Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Japan: Early History and Culture 2021

Total questions: 21

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The traditional, native religion of Japan

a)

Shinto

b)

Buddhism

c)

Taoism

d)

Confucianism

2.
Which two countries were a major influence on Japanese culture?
a)
China and Korea
b)
China and Russia
c)
Korea and Russia
d)
Egypt and Greece
3.

People who follow Shinto believe

a)

in Hinduism.

b)

they should follow a vegetarian lifestyle.

c)

in one God.

d)

everything in nature has a spirit.

4.

What are the Shinto places of worship called?

a)

shrines

b)

churches

c)

temples

d)

mosques

5.

Which nation had the greatest impact on the development of Japan?

a)

Taiwan

b)

India

c)

China

d)

Vietnam

6.

Which was a sign of beauty for Japanese women during the Heian period?

a)

long hair

b)

several layers of silk

c)

whitened face with darkened teeth

d)

all are correct

7.

Why was Zen Buddhism important to the samurai warriors?

a)

It helped clear their minds so they could focus in battle.

b)

It helped them paint better pictures.

c)

It helped them arrange flowers better.

d)

It helped them worship nature.

8.

Which statement describes the Heian period?

a)

a time when China controlled Japan

b)

a time when the military ruled Japan

c)

a peaceful time when culture thrived

d)

a time of war and chaos in Japan

9.

What is the meaning of the word Shinto?

a)

"the right way"

b)

"the way of the gods"

c)

"good harvest"

d)

"the honorable way"

10.

People who follow Shinto believe

a)

in Hinduism.

b)

they should follow a vegetarian lifestyle.

c)

in one God.

d)

everything in nature has a spirit.

11.

The form of Buddhism gained a large following with the samurai warriors of Japan.

a)

Tibetan

b)

Tendai

c)

Zen

d)

Shinto

12.

Which of the following statements about The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu is NOT true:

a)

it's considered by many to be the first full-length novel ever made

b)

it tells the story of Prince Gengi and the women he loved

c)

it gives us a glimpse into the lives of noblewomen during the Heian period

d)

it documents many battles of the time and the lives of famous warriors who fought in them

13.

The Shinto religion came to Japan from China and Korea.

a)

True.

b)

False.

14.

What are tanka and haiku?

a)

types of food

b)

forms of poetry

c)

items of clothing

d)

styles of architecture

15.

Most Japanese participate in traditions belonging to which religion(s)?

a)

Shinto

b)

Buddhism

c)

Taoism

d)

Both Shinto and Buddhism

16.
Buddhism originated in which country?
a)
Japan
b)
China
c)
Korea
d)
India
17.

The Japanese written language contains characters borrowed from Chinese many centuries ago.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

18.

Today, the Japanese language is entirely composed of characters that represent words, not sounds.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

19.

Which of the following beliefs or practices does NOT relate to Shinto?

a)

one supreme god

b)

gods and spirits called kami

c)

importance of nature

d)

rituals and festivals

e)

importance of family, ancestors, and cleanliness/purity

20.

Kanji, kana, Lady Murasaki Shikibu, tanka, and haiku are all most strongly related to...

a)

Japanese religions

b)

Japanese writing and literature

c)

Japanese government

d)

Japanese architecture

21.

Which statement best describes the daily lives of Japanese nobles living in Kyoto during the Heian period?

a)

They lived simply and devoted most of their time to strict religious study and worship.

b)

They spent their days carrying out government work: serving as judges, leading building projects, tax collection, or running different departments.

c)

They spent their time in military training: fighting, studying battle strategy and military history, and running sections of the army.

d)

Their days were centered on relaxation and luxury as they enjoyed the culture of the time: art, poetry, music, fashion, etc.