Early Japan

Question 1

Geography of Japan

Answer 1

• series of islands - an archipelago
• lacks natural resources
• must import raw materials to make finished or manufactured goods
• mountainous- less arable or fertile land
• short, swift rivers

Question 2

Influence of China and Korea on Japan

Answer 2

Greatly influenced by Chinese culture with Korea serving as a cultural bridge connecting China to Japan

Question 3

Cultural Diffusion in Japan

Answer 3

Writing, Confucianism, and Buddhism entered Japan from China and Korea

Question 4

Japanese Beliefs

Answer 4

• Did not believe in the Mandate of Heaven
• Shinto was the traditional religion of Japan and was a form of animism that emphasized the importance of spirit and nature

Question 5

Japan’s Golden Age

Answer 5

The Heian period

• art and literature flourished
• resulted in noble landowners raising their own private armies of warriors (samurai)