1. Chapter 8 Japan

2. Geography of Japan Mountainous island country Mild climate
Near China and Korea
Rice
Fish

3. Terraced Rice Fields

4. Nature and Shinto Shinto
Shinto means “way of the gods” and is based on respect for nature and ancestors
Mt. Fuji – there is
great respect for
Japan’s tallest
mountain

5. Japan’s influential neighbors China and Korea
Japan is referred to as “land of the rising sun”
Nippon means Japan in Japanese

6. Chinese Influence on Japan
Religion – Combined Buddhism with traditional Shinto rituals
Government – adopted principles of Confucianism for Japanese government
Writing system – used Chinese characters to stand for additional ideas and sounds
Arts – Used Chinese techniques in landscape painting
Agriculture – used Chinese wet-field rice cultivation

7. Structure of Japanese society
Clans
Most were workers – farming and fishing
Special skills – pottery or weaving
Some were slaves who took care of nobles
Shinto unified Japan honoring divine spirits and ancestors

8. Japan’s emperors 400s – Yamato clan
Emperors seen as descendants of the sun goddess
Emperors – godlike
Military had the real power

9. Prince Shotoku 593-622 Encouraged Japanese to learn from China
Open a Japanese embassy in China
Had Japanese learn Confucian principles of hard work and obedience to authority

10. Shotoku promotes Buddhism
At first, Buddhism challenged Shinto, the traditional Japan belief system
Most Japanese blended Buddhism

11. Summary
Japan’s island location and proximity to China and Korea affected its development
Japanese emperors reigned but had little power
Prince Shotoku introduced Chinese culture to Japan