Medieval Japan

Medieval Japan

1. no contact between the western world of Europe

2. the only contact was with the neighbouring Asian countries

3. the sea was very important

4. the landscape was very mountainous

5. because there was no contact to other countries this meant no attacks for long periods of time

6. the three main biggest islands are Hokkaido, Kyusha, Honshu, Shikoku

7. the Japanese land was called the land of the rising sun

8. only 20% of the land could be used for farming

9. Food

   • they ate a lot of fish
   • the Japanese food was mainly based on seafood, fish and rice
   • the food was based highly on what the presentation looked like
   • food was an art form
   • the colour, shape, combination of dishes and place setting was carefully arranged
   • sushi, sashimi, udon noodles were eaten

10. Living

    • poorer families lived in one story houses with paper walls, with light weight materials
    • timber paper and straw was used to build houses the problem with that it that the materials were very flammable
    • if you were wealthier you lived in a big house
    • dividers were used to make rooms (were portable)
    • they didn't eat much in the way of meat

11. the medieval time lasted from the 12-19 century

12. the shogun

    • the last family to have the shogun the Tokugawa from 603-1868
    • the shogun was a powerful leader
    • girls wouldn't rule the shogun only men
    • the Dokogargun shogun kept all the families under control
    • Japan under the Shinto did not have a fixed capital city
    • the shogun means barbarian quelling great general it began at the end of the 12th century
    • in 1868 the shogun became hated
    • he became hated because he didn't protect Japan

13. the country Edo is now called Tokyo

14. the samurai were the soldiers

15. The Emperor

    • the emperor was regarded as divine
    • the emperor relied upon the nobles
    • Koyto was the imperial city were the emperor lived
    • the emperor was known as a god
    • the emperor had heaps of power but he never exercised it

16. the first written reference to Japan was in 57CE from China

17. Families

    • usually included many generations
    • Japanese families had hierocracy
    • in ancient times some women reached a level of respect
    • when the shogun too over women were inferior
    • marriages were arranged

18. MEIJI

    • the Meiji means enlightened ruler
    • when Meiji took over from the shogun it was called a revelation because there was so much change in such a short time
      • The changes were
        • the strict class system was relaxed
        • all clans owned by the Tokogawa was now owned by the emperor
        • the position of the samurai was weakened
        • all classes of men fought
        • Education was reformed and made compulsory
        • The samurais were no longer aloud to carry around two swords
    • the Japanese army was rebuilt on the German army
    • they built their navy based on the British navy
    • in 1912 the Meiji died
    • with these reforms the Japanese defeated Russia

19. Sport

    • in the west sumo wrestling was popular
    • with sumo there were very strict rules
    • Sumo took place in Shinto temples
    • the wrestlers were kept under strict rules
    • Marshal arts were important such as Judo, Kendo and Karate
    • Samurais were aloud to carry two swords around
    • these sports were unarmed defence

20. Japanese Gardens

    • influenced by Zen Buddhism
    • a traditional Chinese garden consists of
      • lantern
      • carefully arranged rocks
      • water
      • bridge
    • Bonsai was an art which involved carving a small tree in a pot
    • patients and meditation is needed to clip the bonsai tree
    • Japanese and Vietnamese had a form of a bonsai tree