During the Medieval period in Japan: 1. Feudalism was the dominant form of government, with reciprocal obligations between warrior nobility and peasants. 2. In 593, Prince Shotoku established Japan's first constitution and centralized government during his reign as regent. 3. Shotoku's constitution promoted Buddhism and the absolute authority of the emperor, with a focus on social harmony.

1. Medieval Japan
Nippon: the official name of “Japan”, literally
means "sun's origin". “Japan” came to the
English language through Portuguese traders.
“Japan” is the name these traders called
Nippon in the 16th century (1500s).
(Copy the underlined words)

2. Form of Government
Feudalism--Derived from the Latin (Roman)
word feodum (fief). Feudalism describes a
set of reciprocal legal and military
obligations among warrior nobility and
peasants. Feudalism--a set of political and
military customs that flourished between
the ninth and fifteenth centuries
(800s-1400s A.D.).

3. The Reign of Prince
Shotoku
• In 593, Prince Shotoku
came to rule as regent
– regent: a person who
rules for a monarch
during periods of
illness or absence or
during the monarch’s
extreme youth.

4. The Reign of Prince
Shotoku
• During his reign as regent, Prince
Shotoku created Japan’s first
constitution and established a
centralized government

5. Constitution
• Shotoku used the constitution as a
vehicle to strengthen the notion of the
absolute authority of the emperor as
well as to promote Buddhism as the
official religion. The constitution was
both a moral code and a code of
personal and social behavior. Its basic
tenet was harmony: “Harmony is the
most precious asset. We all alternate
between wisdom and madness. It is a
closed circle.”

6. U.S. Constitution
- Amendment I: Congress shall make
no law...prohibiting the free exercise
(of religion)
- Amendment II: the right of the
people to keep and bear Arms
(guns), shall not be infringed
(prohibited)

7. The Reign of Prince
Shotoku
• During
Shotoku’s
reign, there
was a high
importance
placed on
family loyalty
– Family
matters were
to come first

8. The Reign of Prince
Shotoku
• During Shotoku’s reign, Japanese
women were not equal to men.
• However, women were honored and
they had some freedoms that
women in other early societies did
not have.
– They could own their own property
– They could inherit property
– They could go to school

9. Kimono
• During the Heian period, the Japanese
expressed their perception of color
and color changes of the four seasons
through clothing. Their deep love of
artistic beauty and colors were
reflected in the kimono robes of this
period.

10. Unification of Japan
Prior to the ban on guns by later rulers Oda Nobunaga
(ohd-ah no-booh-nah-gah) gave his soldiers guns
from Portuguese traders to defeat his opponents.
This helped protect Japan from Mongol invasion. In
1582 Nobunaga fell victim to the treachery of one of his
own generals.
In 1598 Hideyosh, the lord after Oda Nobuganaga, died
without leaving a capable successor. Tokugawa Ieyasu
(toh-koohg-ah-wuh ee-e-yahs-ooh) conquered
enemies and was made a shogun by the emperor.
Francis Xavier from Spain introduced Christianity to
Japanese in 1549. Tokugawa later isolated Japan,
persecuting Japanese Christians in 1597.

11. Shinto
• A diverse system of nature worship and
ancestor worship.
• The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods")
• Absolute loyalty to the Sovereign
Emperor, who is regarded as a direct
descendant and representative of the
highest God. Family honor and good
luck rituals also important.
* Notice the political effect of Shinto
beliefs, the resulting form of government
and power structure was feudalism.

12. Collectivism
• Confucianism: Japanese adopted
Confucious' teachings about
"loyalty" and "benevolence".
• Japanese proverb: “The nail that
sticks up will be hammered
down”-- individuality is sometimes
not desired, “loyalty” to the
collective (group-country-company)
was highly valued.

13. Samurai
• Samurai: military nobility, meaning "those
who serve in close attendance to the
nobility"
• Bushidō: "the way of the warrior" or
“preserving peace through the use of force”.
• “The Nobles send their sons (future
samurai) to monasteries to be educated as
soon as they are 8 years old, and they
remain there until they are 19 or 20, learning
reading, writing and religion; as soon as they
come out, they marry and apply themselves
to politics." (Francis Xavier)

14. Samurai continued
• Maintaining the household was the
main duty of samurai women. This
was especially crucial during early
feudal Japan, when warrior husbands
were often traveling abroad or
engaged in clan battles.
• After a male samurai child was born,
he would receive his first sword in a
ceremony called mamori-gatana.

15. Haiku
- Japanese poetry, means “playful
verse”
- Bashō's "Old Pond":
old pond . . .
a frog leaps in
water’s sound

16. Haiku continued
Structure: three lines, does not
rhyme, line one = 5 syllables, line
two = 7 syllables, line three = 5
syllables
Example:
For/est fin/er/y (finger clap 5)
Of pur/est green, ferns boast their
(finger clap 7)
Del/i/cate beau/ty (finger clap 5)

17. Haiku continued
Example #2:
To write a haiku (5)
One must be able to count (7)
To five and seven (5)
Example #3:
Winter Olympics (5)
From Vancouver to Whistler (7)
Unity in sports (5)

18. Academic
Reminders
- Replace negative thinking with
positive thoughts.
- TRUE SUCCESS IN LIFE MEANS TO
TREAT YOUR BODY RIGHT!
- Roman Room technique is an ancient
and effective way of remembering:
Imagine a room that you know well.
Walk through the room and see the
test information on objects like lamps
and sofas.
- Save money for college. 18