MEDIEVAL JAPAN

Japan Geography
Japan consists of many islands and is located near Korea and China. There are many volcanoes and earthquakes.

Untitled Slide

THE SHOGUN WERE THE TOP MILITARY COMMANDERS WHO WERE MORE POWERFUL THAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

SAMURAI

• History: in the late 600 c.e. Large landowners became very powerful and wealthy. They needed someone to protect their wealth and samurai came to be.
• Fighting style:samurai fought with swords. There were 8 different fighting styles.
• Code of honor:this is known as Bushido which says that loyalty, courage, truthfulness, compassion, and honor are the most important traits.

SAMURAI

• Seppuku:ritual suicide that allowed samurai to die with honor.
• Weapons: sword, staff, tanto
• Famous samurai: Oda nobunaga, toyotomi hideyoshi, takeda shingin, date masamune

RELIGIONS

• Shinto: people believed that places in nature such as mountains and forestswere inhabited by spirits.
• Buddhism: teaches the four noble truths.
• Confucianism: taught loyalty and duty.

GOVERNMENT:
FEUDALISM
The emperor WAS JUST A FIGUREHEAD WITH NO POWER. THE SHOGUN HELD MOST OF THE POWER. LANDOWNERS CALLED DAIMYO WERE NEXT. SAMURAI PROTECTED THEIR LANDIN RETURN FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT. PEASANTS WERE THE LOWEST CLASS IN SOCIETY.