Medieval Japan

Geography

●Located to the southeast of Korea
and China

●Archipelago - a series of 6,852
islands

●The majority of people live of the
four biggest islands:
○Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku,
Kyushu

●Prone to earthquakes due to
unstable land

●Limited land = limited farming area

●Sea was used for food and travel

Shintoism

●Belief that all things had their own
spirits

●The kami (nature spirits) could be
called on for help.

●Worshipped at holy places

●Shinto = “way of the spirits”

●Religion of Shintoism was created

●Still practiced today in Japan and
other countries.

Multiple Choice

Shintoism is the belief that

• there should be no violence

• all things have their own
  spirits

• people are reincarnated

• there are many gods

Prince Shotoku

●600 C.E.

●Yamato prince who ruled for his aunt

●Created a constitution to help organize
the government

●Emperor was give supreme power

●Confucius ideas were basis for
constitution

●Looked to the Chinese as a model

●646 C.E. - Taika = “Great Change”
○Japan was divided into districts

○Districts were ruled by officials

○All land was under emperor control

○Strong, central government

Multiple Select

Prince Shotoku

• Ruled for his aunt

• Was a shogun

• Influenced by Confusionist ideas of governing

• Created Shintoism

• Created a constitution to organize government

The Nara Period

●700 C.E.

●Capital of Japan

●Built large streets, houses, Buddhist
temples and Shinto shrines

●Government positions were
assigned to nobles, not based on
examinations like in China

●Buddhism gained popularity

Multiple Select

The Nara period

• Saw Buddhism gain in popularity

• was influenced by Tang dynasty ideas

• The birthplace of Shintoism

• The capital of Japan

• saw the building of large streets and houses

Nobles rise to power

● In 794, emperor moved capital from Nara to Heian-kyo

(modern day Kyoto)

● While emperors continued to rule, the structure was

weakening

● Emperors gave land outside the city to warriors, who

promised to fight and protect the land

Shogunate government

●

Civil war between the Taira and Minamoto noble families in 1180

●

Taira was defeated in a sea battle headed by Minamoto
Yoritomo

●

To keep Yoritomo loyal, and prevent him overthrowing the
emperor, Yoritomo was given the title of Shogun (military
commander)
○

He set up a shogunate government in the seaside town of
Kamakura while Minamoto continued to rule Heian-kyo

○

The shogunate ruled Japan for about 140 years

Multiple Choice

What is a shogunate?

• A government run by an emperor

• A government run by Kami

• A government run by a shogun

• A seaside town

Hierarchy of
Feudal Japan:

Shogun

●

Military leader- in charge of
many decisions to do with
armies, battles, etc.

●

Most important person in
feudal Japan.

●

“Second in line” to emperor,
but did most of the work.

Daimyo

● Served the shogun.
● Controlled a large area

of land.

● In charge of the

samurai- whom he paid
to work and protect him.

Samurai

●Samurai = “to serve”

●Japanese warriors who served and
protected their daimyo (lord) with
respect

○Similar to the knights of Medieval
Europe

●A few Japanese women were warriors

●Fought for their people and protected
them, bringing justice and order.

●Followed code of conduct called
Bushido “way of the warrior”- which told
them how to live their lives.

○They would rather die in battle than
betray their master

Peasants

● Farmers and

fisherman.

● Japanese revered

peasants because they provided
food and were connected to the land.

Artisans

● Workers skilled in a

particular trade.

● For example:

sword-maker,
dressmaker,
wood-block
printing, etc.

Merchants

● Lowest class in fedual society

● Job was to

trade/sell goods
that others made
or to shop keep. They were seen as parasites compared to farmers and fishermen.

Reorder

Fedal hierarchy in Japan

• Shogun

• Daimyo

• Samurai

• Peasants

• Artisans & Merchants

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Select

Why were peasants higher on the feudal structure than merchants?

• The peasants were fishermen and farmers

• The ocean was Japan's main source of food

• Japanese revered peasants because they were close to the land.

• Merchants only bought and sold goods that weren't as valable as food