How did Japan’s geography affect its economy and culture? Early Japan and Korea Lesson 3: Students will know that the geography of Japan has resulted in political, economic, and social changes . How did Japan’s geography affect its economy and culture?

Japanese Geography Geography (islands, mountains, isolation, and a shortage of farmable land) played an important role in Japanese history Japan is a mountainous archipelago, or chain of many islands The population is concentrated on four main islands: 1. Hokkaido 2. Honshu (the main island) 3. Kyu shu 4. Shikoku Like China, much of Japan is mountainous. Only 11% of the total land can be farmed The mountains are volcanic and the area is prone to earthquakes

Early japan In the first century A.D. their society was made up of clans. The people were divided between: Small aristocratic class (the rulers) Large population of rice farmers, artisans, and household servants The local ruler of each clan protected the people in return for a share of the annual harvest

Shotoku Taishi In the early 7th century , Shotoku Taishi, from the Yamato clan, became supreme ruler. Yamato Clan – imperial family that is most likely the only one to have ever reigned in Japan Few records of early Japanese history exist Prince Shotoku sent representatives to the Tang capital of China to learn how they organized their government He wanted to limit the powers of the aristocrats and enhance his own authority Therefore the ruler was portrayed as a divine figure and the symbol of the Japanese nation The territory of Japan was divided into administrative districts Each district seated a senior official from local nobles The rural village was the basic unit of government A new tax system was set up and all farmland technically belonged to the state All taxes were paid directly to the central government rather than local aristocrats

The Nara and Heian Period After Shotoku Taishi’s death in 622, political power fell into the hands of the Fujiwara clan A Yamato ruler was still emperor, but he was strongly influenced by the Fujiwara family Caught in a struggle for power, the central government could not overcome the growing dominance of the aristocrats Aristocratic families kept taxes on lands for themselves Without income, the central government steadily lost power As decentralized government returned to Japan, local aristocrats turned to the military force (Samurai) for personal protection Samurai – “Those who serve;” Japanese warriors similar to that of knights of medieval Europe YouTube Video: Crash Course Japan in the Heian Period https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnZEoOJ-cxE

The kamakura shogunate By the twelfth century, rivalries among Japan’s aristocratic families resulted in nearly constant civil war Minamoto Yoritomo, a powerful noble, defeated several rivals and set up a military government under a shogun Centralized power returned under the Shogun The emperor remained ruler, but in name only The Kamakura shogunate, founded by Yoritomo, lasted from 1192 to 1333 Minamoto Yoritomo

Life in Early Japan The role of women There is evidence that women may have had a certain level of equality with men. For example: an 8th century law code guaranteed the inheritance right of women Wives who were abandoned could divorce and remarry Later practices, however, show that women were subordinate to men. A husband could divorce his wife if: She didn’t produce a son Committed adultery Talked too much Was jealous Had a serious illness They played an active role at various levels of society They were prominent at court, did spring planting, threshing and hulling rice, and acting as salespersons and entertainers

Religion and Culture: Shinto The people of early Japan worshipped nature spirits, called kami, residing in trees, rivers, and mountains The Japanese also believed that the spirits of their ancestors were present in the air around them These beliefs evolved into a religion called Shinto – “Sacred Way” or “Way of the Gods” Over time, Shinto became a state doctrine linked to belief in the divinity of the emperor and the sacredness of the Japanese nation Shinto is still practiced today

YouTube Video: Minute Faith: Shinto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8efYUDewL6I

Religion and Culture: Buddhism Some Japanese practiced Buddhism which was a major influence from China The Zen was a sect of Buddhism that became popular with the Japanese aristocrats and became part of the Samurai’s code of behavior because it taught self-discipline Under Zen Buddhism, there are different paths to enlightenment Nanzenji Zen Buddhist Temple

The Emergence of Korea Korean Geography The Korean Peninsula is located on the coast of East Asia and is surrounded by water on three sides Sea of Japan Yellow Sea to the west East China Sea to the south It is a hilly and mountainous region slightly larger than the state of Minnesota Korea’s relative nearness to China and Japan has shaped its history China across the northern border Japan about 120 miles across the Korean Strait

The Emergence of Korea Silla and the Tang Dynasty In 109 B.C. the northern Korea Peninsula came under Chinese control, later driven out in the A.D. 200’s Eventually, three rival kingdoms emerged on the Korean Peninsula Korguryo in the north Paekche in the southwest Silla in the southeast Each kingdom was ruled by a monarch and powerful aristocratic families Introduction of Buddhism, which became a state religion of each kingdom As the Silla kingdom became allied with Chinese, the monarchy turned to Confucian ideals to rule Gradually, the help of the Tang dynasty of China let the kingdom of Silla gain control of the Korean Peninsula By the 1200’s the Mongol Dynasty seizes power in Korea.