Japan Study Guide

Question 1

Bureaucracy

Answer 1

A system of government

Question 2

Daimyo

Answer 2

Rich landowner nobles (powerful lords) who often led armies of samurai

Question 3

Nobles

Answer 3

Rich landowners

Question 4

Samurai

Answer 4

A warrior who served a Japanese lord and lived by a strict code of loyalty (bushido)

Question 5

Bushido (vocab word)

Answer 5

A code that samurai live by and means way of the warrior

Question 6

Vassal

Answer 6

A person under the protection of a lord to whom he has vowed loyalty; a low-ranking noble under the protection of the feudal lord

Question 7

Samurai Weapons

Answer 7

~Katana, a long sword
~Wakizashi, a short sword
~Yumi also called a Japanese longbow (looks like a bow for war)
~Tanto (Dagger)
~Yari (spear)

Question 8

Celadon

Answer 8

Pottery that Korea is known for; teal-ish blue

Question 9

Archipelago

Answer 9

A chain of islands

Question 10

4 main Islands of Japan

Answer 10

~Honshu
~Kyushu
~Shikoku
~Hokkaido

Question 11

Bodies of Water

Answer 11

~Sea of Japan
~Pacific Ocean
~East China Sea
~There is lots of space on the islands of Japan
~Population Density- The number of people living in a given space
~It has a high population density
~The population lives along the coast since the mountains are in the center (mountainous, high average elevation)
~10% of the world’s active population are in Japan
~Pacific Ring of Fire
~Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis
~Lots of Seismic activity

Question 12

Yamamoto Clan

Answer 12

~During the 500s, this clan ruled most of Japan
~The first emperor of Japan came from this clan
~Other clans had to give their loyalty to the Yamato chief
~Chiefs claim that they were descended from the Sun Goddess who sent her grandson to rule over the people of Japan
~The Yamato began the Taika (Great Change) in 646, Taika reforms created Japan’s first strong central government

Question 13

Shinto (religion)

Answer 13

~This means the “way of the spirits”
~Japanese rulers became linked to Shinto, their duties included Shinto rituals to ensure the well-being of Japan
~The practice of Shinto affects people in Japan today, their love for nature, striving for simplicity, cleanliness, and good manners
~There are Shinto shrines around Japan to pray

Question 14

Shotoku

Answer 14

~About 600, a Yamato prince ruled Japan on behalf of his aunt
~Since he wanted a strong, well-organized government, he created a constitution
~His constitution states that the emperor was an all-powerful leader and everyone was expected to obey him
~He admired Chinese civilization and wanted the Japanese to learn from it
~After his death, officials continued to use China as a model for Japan
~Did the Taika reforms

Question 15

Heian period

Answer 15

~During the Heian Period in Japan (794-1185 CE) Nobles started to take power
~They earned the trust of the emperor and convinced him to give them the power over all the people on their lands

Question 16

Fujiwara Clan

Answer 16

~Were wealthy/rich nobles
~In the 800’s Ce the Fujiwara Clan became the “REAL” ruler of Japan.
~In the 1100s CE Japan’s central government became very weak and the Fujiwara Clan lost power; Ruled for 300 years
~Lost their power and authority to large landholders (Daimyo)
~Daimyo paid no taxes to the Japanese government; Japan’s government ran out of money

Question 17

Feudalism

Answer 17

~The rich noble families were the DAIMYO who hired less wealthy samurai warriors both to protect and attack other DAIMYO to try to take their lands from them and add to their own.
~The rich DAIMYOs attacked each other to gain and increase their wealth and power
~Emperor: The emperor was a figurehead for the powerful shogun
~Shogun: A powerful military leader the shogun ruled in the emperor’s name
~Daimyo and Samurai: Daimyo were powerful lords who often led armies of samurais. Samurai warriors served the shogun and daimyo
~Peasants: Most Japanese were poor peasants who had no power
~The Samurai were small landowners and were given this land for a price. They had to pledge their loyalty to the DAIMYO Lords who gave them the land
~Their loyalty meant they had to give military service to the Lords
~This is called being a “vassal” (in servitude)
~This service made DAIMYO’s powerful large landowners

Question 18

Peasants

Answer 18

Most Japanese were poor peasants who had no power

Question 19

Shogun

Answer 19

~Shogun: a powerful military leader, who ruled in the emperor’s name
~Samurai warriors served the shogun and the daimyo
~Shoguns (military commanders) held real power, the emperor was just a figurehead
~They followed their interest first
~The first shogun was Minamoto Yoritomomo
~controlled a huge army and ruled all of Japan
~Japan was a military government after that

Question 20

Emperor

Answer 20

~Ancient Japan was ruled by an emperor
~Emperor: the emperor was a figurehead for the powerful shogun; they held no real power by the 12th century
~The 1st emperor of Japan came from the Yamamoto clan and became the ruler; the people of ~Japan felt the emperor gained this position because he was a direct descendant of the Sun Goddess
~All different clans fought to be the Emperor’s advisors
~During the Heian Period in Japan (794-1185 CE) Nobles earned the trust of the emperor and convinced him to give power over all the people on their lands

Question 21

Minamoto Yoritomo

Answer 21

~The first shogun who took over in 1192
~HE controlled a huge army and ruled all of Japan
~Japan was a military government for 700 years after that

Question 22

Oda Nobunaga

Answer 22

~1st great unifier of Japan
In the 1500s he began to reunite Japan
~Saw importance of European GUNS
~He traded for guns
~Defeated other armies bigger than his because guns were more lethal than swords only
~Won control of half of Japan
~“Little bird, if you do not sing, I will kill you”
~Violent, ambitious, and arrogant
~Did not accept the surrender of foes
~1582 he was assassinated
~Oda piled up the rice

Question 23

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Answer 23

~2nd great unifier of Japan
~He was Oda Nobunaga’s best Samurai General
~1584 Toyotomi assumes the role of the supreme leader of Japan; Took over after Oda Nobunaga died
~Started as a peasant (grew up in a poor farming family), rose from a common solider and became a great leader
~Won alliances with other armies and forced them to join him
~Hideyoshi gained control of ALL OF JAPAN
~“Little bird, if you do not sing, I will make you sing”
~Was nicknamed monkey by Oda
~Cunning and effective strategist
~Introduced a tax system
~Adopted heir
~Toyotomi kneaded the dough
~Died in 1598

Question 24

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Answer 24

~3rd great unifier of Japan
~General of Hideyoshi and BEAT all the other generals.
~1590 Ieyasu ordered to move to Edo (Tokyo)
~Became Shogun in 1603 and moved the capital to Edo
~He established the capital city of TOKYO (named after him)
~His family/dynasty was called the Tokugawa Shogunate
~drove/kicked out all the foreign traders and kept Japan isolated; losed off from the world
~Was afraid of Japan’s changing culture. Did everything in power to stop it
~“Little bird if you do not sing, I will wait for you.”
~Edo (modern-day Tokyo) became one of the largest cities in the world
~Haikuu very important poem
~1616 Tokugawa Ieyasu dies
~He “ate the cake”

Question 25

Silla Kingdom

Answer 25

~One of the three kingdoms of Korea
~In the southeast
~Conquered two kingdoms during the 600s
~Drove out the remaining Chinese
~Silla united Korea for the first time
~Silla nobles were fighting among themselves for power; peasants rebelled; causing Silla to collapse in 935 CE
~Koryo replaced the Silla after they fell

Question 26

Koryo Kingdom

Answer 26

~In 935 C.E. the Koyro kingdom replaced the Silla kingdom after they fell
~The name “Korea” evolved from the name Koyro
~They modeled their rule after China’s
~Koreans learned rice cultivation,

Question 27

Yayoi

Answer 27

~300 BCE the Yayoi brought farming to Japan
~300 BCE, The Yayoi organized themselves into clans, headed by warrior chiefs
(still finding more info)

Question 28

Taira

Answer 28

~Early 1100s, a period similar to the Middle Ages in Europe, noble families of Japan used their samurai armies to fight one another
~1180: civil war broke out between the most powerful families, the Taira and the Minamoto
~In the sea battle of 1185, the taira were defeated by Minamoto Yoritomo

Question 29

Unifers of Japan

Answer 29

The 3 Unifiers:
~Oda Nobunaga :(1534-1582) (Piles the rice/ got people)
~Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) (Formed the dough by taking half the people)
~Tokugawa Ieyasu: (1542-1616) (Ate the cake) (The job was done)

Question 30

7 Virtues of Bushido

Answer 30

Meiyo: Honor
Rei: Respect
Gi: Integrity
Yuuki: Heroic Courage
Makoto: Honesty and Sincerity
Chuugi: Duty and Loyalty
Jin: Compassion

Question 31

Meiyo

Answer 31

Honor
~Warriors have only one judge of character, and this is themselves
~Decisions they make and how these decisions are carried out as a reflection of whom they truly are

Question 32

Rei

Answer 32

Respect
~True warriors have no reason to be cruel
~They do not need to prove their strength
~Warriors are courteous even to their enemies
~Warriors are not only respected for their strength in battle, but also by their dealings with others

Question 33

Gi

Answer 33

Integrity
~Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people
~Believe in justice not from other people, but from yourself
~To the true warrior, all points of view are deeply considered regarding honesty, justice, and integrity

Question 34

Yuuki

Answer 34

Heroic Courage
~Hiding like a turtle in a shell is not living at all
~A true warrior must have heroic courage
~It is absolutely risky. It is living life completely, fully, and wonderfully
Makoto: Honesty and Sincerity
~When warriors say that they will perform an action, it is as good as done
~Nothing will stop them from completing what they say they will do
~They do not have to “give their word” They do not have to “promise”

Question 35

Chuugi

Answer 35

Duty and Loyalty
~Warriors are responsible for everything that they have done and everything that they have said, and all of the consequences that follow. ~They are immensely loyal to all of those in their care

Question 36

Jin

Answer 36

Compassion
~Through intense training and hard work the true warrior becomes quick and strong.
~They are not as most people
~They develop a power that must be used for good
~They have compassion. They help their fellow man at every opportunity

Question 37

Samurai Warrior Code (bushido)

Answer 37

~The samurai were fearsome warriors
~They vowed/promised to fight for their lord or Daimyo even if they could not protect their families!!!
~Dying an honorable death was more important than a long life
~Women in warrior samurai families learned how to handle weapons to protect the family from bandits when the men were away.

Question 38

What is Bushido?

Answer 38

~Women had higher status in Japan than in Europe
~Bushido means “way of the warrior”
~The samurai lived by a code called Bushido.
~This code was honor, loyalty, and bravery.
~Zen Buddhism was an important part of their lives.

Question 39

Mongol Attacks

Answer 39

~Mongol leader Kublai Khan wanted to take over Japan and got 10,000 soldiers ready for invasion from China
~Typhoon (Hurricane) came and destroyed ALL the ships
~The Emperor of Japan got credit for it because his “Godly power” protected the island
~Kublai Khan waited 10 years and planned another attack on Japan to take it over for the Mongol Empire
~This time he had 150,000 men with boats ready
~Another typhoon came and destroyed it again
~Kublai Khan gave up on conquering Japan
~Emperor of Japan got credit again

Question 40

Social Hierarchy

Answer 40

~At the top of the social pyramid was the emperor who was a figurehead for the powerful shogun
~Next was the shogun, who was a powerful military leader; and ruled in the emperor’s name
~Next are daimyo (powerful lords who often led armies of samurais); they often fought each other
~After were Samurais: warriors who served the shogun and daimyo
~At the bottom of the pyramid were peasants. About 80% of Ancient Japan were poor peasants who held no power