1. Japan’s Geography Japan is an archipelago, or chain of islands.
Located 100 miles off the coast of mainland Asia and east of the Korean peninsula.

3. Physical Geography of Japan
Early in Japan’s history, it was strongly influenced by China.
Four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku.
Four-fifths of its land are too mountainous to farm.

4. Where do the people live?
Most people settle in narrow river valleys and along the coastal plains.
Mild climate and sufficient rainfall help farmers.

5. How the sea affects Japan
The seas surrounding Japan have both isolated and protected the country.
Close enough to learn from China and Korea yet far enough away to avoid conquest.
Japan could accept or reject Chinese influence easier than other Asian lands.

6. The sea’s importance The seas helped Japan develop its own identity.
Seas also offered important trade routes.
Thriving fishing industry.

7. The Pacific Ring of Fire
Lies in a region known as the Ring of Fire, which is made up of a chain of volcanoes that encircle the Pacific Ocean.
Makes area susceptible to earthquakes and volcanoes.

8. Tsunamis
Underwater earthquakes can launch killer tidal waves, called tsunamis, which sweep over the land without warning, wiping out everything in their path.

9. Early Japanese History
The people we know as the Japanese, migrated from the Asian mainland more than 2,000 years ago.
Early Japanese society was divided into clans, or uji.
Each uji had its own chief and a special god or goddess who was seen as the clan’s original ancestor.

10. Woman’s place in early Japan
Some clan leaders were women.

11. The Yamato Dynasty Original dynasty were the Yamato.
Ruled the government from the island of Honshu and current emperors still trace their roots back to the Yamato clan.

12. The Shinto Religion
Early clans worshiped forces of nature, known as Shinto, meaning “the way of kami.”
Traditions of Shinto still seen in Japan today.
Torii Gate- Entrance to a Shinto shrine

13. Korean influence on Japan
Japanese language is related to Korean but completely different from Chinese.
Korean missionaries introduced Buddhism to Japan in the 500s.
This sparked Japanese interest in Chinese civilization.

14. Japanese go to China…
In the 600s Prince Shotoku of the Yamato clan sent nobles to study in China. For 200 years Japanese students, monks, traders and officials visited the Tang Court.
As a result, Japan sets up government in similar way. Does not affect clan’s power in the countryside.

15. Cultural Diffusion
Adopted pagoda architecture from the Chinese Buddhists.
Confucian ideas like filial piety spread.
In time, Japanese kept some traditions from China and abandoned other. This was called selective borrowing.

16. Pagoda architecture

17. Feudalism in Japan
Rival clans battling for control of the countryside.
Armies would struggle for power and a feudal system would emerge.
A new warrior aristocracy developed, much like in medieval Europe.

18. Japanese Feudalism The emperor became a powerless; figure-head.
Shogun- supreme military commander; had the real power.
Daimyo- great warrior lord; received land from a shogun
Samurai- lesser warrior lords; fighting aristocracy

19. Classes of Warriors
Shogun Samurai Daimyo

20. Samurai Samurai means “those who serve.”
Comparable to the medieval Christian knights in Europe.
They would develop their own code of values, like chivalry but called bushido, or way of the warrior.

21. Comparison Chart of Feudalism: Medieval Europe and Medieval Japan
Nobility
King
Lord
Lesser Lord
Emperor
Shogun
Daimyo
Warrior Class
Knight
Samurai
Conduct Code
Code of Chivalry
Code of Bushido

22. The Shogunate
The shogun, Yoritomo Minamoto ( ) set up the first of three military dynasties that ruled the world for 700 years.
Became known as the Kamakura shogunate.

23. Women’s place in feudalism
During the age of the samurai, the position of women in society decline and women became subservient to men.
Unlike European chivalry, the code of the samurai did not elevate women.
There were arranged marriages.

24. Buddhism in Japan Buddhism came to Japan through Korea.
As it spread, Japanese adopted pagodas and monasteries.
For centuries, Korea and Japan were in continuous contact with each other. Became known as the Korean Bridge.

25. Selective borrowing
Koreans were more advanced in iron-working, sword making, and manufacturing.
Japanese did not adopt the civil service exam from the Chinese.
Believed in filial piety, the relationships between superior and inferior, and respect for learning.

26. The Heian Period Imperial capital was at Heian
The Heian period was considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature.
The emperor was both Confucian and Shinto. He ruled by the Mandate of Heaven.

27. Heian Achievements
Sophisticated culture was developed and rules applied to etiquette, dress, and language.
Lady Murasaki wrote The Tale of Genji, the world’s first novel.