MEDIEVAL JAPANMEDIEVAL JAPAN

SECTION 1SECTION 1

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GEOGRAPHY OF JAPANGEOGRAPHY OF JAPAN chain of islands in northern Pacific Oceanchain of islands in northern Pacific Ocean more than 3,000 islandsmore than 3,000 islands most Japanese live on four largest islandsmost Japanese live on four largest islands mostly covered by mountains (80%)mostly covered by mountains (80%) 20% farmable land20% farmable land 188 mountains are volcanoes188 mountains are volcanoes many earthquakes occurmany earthquakes occur lack of natural resourceslack of natural resources

dependence on foreign territoriesdependence on foreign territories geography isolates Japanesegeography isolates Japanese

natural isolation (island nation)natural isolation (island nation) resulted in limited & selected foreign influenceresulted in limited & selected foreign influence

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Islands of JapanIslands of Japan

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Where did most Japanese live?Where did most Japanese live? Japan’s four largest islands Japan’s four largest islands

HokkaidoHokkaido located furthest northlocated furthest north

Honshu Honshu LargestLargest Heian (Kyoto)Heian (Kyoto) Mt. FujiMt. Fuji NaraNara Edo (Tokyo – today capital of Japan)Edo (Tokyo – today capital of Japan)

ShikokuShikoku smallestsmallest

KyushuKyushu located furthest southlocated furthest south 4

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MOUNT FUJI located on Honshu west of Tokyo highest mountain in Japan (12,388 ft.) symmetrical cone-shape sacred place- one of three holy mountains

(Mt. Tate & Mt. Haku) believed to have a soul thousands climb yearly to reach shrine at top frequently depicted in art and photographs well-known symbol of Japan

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MOUNT FUJI

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JOMONJOMON means “means “cord markscord marks”” 5000 B.C. wandering groups5000 B.C. wandering groups made clay pottery, made clay pottery, using knotted cords using knotted cords to make designsto make designs over time, settled over time, settled in fishing villages in fishing villages along coastalong coast fishing way of lifefishing way of life

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YAYOIYAYOI

ancestors of the Japanese peopleancestors of the Japanese people introduced farmingintroduced farming practiced skills learned from Chinese & practiced skills learned from Chinese &

KoreansKoreans potter’s wheelpotter’s wheel grew rice in paddiesgrew rice in paddies

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POTTERY WHEEL

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Rice PaddyRice Paddy

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YAYOI (continued)

skilled metal-workers axes, knives & hoes from iron swords, spears, & bells from bronze

organized themselves into clans buried chiefs in tombs called kofun

axe

spear

bell

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CLANSCLANS group of families related by blood or marriagegroup of families related by blood or marriage headed by small group of warriorsheaded by small group of warriors warrior chiefs protected people for share of warrior chiefs protected people for share of

rice harvestrice harvest under warriors – farmers, artisans, and servant of under warriors – farmers, artisans, and servant of

warriorswarriors

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KOFUNKOFUN large mounds of dirt carefully shaped and large mounds of dirt carefully shaped and

surrounded by ditchessurrounded by ditches tombs where chiefs buriedtombs where chiefs buried many largemany large

as big as Egypt’s pyramidsas big as Egypt’s pyramids largestlargest

longer than five football fields longer than five football fields at least eight stories highat least eight stories high

filled with personal belongingsfilled with personal belongings pottery, tools, weapons, and armorpottery, tools, weapons, and armor

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KOFUN MOUND

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KOFUN BURIEL SITE

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Myth: The Creation of JapanMyth: The Creation of Japan two gods dipped a spear into seatwo gods dipped a spear into sea they pulled it outthey pulled it out drops of salt water fell on water’s surfacedrops of salt water fell on water’s surface formed the islands of Japanformed the islands of Japan two gods then created sun goddess two gods then created sun goddess

AmaterasuAmaterasu

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AMATERASUAMATERASU ““sun goddess”sun goddess” ruled over Earthruled over Earth companion, companion,

Susanowo, storm godSusanowo, storm god children became first people of Japanchildren became first people of Japan sent grandson, Ninigi, to rule over themsent grandson, Ninigi, to rule over them

gave him her mirror, her jewel, and a swordgave him her mirror, her jewel, and a sword to make sure everyone accepts his powerto make sure everyone accepts his power became sacred symbols of leadershipbecame sacred symbols of leadership

Susanowo

NinigiNinigi

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YAMATOYAMATO clan in A.D. 500sclan in A.D. 500s brought most of Japan under its rulebrought most of Japan under its rule other clans held their landsother clans held their lands gave loyalty to Yamato chiefgave loyalty to Yamato chief Yamato chiefs claimed they came from sun Yamato chiefs claimed they came from sun

goddessgoddess result - had the right to ruleresult - had the right to rule

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JIMMUJIMMU Yamato leaderYamato leader took title “emperor of heaven”took title “emperor of heaven” founded line of rulers founded line of rulers never been brokennever been broken

AkihitoAkihito is one of Jimmu’s descendantsis one of Jimmu’s descendants Japan’s emperor todayJapan’s emperor today

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Prince ShotokuPrince Shotoku

Prince Shotoku emerged Prince Shotoku emerged as the leader of the as the leader of the Yamato clan & initiated Yamato clan & initiated a reform program a reform program modeled after Tang modeled after Tang China.China.

gave constitutional gave constitutional power to the emperor.power to the emperor.

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PRINCE SHOTOKUPRINCE SHOTOKU took charge of Japan on behalf of his Aunt, took charge of Japan on behalf of his Aunt,

the empress Suiko (regent)the empress Suiko (regent) powerful emperor powerful emperor

with help of trained officials chosen for abilitieswith help of trained officials chosen for abilities wanted to create a strong governmentwanted to create a strong government created Japan’s first constitutioncreated Japan’s first constitution borrowed many ideas from Chinaborrowed many ideas from China sent officials and students to China to studysent officials and students to China to study

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CONSTITUTIONCONSTITUTION

a plan of governmenta plan of government created by Prince Shotokucreated by Prince Shotoku

many ideas borrowed from Chinamany ideas borrowed from China all power given to emperorall power given to emperor

even appointing officialseven appointing officials created bureaucracycreated bureaucracy

government divided into departmentsgovernment divided into departments listed rules for working the governmentlisted rules for working the government

taken from ideas of Confuciustaken from ideas of Confucius

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HORYUJIHORYUJI Shotoku ordered Shotoku ordered Buddhist temples Buddhist temples and monasteries and monasteries built throughout built throughout JapanJapan Japan’s oldest Japan’s oldest templetemple world’s oldest world’s oldest surviving woodensurviving wooden buildingbuilding

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TAIKATAIKA ““great change”great change” divided Japan into provinces or regional districtsdivided Japan into provinces or regional districts run by officials who reported to emperorrun by officials who reported to emperor all land under emperor’s controlall land under emperor’s control clan leaders…clan leaders…

- can direct farmers working land- can direct farmers working land- cannot collect taxes- cannot collect taxes

government officials gather part of farmer’s harvest government officials gather part of farmer’s harvest in taxes for emperorin taxes for emperor

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RESULTSRESULTS

Taika or “great change” Taika or “great change”

PLUSPLUS

Prince Shotoku’s reformsPrince Shotoku’s reforms

created Japan’s first strong centralized created Japan’s first strong centralized governmentgovernment

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ANIMISMANIMISM

early Japanese beliefearly Japanese belief all natural things are alive and have their own all natural things are alive and have their own

spiritsspirits the winds, mountains, and rivers the winds, mountains, and rivers

people needing help, asked nature spirits to people needing help, asked nature spirits to help themhelp them

called nature spirits “kami”called nature spirits “kami”

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KAMIKAMI

““nature spirits”nature spirits” Kami helps JapaneseKami helps Japanese

only if a person is pureonly if a person is pure illness causes spiritual stainsillness causes spiritual stains

must be cleansed by bathing and other rituals before prayingmust be cleansed by bathing and other rituals before praying

honor kami at shrineshonor kami at shrines beliefs developed into Shinto religionbeliefs developed into Shinto religion

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SHRINESSHRINES

holy placeholy place place of worshipplace of worship honored “kami” honored “kami” (nature spirits)(nature spirits)

priests, musicians, and dancers performed ritualspriests, musicians, and dancers performed rituals people ask gods for….people ask gods for….

a good harvesta good harvest a wifea wife a childa child some other favorsome other favor

Torii Gate

Shinto Shrine30

SHINTOSHINTO

Japanese religionJapanese religion means “way of the spirits”means “way of the spirits” based on nature spiritsbased on nature spirits believed all natural things were alivebelieved all natural things were alive

(the winds, mountains, and rivers)(the winds, mountains, and rivers) spiritual stains must be cleansed by bathing spiritual stains must be cleansed by bathing

and other rituals before prayingand other rituals before praying

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