Japan's geography influenced its history in several ways: 1) As a nation of islands, it was able to remain isolated from other countries when it chose but was still near enough to China to borrow from its civilization. 2) Its mountainous terrain and appreciation for nature shaped Japanese culture, religion, and arts which emphasized simplicity and natural beauty. 3) Its isolation allowed feudal systems and samurai warriors to develop with their own cultural traditions and codes of conduct before eventually closing itself off from the world during the Tokugawa period.

2. Map of
Japan
How did
Japan’s
geography
influence
its history?

3.  Japan is a nation of islands – the four
largest are called Hokkaido, Honshu,
Kyushu and Shikoku
 Japan is far enough from other countries to
discourage invasion and to remain isolated
when it chose to shut out the outside world
 It is near enough to the Asian mainland to
borrow from other civilizations, especially
the Chinese

4.  Their appreciation for nature is
reflected in all aspects of their culture
 The Japanese native religion of
Shintoism holds nature to be sacred
 Their love of simple, natural beauty is
seen in the arts – architecture,
sculpture, painting, and literature

5. Mt. Fuji
in Japan
zen
gardens

6.  By around 500 AD, a warrior chief ruling
over the Yamato plain extended his rule
over much of Japan
 Claimed descent from the Sun Goddess,
Amaterasu
 His tokens of power (an iron sword, curved
jewel and bronze mirror) are still symbols
of the imperial family today
 Shinto: “the way of the gods” – nature is
sacred

7.  Prince Shotoku encouraged the
spread of Chinese ways
 Acceptance of Buddhism
 Other influences: calendar, ways
of dress and cooking, architecture,
Chinese language and script, law
code, establishment of capital city

8.  Capital was moved to Heian-Kyo,
later renamed Kyoto
 Japanese culture developed
 Literature flourished: “Tale of
Genji” by Lady Murasaki (prose),
tanka and haiku (forms of poetry)

9. Japan enters the feudal age

10.  Minamoto Yoritomo became the
shogun, or supreme general
 The emperor remained a mere
figurehead in Kyoto
 The seat of government was at
Kamakura, a small coastal town
 The feudal age of Japan began

11.  Samurai warriors – most important
class of people during the feudal period
 Bushido (“way of the warrior”) –
samurai code of conduct; stressed
loyalty and indifference to pain and
hardship
 Suicide by seppuku or hara-kiri was
preferred to dishonor or surrender

12.  Groups of samurai came to follow
certain local nobles called daimyo
(“great name”)
 Daimyo became absolute rulers on
their lands and struggled with each
other for more power and territory
 There was no effective central
government in Japan

13. The arts flourished during
the Ashikaga Period
 Golden age of
Japanese culture
 No drama developed
 Perfection of 3
Japanese arts: flower
arrangement, tea
ceremony and
landscape gardening

14.  Ieyasu Tokugawa
became shogun
after winning
the Battle of
Sekigahara
 Headquarters
was in Edo, later
known as Tokyo

15.  The power of the daimyo was weakened
 The central government grew strong
again
 Japan began to isolate itself from foreign
influences – no Japanese could leave
their homeland, and foreign
missionaries were expelled, or killed
 Merchant and business classes became
influential
 Kabuki drama became popular

16. • During the earliest
period of Japanese
history, women enjoyed
high political, social and
cultural status
• For a hundred years, all
important authors were
women

17.  During the Kamakura period, samurai
women were expected to have spartan
virtues, and young girls were taught the
use of weapons
 But then society moved towards
complete male supremacy
 By the Tokugawa period, women had
become socially and legally inferior to
men – and this has changed little even
today