Medieval Japan

Medieval Japan

1. Geography and cuisine

   • Japan is an isolated country
     • isolation was a defence in war
   • Japan is a collection of islands
     • neighbours that they traded with were China and Korea
   • sea was very important
   • China had a massive influence on Japan
   • had many mountains
     • did not have a lot of agriculture
       • 20% farming
       • 80% mountains
       • That is the reason the Japanese cuisine is mainly rice and seafood
   • was known as the land of the rising sun
   • had many earthquakes and Tsunamis

2. Trading

   • Until Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853CE demanded and threatened Japan with black war ships America traded with Japan.
     • shogunate was destroyed
       • Shogun was the ruler
         • commanded was powerful army
         • different families fought so they could rule the shogunate
     • emperor then instead of being a decoration became the ruler
       • social pyramid changed
       • emperor was their god
     • Meiji meant the Empreor ruled
       • religious freedom
       • written constitution
       • higher education

3. lasted from the 17th to the 19th century

4. Emperor and Religion

   • was their god
   • was scene as a decoration until became ruler when the shogunate was over thrown
   • lived in the city koyoto
     • where the government was
   • shinto was very popular
     • shinto means the ways of the god
       • Shinto meant the emperor choose the capital
   • meditation was important
   • Zen Buddhism
     • was important

5. Society

   • In Japanese society Harmony was very important
     • was seen in artwork
   • Harmony was seen in art work
   • strongly influenced by buddhism
   • Feudal system
     • Emperor
       • Shogun
         • daimyo
           • samuraui
             • merchants
               • left overs (no class)
               • very wealthy
               • In 1868 merchants rose to top
       • Needed people (public) to support them so they could remain powerful
         • rarely happened to Emperor as the Emperor was a God
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       • was a symbol
   • Family was important
     • Confucianism
       • respect for elders
       • correct social relationships
       • ancestor worship
       • morality was important
   • Woman
     • had level of importance
   • judged by what they wore
     • Empress wore silk (very expensive)
   • civil war was common
     • unusual for woman to go off to war
       • woman had more right than other countries

6. Architecture

   • emerged in the 7th century
   • mostly built of wood
     • as Japan had many tsunamis and earthquakes
       • including castles
       • meaning it was then easy to repair
   • changed
   • then changed to timber
   • castles were common
     • did not last for very long due to earth quakes
       • Himeji Castle is the only still standing castle

7. Art and Literture

   • Art was significent
   • Jomon pots were common
   • paintings were religious
   • scences from stories were painted
   • Orogami
     • paper first came from China
       • 8th century
   • calligraphy
     • Japanese style was copied from China
     • used in official documents
     • hiragana and Kanji were art works
   • Food was an art form
     • sushi
     • sashimi
     • influenced Western Food
       • many Japanese restaurants
     • colour and shape of table setting was important