Tags & Description
Archipelago
chain of islands on tectonic plates; will deal with earthquakes, tsunamis and more
Honshu
center of activity, trade, capital cities, most mountainous, populous
Hokkaido
northern most, winter weather, smaller population
Kyushu
southern most; tropical, rainforests, was dropped by US with atomic bombs in WWII
Shikoku
smallest island of 4; lots of commerce with Honshu
only 1/5 of Japanese land is farmable
Problem for farming in Japan
Terraced farming
cutting leveled areas in mountains for farming land
Oyashio
colder northern current
Kuroshio
hotter southern current
storm
what the currents create when met
Lots of mountains, far away from other countries, high rainfall, lots of sea life in waters
Isolation in Japan
Japanese being descendants of sun god
Japanese origin myth; taught in schools until 1946
Japanese Emperor admitting he wasn’t a god on radio
Event after WWII that changed Japanese culture
Korea
Most closely related Asian country to Japan
California
Japan is as big as this US state
Sense of superiority, don’t want ties with other countries
Why do Japanese feel so passionate about their own theories of origin and originality?
Nippon or Nihon
Japan’s name (there’s 2 variations)
Nippon
Is Nippon or Nihon older?
Nihon
Is Nippon or Nihon more popular?
“The Land of the Rising Sun”
Phrase that Japan is referred to
first
Japan is the ____ Asian country to start the day/see the sun
Amaterasu
Japanese Sun Goddess
Direct descendants
The Imperial Family is considered what to Amaterasu?
the sun
What is the red dot on the Japanese flag?
Japan taking over , fascism
What does the rising sun flag mean during WWII/why is it controversial?
culture, language, religion
Like Greece, what unites different cities in Japan?
Kami
Spirits in nature
Animism
the belief that everything has a spirit
Shinto
Animistic Japanese belief system; “The Way of the Gods”
Torii
A Japanese gate symbolized as a passageway for spirits
Jinja
central building; center of prayer
Shinto practices have become apart of Japanese culture
What makes Shinto relevant to the Japanese today?
few
__ Japanese people call themselves religious
Purity, cleanliness, harmony, respect for nature, importance of the group over the individual
principles of Shinto
Yamato
The Family of when the first Japanese empire was established in 400 AD; still exists to this day
Japanese used Chinese characters
Chinese writing influence on Japan
calligraphy
art of elegant writing
Buddhism
What religion comes from China to Japan
Zen
Buddhist principle of meditation and peace
syncretism
Buddhism and Shinto have…
Buddhist; Shinto
Japanese funerals are __ and births/marriages are __
clear afterlife
Why do the Japanese use Buddhism for funerals?
Chinese superiority
What does Japan realize when they send ambassadors to China?
Heian
The capital Japan builds in response to Chinese superiority
The Heian Period
The era that starts after Japan moves the capital
stability
What allows Golden ages to happen?
Independent Japanese culture
The Golden age allows the explosion of…
Japanese
In the Golden age, Poetry is now written in…
The Tale of Genji
the biggest accomplishment of the golden age
Lady Murasaki Shikibu
author of “The Tale of Genji”
complex emotions; hear a character’s thoughts
what does it mean for a novel to be “psychological”?
feudalism
political system based on the granting of land in return for loyalty, military assistance and other services
dues/crops, loyalty from peasant
what the lord receives in a feudalistic relationship
land, military assistance
what the peasant received in a feudalistic relationship
Europe
Other than Japan, where is feudalism commonly used?
Emperor
figurehead, symbolic leader, lacks government authority
Shogun
“real government power, controls: military, finances, laws/courts
Daimyo
translates to “great names”, local lords(owned parcels of land)
little direct contact, emperor is respected but Shogun holds true power
relationship between emperor and shogun
Daimyos have more local authority, Shogun can easily overpower Daimyo, Daimyos can group overthrow
relationship between Shogun and Daimyo
Samurai
hired warriors, devoted to defense, strict and disciplined
Bushido
“The Way of the Warrior”
surrender
Japanese warriors never _____
Seppuku
Also known as Hara-kiri, Ceremonial suicide
honor
When committing Seppuku, Warriors gain back their ___
Katana
long sword
Wakizashi
suicide tool, kept as constant reminder
Peasant
Work pieces of land, Pay daimyos crops and dues
Fujiwara family
800s-1100s AD: First non-imperial family gains more political power than emperor: NOT SHOGUNS
Kamakura Shogunate
Named after founding city; establishes first shogun
Minamoto Yoritomo
the first shogun
Ashikaga Shogunate
Emperor tried to regain power as Kamakura weakened, instead the shoguns of this shogunate weakened
Haiku
Simple Japanese poem
Zen Buddhism
Buddhism that becomes popular in Japan
Zen garden
temple of worship created by Zen Buddhists with plants/nature; meditation
Tea ceremony
ceremony similar to priests consecrating bread/wine, nature based, origin was for caffeine but eventually became symbolic
Sado
tea ceremony; “the way of the tea”
Koan
Zen brainteaser used to divert the mind
Noh Theater
simple plays/reenactments where the actors don’t speak and the stories are told by chanters
ikebana
Japanese flower arrangements; seen as a way to bring nature inside
Zen Paintings
lots of nature depictions, nature is bigger than us, not much color/open space
It is strict and disciplined
Why does Zen Buddhism appeal to samurai?
nature, beauty, simplicity
Themes of zen art forms
Mt. Fuji
mountain in Japan
Kyoto
modern name of Heian
Edo
ancient name of Tokyo