A political, social and economic system which had a rigid class structure and land was exchanged for military service.

Class of warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a daimyo.

In the Japanese writing system, phonetic symbols representing syllables. Similar to our alphabet.

The seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country for military or trade advantages

The first novel in any language. Tells the life story of the a son of the Japanese emperor.

A tower shaped structure with several stories and upturned tiled roofs.

Land owning nobles, local war lords

god or spirit who represents a force of nature in the Japanese religion.

Local, landowning lord in feudal Japan

members of the military class. fighters and protectors of the Shogun

The change of an economy from farming to manufacturing (factories)

The return of a past situation or ruler

A Japanese form of poetry, consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables

The office of the Shogun, the system of centralized government under a shogun that exercised actual power while the emperor was reduced to a figurehead.

Title of the military dictators who ruled Japan

Control, takeover and influence of a nation over another country for military or economic gain.

Nickname for Japan that means "land of the rising sun"

Japan's indigenous religion, means "way of the gods"

Someone who governs a country in the name of a ruler who is too young to be in charge yet.