Japan- the History and Culture

Human began living on the Japanese Islands approx 35,000 year ago.

Pottery and basic agriculture by 11,000 years ago.

This period is known as the Jomon Period, when the Ainu People settled the islands (the indigenous of Japan)

Japanese Yayoi Period (400BCE- 250CD)

Settlers cross Sea of Japan (mostly from Korea) & colonize lower Japanese Islands

Bring rice cultivation, textile weaving, bronze castings

Shamanism introduced to Japan (becomes the basis of Shintoism)

New settler push Ainu People to northern island of Hokkaido

The Yayoi Period- Images

Medieval Japan (300-710)

Japan in a collection of small kingdoms, paying tribute to China.

Society slowly becomes more military-oriented.

Yamato Kingdom emerges as most powerful

538- Buddhism introduced

Yamato Japan (200-710)

Innovations-

Introduction of Buddhism from Korea, Confucianism from China

Adopt the Chinese pictogram written language

Establishment of family or clan-based government

Nara-Heian Japan (710-1185)

High point of classical Japanese literature and poetry

Establishes the Japanese Emperor as Divine (a God on Earth)

Capitol moved to Kyoto.

Influence of China on Japan begins to decline.

Shinto becomes the Japanese religion

Beginning in the 800’s, the Japanese organize their older folk religions into a new religion known as Shinto (“Way of the Gods”)

Temples are known as Pagodas

Polytheistic, with a belief in spirits (kami) and honoring the dead.

Most Japanese are both Buddhist and Shinto

Rise of the Shoguns & Samurai

Clan Warlords, or Daimyo, become powerful, and take over running Japan.The Shogun rules the Bushi (the Warrior class), known as the SamuraiIn 1185, the Yoritomo Shogun unites Japan under a single ShogunAble to repel a Mongol invasion in 1272 and 1281 (with help from the Kamikaze)

Shogun Era Japan

Feudal Japan (1185-1844)

Power transfers to local Warlords (Daimyo), in near constant warfare with each other.

1543- Portuguese ship loaded with guns lands in Japan, introducing firearms.

Battle of Sekigahara (1600)

Massive battle that included 20,000 gun using troops.

Firearms banned in Japan after the battle; too many Samurai killed.

Arrival of the Europeans

1600’s, European traders and missionaries arrive.

Shoguns and warlords distrust the Europeans

1637- Japanese Christians revolt; crushed

European ordered out of the country. Japan closes its’ borders.

Arrival of the Americans-

July 8th, 1853- Commodore Matthew Perry arrives in Edo Bay, and demand Japan open its’ ports to US shipping.Perry commands the “Kurofune” (Black Ships)

“Gunboat Diplomacy” & the Meiji Restoration

Shock of contact with the advanced US warships triggers reforms in Japan. US used its’ military power to force the Japanese government to comply- this becomes known as “gunboat diplomacy.”Modernization programs in the military launched- based on Western technologyFeudal Daimyo system abolishedMarket Economy introduced to Japan

20th Century Japan

Wins the Russo-Japanese War of 1905- the first Asian nation to defeat a European power.

Expanded during WWI

Military takes control of government-1920’s Japan becomes an aggressive military state.

“Co-Prosperity Sphere”- Japanese plan for an Asian and Pacific empire.

Japan’s MilitaryLives by the Code of Bushido- to never give up, never dishonor, never surrender.See themselves as “modern Samurai”This makes them difficult opponents in fighting in the Pacific during WWII.Entire economy is built to support the war effort.

WWII- Pacific Theatre

Japan joins an alliance with Germany and Italy (Axis Powers)Invades China in 1937, Indochina 1940Attacks the USA on December 7th, 1941Defeated by the Allies in the Pacific, forced to surrender after two atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945

Rebuilding of JapanAfter the War, Japan is occupied by the USUSA helps fund the rebuilding of Japanese industries (to prevent Communism)Small Japanese companies- Toyota and Sony- as well as large Japanese companies- Mitsubishi & Suzuki- recover quickly and expand into non-military goods- cars, radios, consumer goods.

Japan’s Post War Economic Boom

Japan recovers quickly and soon moves into the new electronics industries (TVs, radios, stereos- later, CDs, DVDs, etc.)Expands into heavy industries- Steel, Shipbuilding, Trucks & Cars and dominates these fieldsJapan has a comparative advantage- a well-skilled and educated workforce and geographically near major markets- USA, Australia, Indonesia, India, as well as China and Russia.By the 1980, Japan is the 2nd largest economy on Earth and a major US trade partner.

Life in a Crowded CountryTokyo is one of the world’s most crowded cities. It is the capital of Japan.

Population Density: A country’s population density is the average number of persons in a unit of area, such as a square mile. The higher the number is, the more crowded the country.

In 2004, the population density of Japan was 880 persons per square mile.

In comparison, the United States had a population density of 83 persons per square mile. This means that Japan is almost 11 times as densely populated as the United States.

The Geographic SettingJapan is an island nation with 3,900 smaller ones.Japan enjoys a moderate climate. Summers are warm. Winters are relatively mild, with heavy snowfall limited to the northern islands. Plenty of summer rainfall makes Japan an ideal place for growing rice and other crops.

A Mountainous Landscape

¾ of Japan is made up of mountains.Mountains were formed when tectonic plates collided deep beneath the sea. Volcanoes welled up in the cracks between the plates. Over millions of years, liquid rock flowing from the volcanoes built up into mountains.

Mount FujiThe highest and most famous Japanese volcano is Mount Fuji. Its snowcapped cone towers above the city of Tokyo. The tectonic plates that built up Japan are still pushing against each other. Whenever one of them moves, the ground shakes. Small earthquakes happen almost every day in Japan.

Undersea earthquakes sometimes trigger huge sea waves called tsunamis.

Limited Land for LivingOnly about an eighth of Japan is arable Land, or land suitable for farming. The rest is too hilly to plow and plant. The amount of arable land affects population distribution, or where people live. Japan has about 127 million people. Nearly all of them live on the four main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu,

Shikoku, and Kyushu.

How crowded is Japan?Geographers measure density in two ways. The first is arithmetic population density. It compares the number of people to a country’s total land area. Japn’s arithmetic population density is about 880 persons per square mile. Physiologic population density is calculated by dividing the number of people by the amount of arable land. Japan’s physiologic population density is about 7,219 persons per square mile. By this measure, Japan is about 17 times more crowded than the United States.