Japan Vocab

The first religion of Japan with the belief that all of nature has kami or spirit.

• clan

• Shinto

• Zen Buddhism

• bushido

Extended families that live together.

• clans

• shogun

• regent

• court

A person who rules a country for someone that is unable to rule alone.

• clan

• samurai

• regent

• kamikaze

A group of nobles that live near and advise a ruler.

• regent

• clans

• court

• shogun

A type of Buddhism that promotes self-discipline (self-guidance) and meditation or quiet thinking.

• Shinto

• Zen Buddhism

• kamikaze

• Bushido

Large landowners that hired samurai to protect their land.

• daimyo

• shogun

• samurai

• regent

Trained professional warriors that practiced Zen Buddhism.

• Shogun

• Daimyo

• Samurai

• regent

A general who ruled Japan surpassing the power the emperor.

• Samurai

• Daimyo

• regent

• shogun

A leader that appears to be in charge, but the real power is with someone else.

• Emperor

• figurehead

• shogun

• regent

The “way of the warrior” or warrior code of behavior.

• Samurai

• Bushido

• Kamikaze

• Shinto