Chapter 5 – Medieval Japan

First settlers / People to meet Yayoi – ancestors of the Japanese people today; started around 300 B.C. Yamato – clan that became rulers of Japan during AD 500’s; claimed to be descendants from the sun God Jimmu – Yamato chief that founded a line of Japanese rulers that has never been broken; took title “Emperor of Heaven”

Akihito – current Japanese emperor, descended from Jimmu Shotoku – prince who used Chinese gov’t as model for Japan’s & created a constitution Minamoto Yoritomo – leader of the Minamoto family; first Japanese Shogun

Ashikaga Takauji – general who made himself Shogun in 1333 & set up the Ashikaga Shogunate Murasaki Shikibu – Japanese woman who wrote “The Tale of Genji” (first novel)

Places to locate Japan – chain of more than 3,000 islands in Northern Pacific Ocean Hokkaido / Honshu / Shikoku / Kyushu – one of Japan’s 4 largest islands Heian – capital city of Japan established by Emperor Kammu

Kamakura – headquarters of the shogunate military gov’t set up by Yoritomo Kyoto – capital of Japan & center of production and trade