Before the Shoguns
after 1100, the centralized government fell apart
people started forming military groups to gain control of land
The leaders of each land called themselves Daiymo
Gekokujo 1480 to 1600(bottom overthrowing the top)
Japan had no true central government
There were a lot of peasant uprisings
There was a lot of fighting between the Daimyos
Major cities, like Kyoto, were destroyed by war.
Reuniting Japan
3 men are given credit for reuniting Japan:
Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582)
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616)
"The reunification is a rice cake. Oda made it. Hideyoshi shaped it. At last, only Ieyasu tastes it."
Oda NobunagaBeat out all of the other daiymos for control of Japan
was kind to foreigners and welcomed western trade
Built up military through castles and western firearms
Encouraged trade by stopping monopolies, giving tax exemptions, and building roads
Encouraged the arts (Kubuki, tea houses)
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
He avenged Noba’s death and replaced him.
Is known for being the greatest military leader in Japanese history
He rose up from peasantry
Tokugawa Ieyasu
won the power struggle after Hideyoshi’s death
credited for uniting Japan in 1600
made Edo the capital city (now Tokyo)
began the time period of Tokugawa Japan (1600-1868)
Tokugawa Japan
250 years of peace and prosperity
saw a rise in the arts and commerce
people lived is a hierarchy of classes
saw a rise of Confucianism
Social Order
4 classes (from top to bottom):
Samurai: warriors for the shogun
Peasant: workers and farmers
Artisan: craftsmen
Merchant: traded crafts for money and rice
Outsiders were called “eta” and they were people whose jobs dealt with death (i.e. tanning hides)
Samurai Rules
Samurais had a code of honor called Bushido.
They were supposed to be honorable, frugal, and valiant.
Seppucku: ritual suicide for a failed samurai
Tokaido Road
The major road connecting Kyoto and Edo
Became popular for merchants and traders
Led to the rise of the merchant class
The Arts
Kibuki: the type of theater including bright costumes and makeup
Bunraku: Japanese puppet shows
Haiku: the poem style created in Japan
Closure of Japan
In 1614, Ieyasu issued a edict banning Christianity
In 1630, the shogunate issued a policy of national isolation
The Dutch were the only Europeans allowed in Japan
The Japanese were not allowed to leave
JournalWrite a Haiku about one of the leaders we discussed today (Oda, Toyotomi, or Ieyasu)
A Haiku has 3 lines:
first line has 5 syllables
second line has 7 syllables
third line has 5 syllablesSample Haiku: The Rose by: Donna Brock
The/ red / blos/som bends/ (5 syllables)
and/ drips/ its/ dew/ to/ the/ ground / (7 syllables)
Like/ a/ tear/ it/ falls/ (5 syllables)