Imperial Japan

Archipelago

chain of islands on tectonic plates; will deal with earthquakes, tsunamis and more

Honshu

center of activity, trade, capital cities, most mountainous, populous

Hokkaido

northern most, winter weather, smaller population

Kyushu

southern most; tropical, rainforests, was dropped by US with atomic bombs in WWII

Shikoku

smallest island of 4; lots of commerce with Honshu

only 1/5 of Japanese land is farmable

Problem for farming in Japan

Terraced farming

cutting leveled areas in mountains for farming land

Oyashio

colder northern current

Kuroshio

hotter southern current

storm

what the currents create when met

Lots of mountains, far away from other countries, high rainfall, lots of sea life in waters

Isolation in Japan

Japanese being descendants of sun god

Japanese origin myth; taught in schools until 1946

Japanese Emperor admitting he wasn’t a god on radio

Event after WWII that changed Japanese culture

Korea

Most closely related Asian country to Japan

California

Japan is as big as this US state

Sense of superiority, don’t want ties with other countries

Why do Japanese feel so passionate about their own theories of origin and originality?

Nippon or Nihon

Japan’s name (there’s 2 variations)

Nippon

Is Nippon or Nihon older?

Nihon

Is Nippon or Nihon more popular?

“The Land of the Rising Sun”

Phrase that Japan is referred to

first

Japan is the ____ Asian country to start the day/see the sun

Amaterasu

Japanese Sun Goddess

Direct descendants

The Imperial Family is considered what to Amaterasu?

the sun

What is the red dot on the Japanese flag?

Japan taking over , fascism

What does the rising sun flag mean during WWII/why is it controversial?

culture, language, religion

Like Greece, what unites different cities in Japan?

Kami

Spirits in nature

Animism

the belief that everything has a spirit

Shinto

Animistic Japanese belief system; “The Way of the Gods”

Torii

A Japanese gate symbolized as a passageway for spirits

Jinja

central building; center of prayer

Shinto practices have become apart of Japanese culture

What makes Shinto relevant to the Japanese today?

few

__ Japanese people call themselves religious

Purity, cleanliness, harmony, respect for nature, importance of the group over the individual

principles of Shinto

Yamato

The Family of when the first Japanese empire was established in 400 AD; still exists to this day

Japanese used Chinese characters

Chinese writing influence on Japan

calligraphy

art of elegant writing

Buddhism

What religion comes from China to Japan

Zen

Buddhist principle of meditation and peace

syncretism

Buddhism and Shinto have…

Buddhist; Shinto

Japanese funerals are __ and births/marriages are __

clear afterlife

Why do the Japanese use Buddhism for funerals?

Chinese superiority

What does Japan realize when they send ambassadors to China?

Heian

The capital Japan builds in response to Chinese superiority

The Heian Period

The era that starts after Japan moves the capital

stability

What allows Golden ages to happen?

Independent Japanese culture

The Golden age allows the explosion of…

Japanese

In the Golden age, Poetry is now written in…

The Tale of Genji

the biggest accomplishment of the golden age

Lady Murasaki Shikibu

author of “The Tale of Genji”

complex emotions; hear a character’s thoughts

what does it mean for a novel to be “psychological”?

feudalism

political system based on the granting of land in return for loyalty, military assistance and other services

dues/crops, loyalty from peasant

what the lord receives in a feudalistic relationship

land, military assistance

what the peasant received in a feudalistic relationship

Europe

Other than Japan, where is feudalism commonly used?

Emperor

figurehead, symbolic leader, lacks government authority

Shogun

“real government power, controls: military, finances, laws/courts

Daimyo

translates to “great names”, local lords(owned parcels of land)

little direct contact, emperor is respected but Shogun holds true power

relationship between emperor and shogun

Daimyos have more local authority, Shogun can easily overpower Daimyo, Daimyos can group overthrow

relationship between Shogun and Daimyo

Samurai

hired warriors, devoted to defense, strict and disciplined

Bushido

“The Way of the Warrior”

surrender

Japanese warriors never _____

Seppuku

Also known as Hara-kiri, Ceremonial suicide

honor

When committing Seppuku, Warriors gain back their ___

Katana

long sword

Wakizashi

suicide tool, kept as constant reminder

Peasant

Work pieces of land, Pay daimyos crops and dues

Fujiwara family

800s-1100s AD: First non-imperial family gains more political power than emperor: NOT SHOGUNS

Kamakura Shogunate

Named after founding city; establishes first shogun

Minamoto Yoritomo

the first shogun

Ashikaga Shogunate

Emperor tried to regain power as Kamakura weakened, instead the shoguns of this shogunate weakened

Haiku

Simple Japanese poem

Zen Buddhism

Buddhism that becomes popular in Japan

Zen garden

temple of worship created by Zen Buddhists with plants/nature; meditation

Tea ceremony

ceremony similar to priests consecrating bread/wine, nature based, origin was for caffeine but eventually became symbolic

Sado

tea ceremony; “the way of the tea”

Koan

Zen brainteaser used to divert the mind

Noh Theater

simple plays/reenactments where the actors don’t speak and the stories are told by chanters

ikebana

Japanese flower arrangements; seen as a way to bring nature inside

Zen Paintings

lots of nature depictions, nature is bigger than us, not much color/open space

It is strict and disciplined

Why does Zen Buddhism appeal to samurai?

nature, beauty, simplicity

Themes of zen art forms

Mt. Fuji

mountain in Japan

Kyoto

modern name of Heian

Edo

ancient name of Tokyo