Chapter 9, Lesson 2

Early JapanIt Matters Because:

Many of the characteristics of modern Japanese culture can be traced back to

Shinto & the Samurai.

I. Geography & Settlement

A. Off coast of China & Korea, Japan is an archipelago

1. Archipelago - chain of islands2. Most live on 4 largest islands3. Islands actually tops of mountains4. Difficult to farm due to mountainous terrain

a. armies fought for fertile land for centuries5. Most settled on coast & fished6. Isolation led to unique & independent culture

B. First settlers arrived from NE Asia 20,000 years agoC. Yayoi people were ancestors of modern Japanese

1. Brought farming to Japan2. Pottery, metalworking3. Organized in clans led by warrior-chiefs

D. Yamato clan ruled during 500s1. Claimed to be descendants of sun goddess2. First Japanese emperors

I. Geography & Settlement

II. Shinto: Way of the Spirits

A. Early Japanese believed humans, animals, plays, rocks, etc. all have own spirits

1. Animism - philosophy that every object has a spirit2. Believed the kami (nature spirits) could be called on for help3. Beliefs became philosophy known as Shinto

a. Shinto - “way of the spirits”b. Shinto influenced Japanese love of nature, simplicity,

cleanliness, good manners

III. Prince ShotokuA. Yamato prince, created constitution to

strengthen government1. Made emperor all-powerful2. Constitution based on Confucianism3. Admired Chinese culture

a. studied Chinese art, philosophy, medicine4. In 646, Yamato rulers began Taika (“Great Change”)

a. divided Japan into districtsb. farmland placed under emperor’s controlc. officials collected taxes for central government