Japan Full For the Final

Archipelago

(japan is)a chain of islands

Battle of Midway Island

Occurred on June 4, 1942, was mostly air fighting. This was the turning point in the war(WW2) for U.S. US planes destroyed 4 Japan aircrafts, defeated the Japanese navy.

Bushido

the code of honor and morals developed by the Japanese samurai.

Diet

legislature; Japanese [elected] parliament that addresses the concerns of the people

Feudalism

A political system in which nobles(daimyo) are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king, in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land

Figurehead

A person who appears to rule even though real power rests with someone else; leader in name only

Gaman

Enduring in the face of difficulty with patience and dignity

Island Hopping

A military strategy used by U.S against Japan during World War II that involved selectively attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others

Juku

after school private tutoring; an additional school in Japan for preparing students for college(aka "cram school")

Kana

a set of written symbols that represented syllables; new system of writing in Japan that replaced Chinese in more lower class families

Keiretsu

Japanese business groups after the post-WWII dismantling of the zaibatsu. They are Alliances of corporations each often centered around a bank. They dominate the post-WWII Japanese economy.

Kumi

Homeroom(group of students that stay together all day)

Megalopolis

a very large, heavily populated city or urban complex.

Militarism

A policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war(shogunate rule)

Monsoon

rainy season in southern Asia when the southwestern monsoon blows, bringing heavy rains

Russo-Japanese War

A 1904-1906 conflict between Russia and Japan, sparked by the two countries' efforts to dominate Manchuria and Korea(Japan wins a battle)

Seppuku

a form of ritual suicide that originated with Japan's ancient samurai warrior class

Typhoon

A tropical cyclone occurring in the western Pacific or Indian oceans; common in Japan

Zaibatsu

Large family owned/government sanctioned monopolies that controlled most of Japanese economy during before WWII; owned many companies

Bureaucracy

A system of managing government through departments run by appointed officials

Commodore Matthew Perry

A navy commander who, on July 8, 1853, became the first foreigner to break through the barriers that had kept Japan isolated from the rest of the world for 250 years. Signed treaty of Kanagawa

Daimyo

great samurai/powerful military figures

Emperor

was a figurehead in Japan starting from 724 but gained back power in Meiji Period

Minamoto Yoritomo

founded Kamakura Shogunate(first shogunate); was the strongest samurai and was appointed shogun by emperor; begun feudal systems

Samurai

"warrior knights" in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a noble in return for land.

Shogunate

The japanese system of centralized government under a shogun, who exercised actual power while the emperor was reduced to a figurehead.

Hideyoshi

Toyotomi; unites japan under one shogun after warring states; expels all European missionaries; tried to invade Korea

Fujiwara

Japanese aristocratic family in mid-9th century; exercised exceptional influence over imperial affairs(emperor became figurehead)

Shogun

A general who ruled Japan in the emperor's name; chief general of the army

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Hideyoshi's right-hand man, appointed shogun by emperor; founded Edo shogunate and four-class system

Yamato Clan

Clan, or uji, that dominated a corner of Honshu and set up Japan's first and only dynasty; founded written lang; cultural borrowing

Hirohito

Emperor of Japan during WWII; incited invasion of China, pearl harbor, etc.

Mutsuhito

Young emperor(16) of Japan with the title"Enlightened One"; Fires shogun/daimyo/samurai and reinstates power back to emperor; led the significant modernization of Japan

Kyoiku mama

A Japanese pejorative term which translates literally as "education mother". It is is a term that refers to a mother who relentlessly drives her child to study. The measure of a successful mother is a successful kid.

General Douglas MacArthur

He was one of the most-known American military leaders of WW2(He made the Japanese surrender at Tokyo in 1945); Allied commander of Japanese Occupation

Prince Shotoku

573-621 Protected the Queen and took leadership(bc no like women); adopted Chinese culture and part of Taika; created new gov structure/first written constitution

Okinawa

largest of the Ryukyu Islands

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Two Japanese cities on which the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs to end World War II(Aug 6 & 9, 1945)

Kyoto

the capital city of medieval Japan

Manchuria

Province in northeast China invaded by Japan in September 1931

Korea

Invaded by Japan in 1910

Edo

Tokugawa capital city; modern-day Tokyo; center of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Heian

Capital city(new court) of Japan under the Yamato emperors, later called Kyoto; built in order to escape influence of Buddhist monks

Taika

"Great Change" that introduced bureaucracy and taxation; the reforms enacted in 646 that intended to thoroughly incorporate Chinese culture and politics into Japanese society

Heian Court

AD 794 to 1192 imperial court that ruled Japan during a period of peace and security; started with emperor but was soon replaced by Fujiwara Family; eventually was replaced by feudalism.

Meiji

Name of emperor Mutsuhito, a period of time(Meiji Restoration), and a form of government. Means "Enlightened One". Meiji(the person & period) made drastic changes to Japan in a short period of time.

Shinto

"the way of the gods"; Japan's major religion that worshipped ancestors and nature - belief that everything in nature is filled with divine spirits(gods called 'kami')

Kami

Any sacred being worshipped in Shinto including nature spirits and ancestors; "Shinto gods"

Buddhism

A religion based on the teachings of the Buddha; seeking enlightenment and overcoming suffering

Zen Buddhism

a Buddhist sect that emphasizes enlightenment through meditation and stresses simplicity and discipline; achieving enlightenment by seeing one's original mind (or original nature) directly; without the intervention of the intellect

Matsuri

Community festivals held every spring and fall to celebrate the kami(ancestors) of each Japanese clan and village

Four Affirmations

1) honoring tradition and family 2) love of nature 3) physical cleanliness 4) honoring matsuri(festivals and ceremonies)