Edo Japan Flashcards
Feudal system
Based on land, controlled domains, local lords
Class determined by birth
No social mobility but lower ranks improve situations by hard work, etc
Strict rules governed by the behaviour of each class
Feudal Hierarchy
Emperor
Shogun
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasants
Artisans
Merchants
Outcasts & Ainu
Daimyo
Powerful Japanese noble and landowner
Competed for territory and power
Emperor
Supreme ruler of Japan
Shogun
A military ruler in feudal Japan
Shogunate
A council of advisors to the shogun
Tokugawa leyasu
Defeated the rival daimyo in great battle
In 1603 the emperor made him Shogun of Japan
To ensure he stayed shogun he put many rules in place like Alternate Attendance rule
Alternate Attendance rule
Required the daimyo to maintain 2 houses which costs a lot (restricts wealth)
Had to leave family members behind in Edo when they leave
If suspected of any uprisings family members would be killed
The Bakuhan system
Level one: The Shogunate
Controlled foreign relations
Shogun personally owned 1/4 of all lands, mines, ports and cities in Japan
Level two: The Daimyo
Collected taxes
Controlled and paid for local affairs which used up a lot of money
How did the shogun control personal lives?
Dress laws
Marriage laws
Secret police
Renovation laws
Weapons laws
Dress laws
Prevented what certain classes could wear, preventing class mixing
Marriage laws
The shogun had to approve all marriages
Preventing daimyo families from making unwanted alliances
Secret Police
Find dissenters and punish them
Renovation laws
Daimyo can’t modify their castles without shogun’s permission
Preventing defences being built
Weapon laws
Commoners we’re forbidden from owning any kind of weapons
Prevent Daimyo from raising up armies
Samurai
Live in castles controlled by the shogun/daimyo they served
Only they can have swords (small one to cut head, big one to cut in half)
Serve in battle and officers in town
Had privilege but forbidden from trade and business
Live simple lived had no other choice
Peasants
Farmed the land
Important because they produce the food for society
Laws controlled their whole life
Forbidden to smoke tobacco or drink rice wine
Need special permission to travel outside district
Artisans
Extremely skilled but ranked lower than peasants
This is because they need other materials to be produced for them first
Objects artisans made were useful and beautiful
Merchants
Bought items from artisans to trade or sell
Arranged for the shipping and distribution of food and stored rice in their warehouses
Similar to bankers because rice was their currency
Since they don’t produce anything they are ranked lower
Outcasts
This class was shamed because of their work
Their work in some way involved death: butchers, dispose animal carcasses
Weren’t allowed to change jobs
Weren’t allowed to enter a peasants home
Weren’t allowed to be in a city after 8 pm
Ainu
Indigenous people of northern Japan (Hokkaido)
Lived in Ezochi separate from the rest of Japan
The Japanese started to take over their lands later becoming Hokkaido
They attempted to assimilate the Ainu
Restricted their living only on lands the government gave them
Women in society
The class a woman is born into determines her responsibilities
Women in rural areas have more freedom than upper class women
Women were always considered lower than men
Women didn’t have legal existence during the Edo period: couldn’t own property
Samurai virtues
Honour
Bravery
Unquestioning loyalty
Self discipline
Self denial
Samurai schools
Stressed filial piety/devotion to the parents on to the students
Roles of duty and obligation
Ruler to Subject
Father to Children
Husband to Wife
Older brother to Younger brother
Friend to Friend
The first role is to be wise and nuts and protect and support the other
The second role is to obey, respect and honour the other
Gonin Gumi
The lower classes were in groups of five families
Everyone could be punished if one is disobedient
These members are supposed to help each other
Seppuku
Initial suicide performed in Japan as an alternative to public shame
Samurais had the privilege to commit sepukku if the failed others
What were the traditional arts in Japan?
Kabuki
Japanese tea ceremony
Sumo wrestling
Bunraku
Woodblock prints
Martial arts
The floating worlds
Cultural activities took place in these areas of the cities
The rules are more relaxed here
They let the shogun keep this area open but under surveillance
Used to catch people planning bad things or saying something drunk
