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CHAPTER 14,

SECTION 1:EARLY JAPAN

February 16, 2012

Objectives Today, we will

learning about the geography of

Japan, and Japan’s influence on China.

Japan’s Geography Chain of islands

Isolated from rest of Asia

*4 Largest: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu

*Like CHINA, Japan is covered by mountainsEarthquake prone

Japan’s Geography *20% of land is

farmable

*Made living on and from the sea

*Fiercely independent society

First Settlers *30,000 – 10,000

BC – Japan’s earliest settlers arrive.

*Jomon – “cord marks”, earliest group, made living from fishing

First Settlers *Yayoi – introduced

Farming to Japan, prob. learned skills from CHINESE and Koreans

Yayoi: *Paddy – a rice field that is flooded when rice is planted & drained for the harvest.

Yayoi: *Clan – Yayoi were organized into clans.

First Settlers Yayoi: *Warrior

Chiefs – Protected the ppl in return for a share of the rice harvest each yr.

Yayoi: *Tombs – Kofun = Yayoi tombs

First Settlers Creation Myth

*Drops of Japan*Amaterasu ruled the

Earth*Susanowo the storm

god

Symbols of leadership: *Mirror, Jewel, & a Great Sword

First Settlers A.D. 500s – *Yamato,

a family clan, b/c ruler of Japan

*Yamato believe to be Amaterasu of descendants

*Jimmu, a Yamato leader, b/c “emperor of heaven.”

First Settlers *Jimmu, a Yamato

leader, b/c “emperor of heaven.”

Claimed the right to rule

*Akihito, present day emperor, is one of Jimmu descendants.

First Settlers Began promoting the

adoption of CHINESE culture (sent officials to study in China):

Confucianism. Language (kanji

characters). Buddhist sects. Chinese art &

architecture. Government structure.

Prince Shotoku’s Reforms *Shotoku – a

Yamato prince, wanted a strong gov’t

*Shotoku looked to China for an ex. of a strong country

Prince Shotoku’s Reforms *Shotoku created a

constitution to achieve a strong gov’t

Shotoku’s Cons:*Gave all power to the

emperor*Created a

bureaucracy*Contained Confucius

ideas

Prince Shotoku’s Reforms Shotoku sent students

to China to learn.

*Buddhism – Shotoku built Buddhist temples & monasteries

*Horyuji – Japan’s oldest temple & the world’s oldest surviving wooden building

Prince Shotoku’s Reforms *Taika – “Great

Change” *Divided Japan into

provinces with rulers reporting to the emperor

*All land under the emperor’s control

*Tax – Gov’t officials could only collect taxes for the emperor (crops)

Shinto *Shinto- “way of the

spirits”

*Animism- believe that all natural things (mountains, water, etc.) have spirits.

*Kami- nature spirits

*Shrines- holy places were spirits are worshiped.

Shinto There are "Four Affirmations” in Shinto:

Tradition and the family: Their main celebrations relate to birth and marriage.

Love of nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to the Gods.

Physical cleanliness: Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouth often.

"Matsuri": The worship and honor given to the Kami and ancestral spirits.

Homework