Japan Unit Review Flashcards
In what ways did Japan isolate itself from the rest of the world?
• Geographically - people settled along the eastern coast of Japan because the western coast had limited area for safe harbors, travel was dangerous so the Japanese did not go west to trade with China, Korea, Russia.
• During the Edo Period the shogun maintained strict power and control socially, economically and politically, limiting or forbidding any contact with the outside world
○ Expulsion and execution of the Christians and missionaries.
○ Forbade books with Christian information, science and technology books were banned initially.
○ No one was allowed to leave or enter the country, even Japanese citizens.
○ Outside influences and ideas were to be kept at a minimum, trade with the Dutch happened once a year, and only loyal officials had any contact with them.
• The Strict feudal system did not allow for people and information to flow freely between the classes, everyone had their place.
• Obedience, loyalty and honor were required, any disobedience was severely punished and came with shame for the entire class or family.
• Japan was a self sufficient country so they did not need food, supplies, or materials from other countries.
How did isolation during the Edo period lead to changes in Japan?
• There was a cultural explosion of uniquely Japanese experiences.
○ Kabuki - a form of theater that became popular.
○ Sumo wrestling - originated as a religious performance became popular entertainment.
○ Tea ceremony - ritual is supposed to bring enjoyment and peace of mind to the participants.
○ Haiku - new form of poetry began in the Edo period.
○ Bunraku - puppet theater with large, almost life size puppets.
○ Increased literacy rate - 50% of the male population could read.
○ Woodblock prints.
○ Kendo - martial art that developed the person, not just techniques to kill someone.
○ Noh - musical dance drama.
- Peace brought prosperity to Japan, merchant class was growing and becoming wealthy.
- Samurai were not needed as much during peacetime.
- Increased rice production because of irrigation.
- Road improvements.
- Expanding urban populations.
- Gold and silver coins introduced as currency rather than rice.
How did the changes resulting from isolation affect Japan economically, politically and socially during the Edo period?
- Peace allowed for prosperity and economic growth.
- Politically the shogun maintain his power and control by demanding alternate attendance, peasants were not allowed to have weapons, daimyo’s had to pay for roads in their domains, as well as require permission from the shogunate to renovate or expand their castles, as well as had to get marriages approved.
- People were not allowed to travel from place to place without permission.
- Creation of the floating worlds where men were allowed to blow off some steam.
- Economically peasants were heavily taxes, natural disasters had devastating effects on the poor people.
- Money lenders and merchants gained considerable wealth.
- Japan faced outside influences which they saw as dangerous because it was threatening to the Shogun’s power.
How did the physical geography of Japan affect its worldview?
• Japan’s natural beauty was reflected in Shinto religion focusing on balance and harmony with nature.
• Kami - animal spirits, gods are natural things like mountains.
• Ainu beliefs in water, wind, fire and earth - kami.
• Beauty also reflected in arts, hobbies and celebrations:
○ Flower arranging, and tea ceremonies.
○ Woodblock art.
○ Haiku.
○ Calligraphy.
○ Seasonal celebrations - most important fall and spring.
■ Cherry blossoms a symbol of beauty, beginnings and endings.
• Waterways become important for the transportation of people, goods and knowledge - particularly the ocean coastlines.
How did the shogun use the feudal system and the hierarchical social classes to maintain control of Japan?
• People were not able to move up in society, you were born into a class and stayed there.
• Similar to the Aztecs, Japanese had strict dress codes for the upper and lower classes.
• Samurai were the only ones to have weapons, particularly swords.
• 5 Relationship - most important being master to servant.
○ Had to always obey and do what they told you to do
• Peasants not allowed to have any weapons to prevent uprisings.
• Mandated alternate attendance, surrounded enemies with loyal daimyo, had to approve renovations to daimyo homes, and marriages, mandated that the daimyo had to pay for the roads in their areas.
• Samurai were used to keep people in line, were also forced to live a life just above poverty.
• Used values like honor, obedience, shame, loyalty, filial piety to his advantage to keep people in line.
What were the motivations for the radical changes in Japan’s model of organization during the Meiji period?
• Shogun had lost the confidence of the people when the Americans forced him to sign unequal treaties
○ It was obvious that the Americans were militarily superior and had advanced technology
• People were angry about how the shogun had handled natural disasters where 30% of the population died of starvation
• Peasants were highly taxed to the point that they were unable to pay, and fled to the cities to find work - rice shortages
• Introduction of western ideas eroded the Shogun’s power and control over the people as they began to slowly question things
• Some people believed that the shogun had become too powerful, and had taken that power from the Emperor
• Shogun resigned, loyal daimyo were forced into retirement, samurai were executed
• Civil war broke out and those who supported the Emperor won
• Emperor residence moved from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo) to show how the new government and the Emperor were going to work together
How did Japan adapt to changes brought on by the transition from feudal to modern models of organization?
• New opportunities for social mobility
• Peasants could own land, move around, improve their situation in society
• Disbanded the Samurai, no longer needed
○ Given pensions, and expected to find other employment
• Daimyos were encouraged to give land to the government
○ Given lift long pensions
• Government set up companies, factories and industries and then sold them for cheap to different families to run
• Was some backlash against all the changes
○ Samurai uprising, but they lost
• Missions sent out to west to investigate best government system, science & medicine
• Brought in experts from west to set up factories and teach Japanese how to run & maintain them
How did the changes resulting from adaptation affect Japan economically, politically and socially during the Meiji period?
- Change in social structure, allowing people to move up classes
- No longer have the feudal system
- Adoption of western ideas, but maintain Japanese culture
- Emperor moved to Tokyo to show partnership with government and those who ruled in his name
- Government was similar to democracies of the west
- Strong central government to unite country and rule effectively
- Daimyo are retired or bought out, no longer needed
- Samurai are also not needed, civil war led to execution of samurai who opposed emperor
- 5 Charter Oath
- Fast industrialization of Japan, factories set up by westerners and then taken over by Japanese
- Privatization of large industries to family corporations
- Borrowing of technology and ideas
In what ways did changes resulting from isolation in the Edo period compare to changes resulting from adaptation in the Meiji period?
• During Edo there was economic growth, cultural growth but also discontentment
○ New focus on Japanese theater, poetry, traditional Japanese customs and values
○ Failed rice crops, natural disasters led to criticism of the Shogun and government
• Meiji saw the industrialization of Japan, economic prosperity
○ One sided treaties limited ability to trade goods
○ Backlash against changing and evolving too quickly
■ Adoption of all things western
○ Change in education, new opportunities for lower classes, land ownership
○ Embraced western food, way of dress, some customs
What challenges emerged for the Japanese in maintaining traditional cultural aspects of their society while undergoing rapid change?
- Desire to keep Japanese customs, values, and beliefs while industrializing, slow down the process to allow for meaningful change
- Idea of “Western science, Japanese essence”
- Those that supported westernization and those that completely opposed it.
