1. Feudal Age of Medieval Japan 1185-1868

3. Local Lords  Began to raise and train armies of samurai.  Collected taxes from people who lived on their lands.  Land called shoen, similar to a European fief.  Japan became feudal after the civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans.

4. Shogun  Victor in the civil war was Minamoto Yoritomo, who ruled Japan and made himself a shogun (military leader).  Not an emperor, as the Japanese believed that the emperor descended from the Sun God.  Yoritomo was called the shogun and had real power.  Next 600 years Japan would be ruled by shogunates.

5. Bakufu  Three parts: Military, Justice, and Day-to-day affairs  Military governors and stewards were appointed. These governors would become great feudal lords called daimyos. The samurai owed allegiance to the daimyo.

6. Power - The shogun, daimyos, and samurai had the power in feudal Japan - Daimyos had much more power than the government, just like feudal Europe. They fought one another and ruled their own lands.

7. In Summary  Land called a shoen.  The shogun is a military leader (not an emperor).  Bakufu is the government.  Feudal lords called daimyos ruled over their land and trained and built armies of samurai. These samurai owed allegiance to the daimyo.

8. Feudal Society

9. Social Structure  There were complicated social relationships. Respect is and was very important.  Every person knew their rank in society; women were always considered inferior to men.  Respect was given in bows, or prostration (lying on ground with face downward)  There are eight to nine levels in feudal society. Royal family and higher nobles at the top, shogun, daimyos, samurai, and finally commoners were ranked according to their occupation.  No social mobility (cannot move up in class).

10. Royal Family & Higher Nobles  Had very little power.  Lived apart from the rest of the people.  Performed at ceremonies, studied art, and participated in the Emperor’s court.

11. Samurai Class  Shogun, Daimyos and Samurai belong to this class.  Similar to knights and barons.  Focused on military arts, bravery, and self- control.  Had tremendous pride in their family history and their role in society.  They had the right to kill any commoner who offended them.

12. Commoners  Ranked according to their occupation.  Children were required to do the same job as their parents.  Rank:  Farmers/Peasants  Artisans  Merchants  Burakumin – butchers, executioners, tanners  Hinin – entertainers, beggars, vagrants  Outcasts – Ainu, descendants of slaves, courtesans