An Introduction to Japan
In this lesson, students will be able to
define the following terms:
Archipelago
Effects of Mountainous Terrain
Effects of Lack of Natural Resources
Shintoism
Kami
Cultural Diffusion
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Japan is an archipelago or a series of
islands.
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Archipelago
• Japan is an archipelago or a series of
islands.
• While Japan consists of many islands, the
people of Japan live on four main islands:
Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.
• The seas have protected Japan in the
past.
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The Japanese have used the seas
to fish. However, the seas have also
protected Japan from invasions.
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Mountainous
• The islands of Japan are very
mountainous.
• The mountains are not high enough to
separate the people of Japan but make
farming difficult.
• Japan has a scarcity of arable land (Japan
lacks land for farming).
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Japan is mountainous.
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Lack of Natural Resources
• Japan has few natural resources.
• In the modern era, Japan has had to trade
to acquire the resources necessary for
manufacturing.
• By importing raw materials or natural
resources, Japan can export expensive
finished or manufactured goods.
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Japan is
geographically
close to Korea
and China.
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Cultural Diffusion
• Japan is close to Korea and China.
• The Japanese borrowed many cultural
ideas from China.
• Through cultural diffusion, the Japanese
acquired writing from China as well as the
use of chopsticks and Confucian ideas.
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Shintoism is a popular religion in Japan.
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Shintoism
• Shintoism is a uniquely Japanese religion.
• It is Japan’s oldest religion.
• Shintoism teaches the importance of the
forces of nature. It is similar to animism.
In these religions, spirits exist in the
natural world.
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He is a Shinto
priest.
He believes
that spirits
inhabit the
natural
world.
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Kami
• The Japanese call the spirits that exist in
the natural world “Kami”.
• The Kami are considered kindly spirits.
• The Japanese pray to the Kami.
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Questions for Reflection:
• What is an archipelago and how has it
effected the people of Japan?
• What are two effects that Japan’s
mountainous terrain has on the people of
Japan?
• How has the scarcity of natural resources
effected the people of Japan?
• Describe the religion of Shintoism.
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Let’s Review Japanese
Feudalism!
In this lesson, students will be able to
define critical terms associated with Japan’s
Feudal Period. Students will be able to
define the following terms:
Shogun
Daimyo
Samurai
Code of Bushido
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The
samurai or
Japanese
warrior is
remembered
by many. During
Japan’s feudal
Period, a
fixed social
class
system existed.
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A Fixed Social Class System
• In a fixed social class system, a person’s
class is determined by birth.
• Like the caste system in India, Japan’s
feudal hierarchy was a fixed social class
system.
• A man was born a daimyo or a peasant.
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What similarities existed in the caste system
and the feudal hierarchy of Japan?
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Feudalism
• Feudalism is a political and military
system.
• In a feudal society, land is exchanged for
military service.
• Lords give land to vassals in exchange for
military service and loyalty.
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In a feudal society, land is the basis
of power.
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The Shogun was the supreme
leader of feudal Japan.
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The Shogun
• The Shogun was the most powerful lord of
Japan.
• He was a military dictator.
• Though the emperor still retained his title,
the Shogun was the actual ruler of Japan
during the feudal period.
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The Daimyo
were lords
in feudal
Japan. They
owned land
and had to obey
the Shogun.
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Daimyo
• Daimyo were landowners in feudal Japan.
• Daimyo had to provide military service to
the Shogun.
• A Daimyo had to obey, serve, and be loyal
to the Shogun.
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Samurai were Japanese warriors.
They had to serve the Daimyo and
Shogun and follow the Code of Bushido.
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Code of Bushido
• The Samurai had to obey the Code of
Bushido.
• The Code of Bushido was a set of rules. It
was similar to the European code of
chivalry.
• A samurai had to be loyal, brave, and
show no emotion.
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A samurai
had to commit
suicide or seppuku
if he lost his
honor.
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Questions for Reflection:
• Define feudalism.
• Compare and contrast Japanese
feudalism and European feudalism.
• Make a diagram of Japan’s feudal
hierarchy and define each class.
• Why was feudal Japan a fixed social class
system?
• Compare and contrast European chivalry
and the Japanese Code of Bushido.
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