Lesson 4

Japan in Isolation

Aristocrats worked to weaken the emperor by creating private estates (land free from the emperors interference and taxes)o Were protected by samurai who defended their land and

kept order in societyo In 1192 samurai took all ruling power away from the

emperor

1200’s national pride increase in Japan o Happened because Mongol’s invaded twice and failed

because of typhoons (topical storms)o Japanese believed the kamikaze (divine wind) destroyed

the Mongol’s.o Japanese believed they were divinely protected

Most powerful samurai became daimyo (ruling leaders) controlling other samurai and large areas of farm land

1500’s daimyo fought each other for power and land

1590 Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought most of Japan under his control

His death was followed by Tokugawa leyasu who started the Tokugawa dynasty

Tokugawa leyasu was given the title of shogun a special, high ranking military office.

Tokugawa dynasty shogun’s ruled for the next 265 years

Shoguns controlled…o Tradeo Gold and silver mineso Major cities including Kyoto, Osaka and Edo (capital)o Emperor’s land holding (25% of country’s farm land)

Daimyo (270 of them) controlled 75% of Japan’s farmland

Shogun shared authority with the daimyo meaning that the daimyo issued laws and collected taxes

4 class system under shogunso Samuraio Merchantso Artisanso Farmers

4 class system was essential to shogun power because in making agreements with local daimyo they would play one class against anther

Daimyos could not gain much wealth or power because shoguns controlled international trade.

Shoguns outlawed traveling abroad and most foreign books

What few books were allowed were giving to scholars by the Dutch.

Japanese were most interested in shipbuilding, mapmaking, astronomy, and medicine.

Isolationism cut off Japan from the goods and culture of most countries.o Only traded with Netherlands (Dutch), China, and Korea

Even with this under shogun control trade increased and merchant class grew

Tokugawa dynasty fell due to debto Merchant class grew wealthier so taxes were raisedo Farmers rioted and the class system crumbled.