1. Japan

2. Japan Japan consist of four main islands off the coast of Asia
Because Japan was an island nation it was relatively isolated with limited exchange of ideas and goods
Little is known of Japan prior to 400 C.E.
Japan was influenced by China and Korea
The Yamato Clan was the first and only clan to rule Japan (They still rule today)

3. Japan Shinto “The way of the gods” Worshipped kami
Nature and all the forced of nature seen and unseen
Under Shinto the idea is to become one with kami
Uses ritual and customs
Encourages obedience and proper behavior
The belief that the emperor was a descendent of the sun god-thus divine

4. Japan Chinese Influence
The Chinese had a tremendous influence on Japanese
Art
Architecture
Literature
Religion
Both Confucianism and Buddhism arrived in Japan by the 700’s
Japan soon became the center for Eastern Asia study of Buddhism
Most Japanese adopted Buddhism while still practicing Shinto

5. Japan
Japan borrowed the legal codes of the Tang Dynasty called the Taika Reforms
Japan also built their capital city modeled after the Tang Capital
However the Japanese rejected Confucianism and the civil service exams

6. Japan
Class Question
Why would the Japanese reject Confucianism and the civil service exams?

7. Japan It placed too much importance on education.
In Japan your rank at birth was more important to your status as a person
Class systems in Japan were based on heredity

8. Japan
The Fujiwara
By the early 800’s the Emperor wanted to break free of the Buddhist influence
The capital was moved to Heian
Japanese consciousness developed
Aristocratic families began to increase
One aristocratic family who through intermarriages with the emperors families gained power were the Fujiwara

9. Japan Fujiwara Began to run the affairs of the country
Power shifted from the emperor to the Fujiwara family
The emperor was seen as only a figurehead
Under the Fujiwara there was Golden Age of Japanese
Art, literature
Women were also seen as having rank in Japan
Some women were nobles

10. Japan Taira-Minamoto War
While the Fijiwara had increased Japanese culture they had neglected the military
They had delegated military matters to various clans
These clans became powerful and began fighting for land and power
A civil war broken out between two of the strongest clans
Taira
Minamoto
The Taira at first won and controlled the government however the Minamoto rose up, defeated the Taira in a five year civil war and took control of the government calling it a
Shogunate

11. Japan
However by the 12th century with the large influx of noble families everyone was fighting for land in Japan
Japan would develop a feudal system like Europe

12. Japan
Feudal System
The feudal system in Japan developed at the same time as the feudal system in Europe-however neither had knowledge of the other
As stated before the Emperor was only a figurehead
In 1192 Yoritomo Minamoto was given the title of Shogun or chief general
Below the Shogun were the daimyo
Below the Shogun were the Samurai
Below the Samurai were the Peasants

13. Shogun Ashikaga Takauji 1305 - 1358
Japanese Classes
Samurai
Daimyo
Shogun Ashikaga Takauji

14. Feudal Japan v. Feudal Europe
Emperor –figurehead
Shogun
Chief General
Daimyo
Landowner
Samurai with noble blood
Samurai
Warriors who held small pieces of land
Peasants
Enough said
Europe
King –usually a figurehead
Lord-L
Large landowner
Noble blood
Knights
Warriors who held small pieces of land
Peasants
Enough said

15. Feudal Japan v. Feudal Europe
Similarities
Peasants
Worked to support the upper classes
Each hierarchy was based on land for loyalty exchange
Differences
Women in Japan were treated with higher respect-some were nobles
The land ownership contract in Europe was based on law
The land ownership contract in Japan was based on group identity and loyalty
I am what I am a samurai and I know my place in society
Both systems were based on culture

16. Japan Important Shogunates Kamakura Shogunate Ashikaga Shogunate
Kept Khubiliai Khan’s Yuan China from invading Japan
Ashikaga Shogunate
Developed a strong sense of Japanese culture
Painting, music, philosophy, landscaping
Strong economic trade
Zen Buddhism
Tea Ceremony
Lost power when it was unable to stop a series of civil wars
Japan would be divided in civil wars from 1573 to the middle 1600’s

17. Japan in Chaos
By the age of feudalism in 1338 the daimyo seemed to reject the ideas of peace of Zen Buddhist religion and began to warring among themselves.
They soon destroyed the Ashikaga Shogunate, the city of Kyoto and the order and structure that once was Japan.
The Emperor was seen as just a figurehead, a symbolic leader of the Shinto religion.

18. Japan in Chaos
New warlord formed alliances with merchants who were bringing raw materials from China.
Soon this influx of trade caused the competing warlords to war against each other.
Soon this lead to a civil war.
In the 1580’s one warlord Hideyoshi will gain control of Japan and attempt to spread beyond Japan into Korea, Manchuria and China.

19. Tokugawa-Edo Period
When Hideyoshi dies in 1598 his successor withdraws from the Asian territories and begins to work on centralizing Japan.
In 1603 Tokugawa Ieyasu will become Shogun and place the Tokugawa Shogunate in power of Japan until 19C.

20. Tokugawa
The Tokugawa will allow the daimyo to still keep local power while the Tokugawa will retain central authority.
They will establish Edo (Modern day Tokyo) as the capital.
The Tokugawa will establish trade routes (Rice Routes) throughout Japan.
By 1700 Edo will have 1 million people

21. Tokugawa There will be an economic boom in Japan.
Major urban centers will grow all through Japan.
Manufacturing such as steel making, pottery, lacquer and porcelain will develop.
Trade with China will be curtailed.
Piracy will be encouraged.

22. Tokugawa Isolation Trade with foreigners
In 1543 Portuguese will arrive and will bring firearms to Japan
By 1570’s the Japanese who took a great interest in the weapons had now made copies and were using them to fight in the civil wars.
When the Tokugawa take control they will strictly control the trade with the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese
Porcelain was the chief export while the Japanese care little for the European goods.

23. Tokugawa Isolation
The Dutch and Chinese were restricted to trade on the island of Deshima.
Silver and copper were restricted.
Western books were banned.

24. Tokugawa Isolation Christianity
Japanese are going to learn of the new religion from Jesuit missionaries.
The religion holds great interest in Japan and by the 1600’s about 300,000 convert
The Tokugawa feared that the new religion would destabilize the country and by 1614 there was an edict forbidding the practice of Christianity.
Punishment was crucifixion or beheading

25. Tokugawa Isolation Christianity
By the late 1600’s the practice of Christianity was all but over.
The government also forced the people to show proof of their attendance to their Buddhist temple and their obedience to the shougunate.

26. Tokugawa Isolation
With the cutbacks in trade and the elimination of Christianity all Europeans were banned from Japan except for the Dutch.
The Tokugawa also faced internal problems with the rapid population growth and how to balance economic problems with food supply and work.
Lack of warfare also posed a problem
Daimyo and the samurai had little function in society.

27. Tokugawa Isolation
Japan was beginning to develop as a manufacturing society.
The merchant class was ever growing and pushed Japan into a period of economic and social growth.
Kabuki Theater
Artistic expression
Woodblock prints
New shops and restaurants.

28. Tokugawa Isolation
Merchants also controlled the money and started to develop lines of credit.
Merchants gave credit to the daimyo and samurai whose income was based on rice trade.
The rice trade declined due to the lack of farmers and the difficulty in producing rice.
Merchants also disregarded the laws and would raise and lower the price of rice to suit their needs and not the needs of the samurai.
Now the daimyo and samurai were financially under the control of the merchant class.

29. Tokugawa Isolation Confucian Ideas
Like China, Korea and Vietnam Japan also accepted the idea that agriculture should be the basis of state wealth.
Merchants were seen as morally corrupt.
However the decentralized government of Japan could not regulate all merchant activities and the merchant class began to dictate society.
Merchants enjoyed freedoms and influence.

30. Tokugawa Isolation The Tokugawa
While the government remained very traditional the society around them was becoming very commercial and progressive.
Old traditional ways were being cast aside and a more modern Japan was developing while the Tokugawa shogun was still living in the past.
During the late period the Tokugawa also had to deal with a series of natural disasters which further drained the economy.

31. Tokugawa Isolation
In 1854 The United States would arrive on the shores of Japan and with the U.S.’s new military might would force the Tokugawa to make a decision to open up trade and ports.
The Tokugawa would have no alternative and opened up trade to the U.S.
It would be the end for Japanese isolationism and the beginning of a new and modern Japan.