Medieval Japan

Early Japan (Section 1) Japan is a chain of islands There are over 3,000 islands The four largest islands are ◦Hokkaido ◦Honshu ◦Shikoku ◦Kyushu

Japanese Geography Japan is covered by mountains that rise from the ocean floor About 188 of these mountains are volcanoes Many earthquakes happen in Japan

Japanese Geography Only 20% of Japan’s land can be farmed They had to use the sea for a living (i.e. fishing) The ocean kept the Japanese isolated from the rest of Asia

The First Settlers Jamon- “Cord Marks” They came from northeast Asia Hunted animals and gathered wild plants Over time they settled in fishing villages along the coast and that became their way of life (300 B.C)

Yayoi Got their name from where the archeologists dug up the artifacts They introduced farming to Japan and many other skills By 300 A.D. they organized themselves into clans

Yayoi clans A group of families related by blood or marriage Clans were headed by a small group of warriors then there were ◦Farmers ◦Artisans ◦Servants of the warriors

Japanese Legend The creation of Japan Amaterasu- sun goddess Susanowo- storm god Ninigi-grandson of Amaterasu The three sacred objects of leadership in early Japan ◦Mirror ◦Jewel ◦Sword

Yamato clan During the A.D. 500s became strong enough to bring most of Japan under its rule Jimmu- “emperor of heaven” Akihito is one of his descendants

Shotoku (Yamato prince) A.D. 600 took charge of Japan on behalf of his aunt ◦Empress Suiko He wanted a strong government so he created a constitution ◦Japan’s government began to look like China’s

Shinto “way of the spirits” Believed all things are alive, winds, mountains, and rivers, etc. Animism- all things have their own spirits Kami- nature spirits Shrines- holy places to honor the kami Must be pure for the kami to help

Shoguns and Samurai (Section 2) Nara Period (A.D. 700s) ◦Named after the new capital city of Nara ◦Jobs were given to nobles from powerful families ◦Emperor’s power came from his control of the land and its crops

Buddhism in Japan Buddhism came to Japan from Korea in A.D. 500s The Horyuji temple in Nara, Japan is the oldest wooden building in the world

The Rise of the Shogun Emperor Kammu built a new capital city (Heian) It would later be known as Kyoto It was the official capital of Japan for 1000yrs. Regents refused to give up their power ◦Fujiwara

Samurai Nobles formed private armies to protect their land and enforce laws Gave land to warriors who agreed to fight for them Samurai-”One who serves” Bushido-strict code of conduct “the way of the warrior”

Shogun (Part I) By the early 1100s the most powerful Japanese families began fighting each other using their samurai armies 1180-The Gempei War ◦Civil war between the two most powerful clans  Taira and Minamoto families ◦Leader of the Minamoto was Minamoto Yoritomo

Shogun (Part II) Minamoto won the Gempei War Yoritomo was the commander of the armies