TOKUGAWA…. 1. Divided Daimyo into 3 groups:

a. Relatives (best lands near Edo)b. Long-time supportersc. Recent supporters

2. New rules for daimyo:a. Sankin-Kotai (“attendance by turn”)b. Permission to repair/build castles

3. Metsuke – officials who travelled the country to look for and report trouble

4. Seclusion Policy – can’t leave country, killed upon your return

METSUKE

CONTACT WITH THE WEST

• 1500s – Europeans first come to Japan

• Early 1600s – Japanese cut off almost all trade (similar to Chinese response to the West)

Get out! We don’t want you here!!!

OPENING THE DOOR TO JAPAN…..

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• By the mid 1800s the U.S. and European countries wanted to open up Japan

• Why?1. Trade2. Coaling port for

steamships3. Treatment for

shipwrecked sailors

COMMODORE MATTHEW

PERRY

• 1853 – 4 American warships led by Perry sailed into Edo (Tokyo)

• Shogun decided to sign a treaty with the U.S. (why? – think China)

• In the next 5 years Japan signed treaties with Britain, France, Holland, Russia, and the U.S. (unequal treaties – think China again)

STUPID SHOGUN!!! WHY DID HE SIGN THOSE TREATIES?

LET’S OVERTHROW HIM

• Samurai lords were furious with the treaties

• 1868 – group of samurai overthrew the Shogun and allied themselves with a new Emperor, Mutsuhito (kept the real power for themselves)

• Mutsuhito was known as the Meiji (Enlightened) Emperor and the new leaders of Japan were known as the Meiji leaders

CHANGES MADE BY THE MEIJI LEADERS…

1. Great power that could compete with the West

2. Introduced parliamentary gov’t

3. Strengthened the military

4. Created an industrial society

5. Universal education

6. Ruling class based on education and talent (not birth