Medieval JapanMedieval Japan

Early Japan (Section 1)Early Japan (Section 1)Japan is a chain of

islandsThere are over

3,000 islandsThe four largest

islands are◦Hokkaido◦Honshu◦Shikoku◦Kyushu

Japanese GeographyJapanese Geography

Japan is covered by mountains that rise from the ocean floor

About 188 of these mountains are volcanoes

Many earthquakes happen in Japan

Japanese GeographyJapanese Geography

Only 20% of Japan’s land can be farmed

They had to use the sea for a living (i.e. fishing)

The ocean kept the Japanese isolated from the rest of Asia

The First SettlersThe First SettlersJamon- “Cord Marks”They came from

northeast AsiaHunted animals and

gathered wild plantsOver time they

settled in fishing villages along the coast and that became their way of life (300 B.C)

YayoiYayoiGot their name

from where the archeologists dug up the artifacts

They introduced farming to Japan and many other skills

By 300 A.D. they organized themselves into clans

Yayoi clansYayoi clansA group of families

related by blood or marriage

Clans were headed by a small group of warriors then there were◦Farmers◦Artisans◦Servants of the

warriors

Japanese LegendJapanese Legend

The creation of JapanAmaterasu- sun

goddessSusanowo- storm godNinigi-grandson of

AmaterasuThe three sacred

objects of leadership in early Japan◦ Mirror◦ Jewel◦ Sword

Yamato clanYamato clan

During the A.D. 500s became strong enough to bring most of Japan under its rule

Jimmu- “emperor of heaven”

Akihito is one of his descendants

Shotoku (Yamato prince)Shotoku (Yamato prince)A.D. 600 took

charge of Japan on behalf of his aunt◦Empress Suiko

He wanted a strong government so he created a constitution◦Japan’s government

began to look like China’s

Shinto “way of the spirits”Shinto “way of the spirits”Believed all things are

alive, winds, mountains, and rivers, etc.

Animism- all things have their own spirits

Kami- nature spiritsShrines- holy places to

honor the kamiMust be pure for the

kami to help

Shoguns and Samurai (Section Shoguns and Samurai (Section 2)2)Nara Period (A.D.

700s)◦Named after the

new capital city of Nara

◦Jobs were given to nobles from powerful families

◦Emperor’s power came from his control of the land and its crops

Buddhism in JapanBuddhism in Japan

Buddhism came to Japan from Korea in A.D. 500s

The Horyuji temple in Nara, Japan is the oldest wooden building in the world

The Rise of the ShogunThe Rise of the ShogunEmperor Kammu

built a new capital city (Heian) It would later be known as Kyoto

It was the official capital of Japan for 1000yrs.

Regents refused to give up their power◦Fujiwara

SamuraiSamuraiNobles formed private

armies to protect their land and enforce laws

Gave land to warriors who agreed to fight for them

Samurai-”One who serves”

Bushido-strict code of conduct “the way of the warrior”

Shogun (Part I)Shogun (Part I)By the early 1100s the

most powerful Japanese families began fighting each other using their samurai armies

1180-The Gempei War◦ Civil war between the

two most powerful clans Taira and Minamoto

families◦ Leader of the Minamoto

was Minamoto Yoritomo

Shogun (Part II)Shogun (Part II)

Minamoto won the Gempei War

Yoritomo was the commander of the armies