1. Japan & Mongolia Vocabulary
Unit 8

2. Archipelago
Group of islands

3. Mainland Area that is part of a continent
**China and Korea are Japan’s neighbors on the Asian mainland**

4. Clan
Group of families with a common ancestor

5. Kami
A holy being that represents a spirit of nature, sacred place, ancestor, or clan in Japanese culture

6. Regent
Someone who governs a country in the name of a ruler who is unable to rule, often because of age
(Prince Shotoku- regent for his aunt)

7. Figurehead
When someone appears to be in charge, but someone else was really in control

8. Shogun
Title given to supreme military commanders

9. Feudalism
Social system in which landowners granted people land or other rewards in exchange for military service or labor
Spelled out relationships among different classes of people

10. Daimyo
Wealthy land-owning lords

11. Samurai
Highly trained warriors

12. Bushido
Meaning ‘personal honor’, and was a strict code of conduct that guided samurai behavior.

13. Kabuki
Dramatic Japanese plays that had beautiful costumes and sets. Kabuki actors are all men.

14. Confucianism
Described as a philosophy, a religion, a way of governing, or simply a way of life
Came from traditional Chinese society

15. Shinto
Traditional religion of Japan. Literally means “the way of the gods”.

16. Shrine
Places of worship. Thousands still exist today.

17. Japanese Buddhism
Spread from India, China, Korea, and arrived to Japan. Shinto gods are present in Japanese Buddhism.

18. Mantra
Sacred word, chant, or sound that is repeated over and over to advance one’s spiritual growth- seen in Buddhism and Shintoism

19. Mongols Nomadic tribes who formed together to create an empire
Terrifying warriors
Invaded a large majority of Asia

20. Steppes
Large flat area of grasslands- where the Mongols originated

21. Khan
Title given to Muslim rulers

22. Barbarian Member of a tribe not belonging to a great civilization
Thought to be uncivilized and wild