Making Of Modern Day Japan Flashcards
What does the Japanese expression ‘Shinokoshu’ mean?
‘Shinokosho’ means samurai (shi), farmer (no), artisan, merchant (ko-sho) in order of social hierarchy
Can you name all 8 sections of the pyramid on social hierarchy?
Emperor, Shogun, Daimyo, Samurai, Ronin, Peasants (90% of population), Artisans, Merchants
What was the Emperors role in the social hierarchy?
The empower held the highest status, the Emperor had very little actual power. He was however an important religious leader and lived a rich, artistic life
What was the Shoguns role in social hierarchy?
The Shogun was the Emporers leading general and effective rule of Japan. They were in charge of distributing land in return for military taxes
What was the Daimyo’s role in social hierarchy?
The Shogun ruled over the Daimyo who were the landowners, they were allowed to rule over provinces in exchange for swearing an oath of loyalty to the Shogun. Each Daimyo earned money through taxing peasants
What was the Samurai’s role in social hierarchy?
The Samurai were warriors who swore an oath of loyalty to the Daimyo in exchange for being able to control small parts of land. They wore plain, dark clothing. Samurai warriors gained the right to wear 2 swords
What was the Farmers role in social hierarchy?
Peasants were the largest group in society and took up 90% of Japanese population at the time. Most peasants were farmers but some were also woodcutters, mine workers and fishermen. Farmers were viewed as an essential part of society as they provided most food
What were the Craftsmen and Merchants role in social hierarchy?
Artisans social status was so low as they didn’t make anything at all, the lived by trading rice and selling items other people had produced or by charging interest on money (Merchants). Despite their low social status meta hints could become very wealth
What does the title of ‘Samurai’ mean?
Samurai literally means ‘the one who serves’
Samurai armour had to be in harmony with the 5 natural elements which were…
Wood, fire, earth, metal and water
What did samurai warriors go into battle wearing?
Kimono
What is Kimono?
Kimono are the colourful robes in which samurai warrior would wear into battle. It was made from heavy armour and rows of small metal plates Coates and laced together with colourful silk cards
Where were the knots supposed to be tied on Kimono?
All the knots on kimono armour were to be tied at the back to resemble the living tying knots at the front was for the dead
What else did samurai warriors wear into battle?
The samurai also wear ferocious looking iron masks that were meant to frighten their opponent and protect their face
What weapons did samurai warriors fight with?
They fought with bows and arrows, spears, and swords
What was so amazing about samurai bows?
They could be up to 8 feet long and took great strength to carry
What were the 2 types of swords samurai carried?
To fight they used a long sword with a curved blade and a shorter sword was used for cutting off the heads of enemies
What were 2 details about samurai swords that made them so important?
Wearing a sword was a privilege and right of the samurai. Swords were also passed down through generations of warrior and given as prizes to loyal warriors
What was unique about the samurai way of fighting?
Before a war was due to start, NINJA, part of the samurais special forces would be sent out to draw a map and gather information on the battle field and enemy generals such as their crests and family connections.
What else were the NINJA in charge of?
Some of the NINJA were also ordered to stay within the enemy area in order to sabotage their population and spread propaganda
What had to happen in order for a samurai battle to commence?
Both sides were to shout out their names, ancestors and heroic deeds on,y then did the armies charge
How would samurai fight in one-on-one duels?
Each samurai would find an opponent who matched his rank and try knock him off his horse, wrestle him to the ground and slit his throat
What happened after a battle?
After a battle the winning side would cut off the heads of their opponents they had killed, heads were identified as rewards in form of land allowances which became greater the higher rank of soldier killed.
What was it that caused Tokugawa to essentially lock down Japan?
Spread of Christianity
In what year did the Shogun outlaw Western leaders from entering Japan and made it illegal for Japanese people to leave the country?
1633
In what year was Christianity officially banned in Japan?
1637
What does ‘SAKOKU’ mean?
SAKOKU means ‘country in chains’
In what year were the Portuguese banned from Japan?
1639
Why were the Portuguese banned from Japan?
The Portuguese were banned from Japan in case they tries to share and spread their religion of Christianity that Tokugawa had already banned
Why did Tokugawa decide to isolate Japan from the rest of the world at the time?
After hearing about Spains colonisation of the Philippines Tokugawa began to fear their expansion into Asia. He feared that bigger countries would come looking to colonise with Japan, therefore he locked the country up and forbade entrance of any foreign ships and exiting of citizens. Tokugawa also didn’t want his people being open to the spread of Christianity and western religion
On what date did Commodore Matthew Perry arrive in Edo Bay, Japan?
8th July 1853
Why did Commodore Perry set out for Japan?
It had been rumoured that Japan held vast quantities of coal and Perry came to argue the case of opening the borders for trade with America
After arriving in Japan what did Perry insist?
Perry insisted he would only speak to a Japanese officials of an equally high rank, until the he would communicate solely in writing
After being told Perry would have to deliver President Fillmore’s letter some distance away what statement did he emerge with?
Perry stated “If this friendly letter of the President of the Emperor is not revived and duly replied to, The Commodore will consider his country insulted and will not hold himself accountable for the consequences
What name did the Japanese give to Perry’s ships?
‘Black ships of evil appearance’
What did the Shogun end up doing as a result of Perry’s statement?
The Shogun were left with little choice but to accept the letter
In what year did Perry return to Japan?
In 1854 Perry returned with twice as many ships
After arriving in Japan for the second time Perry found the Japanese had drafted a treaty agreeing to the US demands, what was this treaty called?
The Treaty of Kanagawa
What did the Treaty of Kanagawa force Japan to do?
The Treaty forced Japan to open up two ports to North American trade and guaranteed good treatment to shipwrecked US sailors
How many years later were the Japanese pressured into another treaty?
4 (1858)
What did the second treaty allow North Americans to do?
The second treaty opened up more ports to foreign trade and allows North Americans to live and work in Japan
What were the negative effects of the Treaty of Kanagawa?
Unemployment rose, prices of essential living requirements rocketed and the spread of Cholera
How did cholera manage to get into Japan?
The foreign travellers brought it most likely in route through India on the way to japan
How many were killed by cholera in Japan during the Treaty of Kanagawa?
Hundreds of thousands
Besides cholera what else did the travellers bring to Japan?
Travellers managed to bring endearing behaviour as well as cow yards, horse racing tracks and gambling dens
What was it that insulted the Japanese most about the travellers?
Many of the travellers rode on small ponies or horses, this insulted the Japanese as only the samurai elite were permitted to ride on horseback
What changed about Yokohama in order for it to become a boomtown?
Yokohama became very multicultural as well as population growth and the installation of telephone lines
In what years were the telephone lines that connected Yokohama and Tokyo installed?
1869 and 1972
What were the 2 commodities that kept Japan afloat during the period of change?
Tea and raw silk
In 1859, the total value of exports out of Yokohama amounted to what?
$400,000 (imports $15,000)
What is a boomtown?
A boomtown is a phrase used to describe an area that quickly grows popular and populated due to attraction and culture
After the treaty of kangaroo what criticism did the Japanese politic system receive?
People had felt that the Shogunate had surrendered under foreign pressure
What does that Japanese term ‘sonno joi’ mean?
It means ‘revere the emperor and expel the barbarians’
What domain were the direct opponent to the Shoguns policies?
The Choshu Domain
What were the goals of the Choshu Domain?
Leading Choshu samurai tried convincing the imperial court to be in favour of expelling the barbarians out of Japan
What were the second most powerful domain called?
The Satsuma Domain
What was different about Satsuma than Choshu?
Unlike Choshu, Satsuma supported the Shoguns policy of opening up Japan
What event caused chaos in that Satsuma Domain?
In 1862 a Satsuma samurai murdered a British citizen Charles Lennox Richardson. This occurs after Richardson failed to let a samurai procession pass him on the road between Yokohama and Kawasaki
How did the British react to the murder of Richardson?
The British retaliated by sending warships to attack Kagoshima castle in the Satsuma domain
In what year did the Shogun wipe out the imperial court of Choshu influence backing the sonno joi movement?
1863
Why did Choshu and Satusuma form an alliance?
They formed an alliance so that Japan could become a strong, unified country that could resist attacks of foreign nations. They secretly agreed to work together to destroy the Shogunate and the sonno joi movement turned into overthrowing the Shogunate
What happened as a result of Choshu and Satsuma working together?
Working together they forced the resignation of Shogun Yoshinobu, the last of the Tokugawa Shogun. The clans then seized the imperial palace in Kyoto and declared ‘restoration’ of the emperor to full power
What happened as a result of Shogun Yoshinobu surrendering?
This marked the end of 260 years of Tokugawa rule and a definitive end of the samurai government in Japan
What year did Emperor Komei die in?
1867
Who became the next Emperor of Japan after Komei died?
His 15 year old son, Price Mutsuhito became the next emperor
What name did Prince Mutsuhito take as emperor?
Meiji
What was the document that Meiji himself and 760 other daimyo signed?
The Charter Oath (1868)
What was the purpose of the Charter Oath?
It paved the way for Japan to integrate democratic ideas and develop a modern day constitutional state
