By Matt Daigle – TJCA-CFA Adopted from Pearson Learning Core Knowledge

Japan is made up of four main islands, and thousand of tiny ones. (ARCHIPELAGO) The four major islands are Honshu, Kyoto, Kyushu, and Hokkaido. Tokyo is the capital, located on Honshu. Japan makes a lot of products (cars, electronics, etc.) Very little agriculture because of the land.

Because of their distrust of the outside world, Japan did not allow foreign trade or travel. (Isolationism) Between 1600’s and mid 1800’s, almost no contact with European countries.

Early Japan was made up of clans (small groups of family and friends.) About 400 A.D. the Yamato clan was the strongest and declared that they were the rule of Japan. They claimed to be descendents of a Goddess; Amaterasu. In 645, the head of the Yamato clan claimed the title EMPEROR. Today’s Emperor of Japan is a descendent of the Yamato.

Before the period of Isolationism, the Japanese learned a lot from their neighbors; Korea and China; Reading and writing, tool making, weaving styles, and religion. Shinto was the native religion of Japan until Buddhism was introduced by Korea.

The Emperor sent young nobles to learn from China. They returned with many modern advances: 1. Fashions 2. Government 3. Medicine 4. Astronomy 5. Tea and tea ceremonies 6. Silkworms (weaving silk)

SHINTO “way of the Gods” Japan’s oldest religion Based upon nature “Each part of nature contains a spirit” known as Kami. Ameterasu and her brother Tsukiyomi Based on ceremonies and NOT on rules. No sacred books.

Still practiced by millions of Japanese

"Awakened One" (Buddha): Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day be known as the Buddha, began his life as a prince in a kingdom in ancient India.

Prince Gautama (Buddha) was born about 553 BCE. He had parents who loved him, many servants to wait on him, the finest clothes, and a different palace for each season of the year. Yet, he found his world full of suffering. It upset him that painful old age, sickness, and death were all part of life in this world.

One day, he met a monk. He was amazed that this monk could find calm and peace in a world filled with such sufferings. That day he made a very difficult decision. He decided to leave his wealth, his comfort, his wife, and his newborn son, to become a monk.

For the next six years he traveled throughout India. But the answers he found were not enough. One day, while sitting under a fig tree, an understanding came to him. This understanding was a way to end suffering. That was the day Prince Siddhartha Gautama began to earn a new title, the Buddha, which means "Awakened One".

His journey to find the meaning of life had concluded. The Buddha realized that life is ruled by Four Noble Truths: 1. Life is filled with suffering 2. Suffering is caused by people's wants. 3. Suffering can be ended if people stop wanting things, like more pleasure or more power. 4. To stop wanting things, people must follow 8 basic laws, called the Eightfold Path.

1. To know the truth 2. To intend to resist evil 3. To not say anything to hurt others 4. To respect life, property, and morality 5. To work at a job that does not injure others 6. To try to free one's mind from evil 7. To be in control of one's feelings and thoughts 8. To practice appropriate forms of concentration

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, even so the wise are not ruffled by praise or blame. Hatreds never cease by hatred in this world; by love alone they cease. This is an ancient law.

Can it be compared to Europe’s during the Middle Ages?

Oh, that’s right…

Japanese Feudal Pyramid Shogun _________ Daimyo Samurai Peasants

Shogun = military and political leader of Japan; “great general” Daimyo = high-ranking samurai lords who provided the shogun with warriors in exchange for land Samurai = lower-ranking warriors who served their daimyo in exchange for small manors Peasants = lowest class; most taxed; worked the land for their lord.

Europe Japan

A cartoon Shogun Yoritomo, 1 st Shogun