Key Terms and Concepts from Japanese History Lecture

A set of flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to Japanese history, particularly focusing on the samurai era and shogunate.

daimyo

Large landowners who hired samurai to protect their land.

samurai

Trained professional warriors.

shogun

A general who ruled Japan, surpassing the power of the emperor.

figurehead

A leader who appears to be in charge, but the real power is held by someone else.

bushido

The samurai warrior code of behavior.

values

Ideas that people hold dear and try to live by.

kamikaze

The 'divine wind' believed to have destroyed invading Mongol fleets.

Oda Nobunaga

Japanese shogun, first to introduce guns brought by Portuguese traders.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Unified all of Japan and established the Tokugawa shogunate.

shogunate

Rule by shoguns.

feudalism

A system of protection in which land and people are protected by skilled warriors in exchange for land.

isolation

To be apart from others.