1. Japan Limits Western Contacts

2. Strong Leaders Take Control  A time of chaos, called the Warring States period, develops when powerful samurai take control of feudal lands, daimyo (warrior-chieftains) become lords of the land, and peasants are offered protection in return for their loyalty.  The emperor has little control –(What does this similar to that we have already studied?)

3.  (Oda Nobunaga takes control of Kyoto by defeating rival daimyo)  (Nobunaga commits seppuku and his general Toyotomi Hideyoshi takes over)  Toyotomi Hideyoshi controlled most of Japan and then invaded Korea and Ming China  (After Hideyoshi dies troops withdraw from Korea)  Tokugawa Ieyasu completes unification of Japan and becomes shogun (actual ruler), founding the Tokugawa Shogunate

4. Tokugawa Society and Culture  Japan begins to shift from a rural to an urban society.  Peasant farmers paid most of the taxes and had more difficulties than other classes  New styles of drama (kabuki), art (woodblock prints), and literature (haiku) arise in the cities to challenge traditional culture

5. Contact Between Europe and Japan  At first the Japanese welcome Portuguese traders who bring European technology (firearms, cannons)  Christianity is welcomed at first, then restricted, then banned  Japan then instituted a “closed country policy” only allowing trade at the port of Nagasaki and only trading with Dutch and Chinese