Notes: Ancient Japan to Middle Ages Japan
I. Geography of Japan
Japan is also known as _____________= “Land of the Rising Sun”
A. _____________ = an island country
B. ______________= a chain of islands
C. 4 Main Islands of Japan
1. ___________– the largest island
2. Shikoku – the smallest of the 4 main islands
3. ____________– the Northernmost large island
4. Kyushu – the Southernmost of the the 4 large islands
D. Capital of Japan (today): Tokyo
E. Topography
1. 71% of Japan has mountains and volcanoes
a. Mt. _________is Japan’s highest peak
2. Earthquakes and Tsunamis
F. Population = about 130,000,000
1. 78% Urban (city) population
2. ___________most populated country
G. Size = 145,869 square miles
1. About the size of the state of_____________
H. Climate = mostly mild or temperate
1. Except for northern ___________and __________ (which gets Siberian winds)
2. Typhoons occur often
I. Industry = led to strong economy
1. Japan is an __________________ giant
a. automobiles (like Toyota), electronics (like Sony)
J. Agriculture = only about _________of Japan’s land can be used for farming
1. Largest agricultural crop is ________
2. Main source of protein is ________
K. Government (today) = Parliamentary Democracy
L. Literacy Rate = 99%
M. Life Expectancy
_______ for Males
_______ for Females
N. Only 2% unemployment (until recently)
 Low __________ Rate
II. Japan’s Creation Myth
A. ___________(a god) and Izanami (a goddess)
1. Rainbow Bridge
2. Water drops “formed” the islands
3. _____________= sun goddess
 rules over Japan
III. ____________ (Japan’s 1st Emperor)
A. 3 Treasures to “Prove” his Relationship to the Gods
1. ____________ (shows relationship to the gods)
2. ____________ ____________ (shows strength)
3. _____________ from the Steps of Heaven (shows wisdom)
B. Shinto religion believes that Jimmu is descended from Amaterasu
C. What did Jimmu really do?
1. Jimmu = divine warrior
2. Drove the Ainu north
a.) Ainu = taller, hairy light skinned people
3. Unified Warring Clans
4. Took control of Japan in 66 BCE
IV. Early History of Japan
A. 1st people to settle in Japan were from _________ and northeast _________
B. Jomon Society (4000 BCE-200 BCE)
1. Hunting, ___________, Fishing
C. Yayoi Period (200 BCE-250 CE)
1. Japanese become ____________
a. ______ harvest begins
2. _______ Age in Japan
D. _________ Period (250 CE-710 CE)
1. Japan becomes ___________
2. Ruled from the city of Nara
V. Prince Shotoku (Born 572 CE)
A. Talented and Gifted leader
1. __________ (one who rules in someone else’s name) for the empress (his aunt)
2. Promoted _______________
3. Brought ______________ influences to Japan including Buddhism, math, art,
music, writing, architecture, and language.
4. Centralized government
5. Wrote a ________ code for Japan
VI. Heian Period (794-1184 CE)
A. ______________ government rule by the wealthy
1. The _______________ familykeeps power with “strategic marriages”
2. Capital city = ____________ (which later becomes Kyoto)
3. Growth of large land estates
4. Arts and literature thrive
VII. Kamakura Period (1185 CE – 1333 CE)
A. Japanese ___________ = a political system based on land agreements between nobles
B. Minamoto ____________ takes control of the government and becomes Japan’s first
__________ (chief military commander) Minamoto Shogunate begins. Kamakura is
made the capital city.
VIII. Diagram of Japanese Feudalism
__________
_____
______ _________
_____________________________
__
____________________________
IX. More About Japan’s Feudal System
A. Samurai = “one who_____________”
a sword fighting warrior
B. Bushido = “The Way of the _______________”
1. ____________ of the Samurai
2. Ritual _____________
a. ______________(formal term) = Disembowelment
b. ______________ (slang term) = Belly-Splitting
C. Ronin = a ____________samurai who becomes a ___________soldier
1. The Tale of the 47 Ronin (Story) the ultimate example of _________
D. __________= mountain people who developed ninjitsu (a martial art of stealth and
perseverance) to defend themselves against the Feudal lords
X. Mongols Invade Japan (1272 CE-1281 CE)
A. Kublai Khan = _____________ruler of China who attacks Japan
1. Grandson of _______________ _______________
B. The Minamoto Shogun at the time calls for all samurai to defend Japan from
the Mongols.
C. The Mongol fleet of ships is destroyed __________ by typhoons.
 The Japanese called these storms the “_______________” (or divine winds).
D. Japan was __________taken over by the Mongols. The Minamoto family continued
to rule Japan until 1333 CE.
XI. Periods of Civil War (1333CE-1598 CE)
A. Daimyo struggle for _______________ in Japan.
B. Ashikaga Shogunate
1. The __________family gains ____________control of Japan between 1338 CE
and 1573 CE.
2. _________ (formerly Heian) is capital (again).
C. _______Nobunaga (a powerful daimyo)
1. Gains power in 1598 but is __________________
D. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Nobunaga’s top general)
1. Completes the conquest of Japan and is made regent (not shogun)
XII. Edo Period (1598-1868)
A. ______________ Ieyasu (Hideyoshi’s top general) becomes shogun after Hideyoshi
dies in 1598.
B. The capital is moved to ___________(which is called Tokyo today)
C. Japan is _______________ for 250 years.
XIII. U.S. Opens Japan for Trade
A. 1846: Commodore ____________ fails
B. 1853: Commodore Matthew C. _____________
1. Brings a ___________from President Millard Filmore
2. Also brings 4 warships with him
C. 1854: Perry returns with ____ warships
1. Japan opens up for ________
XIV. The Meji Restoration (1868)
A. ______________is restored to powerno more shoguns
XV. Japan Becomes Modern (1868-1912)
A. Westernization of Japan
1. Japan develops industry and “catches up” in about _____ years.
XVII. Religions in Japan
A. Shinto = “The Way of the __________”
1. The __________religion in Japan
2. Belief that all things in _____________have a spirit
3. “People are not responsible for their ________.”
4. Emphasizes _________________
5. ______________ worship
6. _________= the nature gods
a. Afterlife = life with the divine kami
join with the _____________ spirits
7. Purification Ceremonies
B. Buddhism
1. Started in Indiaspread to ________KoreaJapan
2. Emphasizes ______________ Salvation
3. 2 Main Schools of Thought
a. Theravada = _______________
b. Mahayana = _______________
4. 2 Main Buddhist Sects in Japan
a. _______land = largest sect in Japan; no special rituals
b. _____Buddhism = Sect that emphasizes self-discipline and meditation;
it was popular with the warriors, ___________(seated meditation)
5. Goal of Buddhism = Get rid of suffering by getting rid of__________. This
will allow you to achieve _______________ (total enlightenment).
C. Many Japanese people ___________ Buddhism and Shinto.