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Kami
Spirits or deities in the Shinto religion, believed to inhabit natural objects, places, and ancestors.
Bakufu
The military government established by the shogunate in feudal Japan.
Koku
A unit of measurement used in Japan to assess the amount of rice needed to feed one person for a year; also used as a currency to determine wealth and taxation.
Heian
The period (794-1185) in Japanese history known for its cultural advancements, courtly life, and the emergence of the samurai class.
Daimyo
Powerful feudal lords who controlled large landholdings and maintained their own samurai armies.
Shogun
The military ruler of Japan who held actual power, while the emperor remained a symbolic figure.
Azuchi Period
The late 16th-century period of Japanese unification under Oda Nobunaga, who established a strong central government.
Sengoku Period
A period of civil war and social upheaval (1467-1603) marked by the struggle between warring states (daimyo) for dominance.
Yamato
The first ruling clan of Japan, establishing early forms of centralized government.
Amaterasu
The sun goddess in Shinto belief, considered the mythical ancestor of Japan's imperial family.
Samurai
The warrior class in feudal Japan, serving daimyo and shogun under a strict code of conduct.
Bushido
The "Way of the Warrior," a samurai code emphasizing loyalty, honor, and discipline.
Yayoi
An ancient Japanese culture (300 BCE-300 CE) known for agriculture, metallurgy, and the introduction of rice farming.
Explain why landowners began hiring samurai.
As the central government weakened during the late Heian period, landowners needed private armies to protect their land from bandits and rival clans. They hired samurai as warriors loyal to their lords, creating a feudal system.
Explain the causes and effects of the Kemmu Restoration.
Causes: Emperor Go-Daigo attempted to overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate and restore imperial rule in 1333.
Effects: The restoration short-lived due to opposition from powerful samurai clans. A. Takauji overthrew Go-Daigo in 1336, establishing the Ashikaga Shogunate -leading to a divided imperial court (Northern and Southern Courts).
Explain why a shogun would want to permit the emperor to keep his position as emperor rather than simply eliminate the emperor altogether.
The emperor was seen as a divine figure, descended from Amaterasu. Keeping the emperor as a symbolic leader gave legitimacy to the shogun's rule while ensuring the emperor had no real power.
Identify the impact of Portuguese traders and the innovations they introduced to Japan.
Portuguese traders introduced firearms (muskets), Christianity, and new trade goods (such as silk and tobacco). Muskets changed warfare, making traditional samurai combat with swords less effective. Christianity led to conflicts with Japanese authorities, ultimately resulting in its suppression.
Identify the ideas/technology introduced to Japan through trade with China and explain the impact of those developments on Japanese society.
Ideas: Confucianism, Buddhism, written script (kanji), and government models.
Technology: Porcelain-making, paper, printing, and advanced shipbuilding.
Impact: Confucianism shaped Japan’s social hierarchy and government, Buddhism influenced spiritual life, and technological advancements improved education, trade, and administration.
Identify the shogun nicknamed Japan’s “Great Unifier” and explain why he earned this name.
Oda Nobunaga - he was the first major figure to significantly unify the country during the Sengoku period, overthrowing the Ashikaga Shogunate and laying the groundwork for further unification by his successors like Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Identify the true holders of power in Japan from circa 860 to 1160 and explain how this family established itself as the true authority.
The Fujiwara clan held power by marrying their daughters into the imperial family and serving as regents (Sesshō and Kampaku) to young emperors, controlling the government behind the scenes.
Evaluate the significance of The Tale of Genji as both art and a historical record.
Written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, it is the world’s first novel. It provides insight into Heian-era court life, including customs, politics, and gender roles, making it both a literary masterpiece and a valuable historical document.
Explain how the introduction of Confucianism to Japan had both positive and negative effects on women.
Positive: Encouraged education for elite women and promoted household management skills.
Negative: Reinforced patriarchy, limiting women’s political and social roles and emphasizing their duty to serve men.
Evaluate the impact of Japanese geography on the politics and society of Japan.
-Limited farmland led to intense competition for agricultural land, shaping social hierarchy and making rice an economic backbone (taxes were paid in rice).
-Surrounded by water, Japan relied on fishing and trade, but isolation also helped develop a unique culture.
-The sea protected Japan from foreign invasions, including two failed Mongol invasions (1274, 1281), reinforcing the belief that Japan was divinely protected (kamikaze winds).
Kamakura Shogunate (1185–1333)
Rise: Established by Minamoto no Yoritomo after defeating the Taira clan in the Genpei War.
Rule: while the emperor remained a figurehead. Repelled Mongol invasions (1274, 1281).
Fall: Economic strain from Mongol invasions weakened the government, and Emperor Go-Daigo's rebellion led to its collapse in 1333.
Ashikaga Shogunate (1336–1573)
Rise: A. Takauji overthrew Emperor Go-Daigo -established his rule, moving the capital to Kyoto.
Rule: The shogunate struggled to control the powerful daimyo, leading to constant internal conflicts
Fall: The shogunate lost power as daimyo fought for dominance and Oda Nobunaga forced the last Ashikaga shogun into exile in 1573.
Japanese Forms of Feudalism
Leader
Shogun ruled in the emperor’s name
Landowners
Daimyo
Warriors
Samurai followed Bushido
Peasants
Farmers who provided food and labor
Loyalty
Samurai served daimyo with absolute loyalty
European forms of feudalism
Leader
King ruled with divine right
Landowners
Nobles/Lords
Warriors
Knights followed Chivalry
Peasants
Serfs who worked the land
Loyalty
Knights swore fealty but had some independence
