Term Test 1 Flashcards
(90 cards)
Kanto region
Apart of east central Japan, the largest plain in the country, access to waterways and fertile farmland, Tokugawa rulers developed Edo along the coast, Edo eventually became Tokyo, becoming a political and economic hub, very developed region.
kami
The shinto divinites, many were linked to agricultural and local community in life. worshipped in small shrines throughout the land, festivals and rituals, preserving purity and life in human society, other kami were protectors, of poweful political families
- (the imperial family claimed sun goddess Amaterasu as their protector)
Shinto
(The way of the Gods), maintain a connection with kami and foster purity, balance and prosperity in life,
used for the first time in the eighth century to describe a diverse set of earlier ritual observances and sacred sites, these divinities were called Kami(see #2), became overshadowed by Buddhism and confucianism but in the Meiji period was used to established national unity.
Buddhism
Born in South Asia, in the fifth century B.C.E, flourishing it reached china and spread to korea who then introduced it to the Japanese, stressed suffering was pivotal to human life, mediation, prayers to higher powers, reached a high point in Japan.
Broke down into the Zen tradition, extended its social reach into the countrysides, among warriors, commoners, temples were used to keep track of population, vibrant cultural force and a important political force.
Trifunctional Elite
A term from the medieval period, 1.Samuri, 2. Courts/Commoners, 3. Buddhist Temples. Each one of these three classes served an important service for the Tokugawa regime,
Warrior, service/production, religious influence
Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582)
The first “so-called” unifier of the 250 years free of war period, embarked on a ruthless campaign of terror, destroyed buddhist strongholds, killed thousands of monks, burning libraries, not remembered kindly by historians but fashioned political institutions that helped sustain the long piece period, tax collection system, conducted systematic surveys of the land, began to establish the failry sharp class boundary between samurai and farmers, got murdered.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)
a lieutenant of Nobunaga, took over after this death, a brilliant political strategist but unliked, pursued alliances, accepted oaths of loyalty from his enemies, extended domain over all of Japan by 1591, launched two bad invasions of Korea, turned against the Jesuit missionaries that were in Japan, at his death daimyo extended over all of Japan.
Tokugawa Ieyasu
(the first, Tokugawa ruler) Born 1543, Ieyasu served as Shogun from 1603-1606. Built up a massive support system and grabbed power when a vacuum filled the position. A harsh ruler, retired after a short rule, giving power to his son, who he led from the shadows till his death in 1616.
Bakufu
A military government or a tent government, first government regime was in the 1180’s, in the town of Kamakura, usually the emperor is introduced to provide legitimacy to the regime, then accepted the title the shogun.
Edo
Edo Period (1600-1868)
-250 years of peace, military governments led by the shogunate’s, stable, isolated, and a increase in culture, the city included the Yoshiwara pleasure districts, kabuku theatres, brothels.
Edo (Present-day Tokyo)
-Begining after the meiji restoration, Edo was changed into Tokyo and attracted many merchants as well as other groups, growing Tokyo into the culturalal, economic, and poltical hub it is today.
Samurai class
The term ssamurai refers to Japan’s warriors, a diverse group that figures prominently in japans history. Early samuri come into the historians focus around the tenth century, served aristrocratic families in the capitol or the imperial court, bow and arrow was weapon of choice, later achieved equailty with and then hegemony over the aristocracy. Established the first military government, eventually led the charge for the Meiji Restoration.
commoners
divided into several subgroups, must register with a Buddhist temple, a ban on Christianity was pushed on the commoners. Needed permission to travel. Class includes, farmer, merchant or artisan. As the meiji restoration took place, the social classes began to dissolve, which led to more rights.
domains
during the Edo period, a territory ruled by a daimyo, served as units of governance, economy, and military organization outside of the shogunate, agriculture system of payments by rice to the domains farmers, the system was abolished during the meiji restoration but retained specific cultural identities.
daimyo
Military Leaders of cohesive bands of warriors, were in charge of the domains each of which had the ability to muster up its own army, daimyo are pivotal because a select few would go on to begin the process of unification for Japan. Were the first group that the Tokugawa regime went to control and organize/ bring under rule.
system of alternate attendance
An extremely important practice, a step to finalize hegemony over rivals, required daimyo to attend the captial of Kyoto so an eye could be kept on these lords, eveutally became to maintain residencies in Edo. Created “hostage neighborhoods of daimyos, effective political control, also weakend them economically as it cost large sums of money to travel, cut ties between the daimyo and his community.
castle towns
urban settlements that were developed around castles in the feudal period of Japan, served as centers of governance and military power for the ruling daimyo, the towns were eventually dissolved under the Meiji Restoration, but were important military and economic hubs in their time.
Nagasaki
a population hub and massive trade hub in the early Edo period, was home to the Dutch traders that conducted business, dutch language learning occured in Nagasaki, helped to establish ties between Japan and the Western World.
Osaka
A massive population center and commercial hub, economy driven by a dozen of Japans leading rice traders, handled turning rice as taxes into cash, river was jammed with merchants ships, massive entertainment quarters, one of the most important cities during the period.
Kyoto
Known as the cultural heart of Japan, served as the imperial capital from 794-1868, contains a lot of Japans temples and shrines, kept its cultural power even though the capitol was moved by the shogunate, has tons of festivals, culturally one of the most important cities in japans history
Yoshiwara
Included the Pleasure Quarters. Established by the shogunate in 1617 to help regulate the sex trade, essentially the red light district of Edo, known for brothels, Kabuki theaters, music and included courtesans, and the rise of arts, like woodblock prints
kabuki
a form of Japanese theater, known for elaborate costumes and combining drama and music for their performances.
Women were banned from doing this kind of theatre, but it grew with female costumes for men as they became the shining highlight, challenged the roles of gender identity, this type of theatre was acted out in the pleasure quarters. Different role types, costumes and masks depend on your role, has spread to be a global influence.
National Learning
known as Kokugaku it was an intellectual movement that emerged during the Edo Period, its goal was to rediscover Japans indigenous culture basically return to the country’s roots, also was a counter balance Confucianism and Buddhism, this learning examined shinto scripts,
Neo-Confucianism
Japanese buddhist priests traveled to china and brought back a new development, an interpretation that stressed the importance of direct reading of the classic chinese texts of ancient times, in Tokugawa times it became an important cultural and political force.
silk-for-sliver trade
a major economic system in the Edo period, it contributed to the interactions between Japan and western nations, silk produced in large amounts in Koshu, sliver was highly valued in Japan as it was used to make currency, this early trade system led to developments of trading systems as Japan began to modernize. Trade declined after the Edo period, it can be seen in Japan’s rich textile industry’s today.