Quiz on Japanese History and Culture

What is Japan primarily made up of?

• Deserts

• Mountains

• Valleys

• Plateaus

Why did most Japanese live on coastal plains?

• The mountains were difficult to live on

• They preferred being near the sea

• It was required by law

• Coastal land was infertile

How did the sea shape Japanese civilization?

• It provided food

• It isolated Japan from other nations

• It allowed for trade and cultural exchange

• All of the above

What early culture lived in Japan but eventually disappeared?

• The Ainu

• The Yamato

• The Minamoto

• The Mongols

What were Japanese clans based on?

• Economic status

• Extended families

• Military power

• Religion

What is Shinto?

• A type of samurai armor

• A form of government

• The traditional religion of Japan

• A type of written language

What did the Yamato clan claim to have?

• The right to rule all of Japan

• The best warriors

• A divine family history

• Trade connections with China

What did Japan learn from China and Korea?

• Government structure

• Language

• Buddhism

• All of the above

Why did the Japanese adopt Chinese characters for writing?

• They had no written language of their own

• It was mandatory for all citizens

• It was easier than developing a new script

• The Chinese forced them to

What religion became Japan’s official religion during the Nara period?

• Shinto

• Buddhism

• Confucianism

• Christianity