Japan Limits Western Contacts

Strong Leaders Take Control

A time of chaos, called the Warring States period, develops when powerful samurai take control of feudal lands, daimyo (warrior-chieftains) become lords of the land, and peasants are offered protection in return for their loyalty.

The emperor has little control– (What does this similar to that we have already

studied?)

(Oda Nobunaga takes control of Kyoto by defeating rival daimyo)

(Nobunaga commits seppuku and his general Toyotomi Hideyoshi takes over)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi controlled most of Japan and then invaded Korea and Ming China

(After Hideyoshi dies troops withdraw from Korea)

Tokugawa Ieyasu completes unification of Japan and becomes shogun (actual ruler), founding the Tokugawa Shogunate

Tokugawa Society and Culture

Japan begins to shift from a rural to an urban society.

Peasant farmers paid most of the taxes and had more difficulties than other classes

New styles of drama (kabuki), art (woodblock prints), and literature (haiku) arise in the cities to challenge traditional culture

Contact Between Europe and Japan

At first the Japanese welcome Portuguese traders who bring European technology (firearms, cannons)

Christianity is welcomed at first, then restricted, then banned

Japan then instituted a “closed country policy” only allowing trade at the port of Nagasaki and only trading with Dutch and Chinese