Japan: 1400-1800

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Japan: 1400-1800 Introduction

Introduction  The origins of the ethnic Japanese are yet uncertain, but language analysis suggests they are more closely related to the Koreans than to the Chinese  Like the Koreans, they were heavily influenced by the Chinese, importing both Buddhism and Confucianism, which took their place alongside the native civil religion, Shinto Other important concepts   Shogun: military warlord ruling in the emperor’s name Daimyo: feudal lords   Samurai: warriors owing allegiance to Daimyo Bushido: the strict Samurai code stressing military honor, courage, stoic acceptance of hardship, and, above all loyalty  Violation of the code brought disgrace, which could only be avoided or expatiated through “seppuku”—ritual suicide Samurai warrior in battle armor (c. 1860) Seppuku

Japan: 1400-1800 Unification

  Japan in 1400 was feudal, with no real center of power   During the 15 th and 16 th century, the number of daimyos declined, as more powerful daimyo defeated and absorbed the land of their weaker rivals By the mid-16 th century, Japan was ripe to emerge from feudalism Oda Nobunaga  Daimyo most responsible for unification  Gradually subdued central Japan, and then used it as a springboard, aided by his able general, Hideyoshi, to subdue the rest of Japan, except in the south Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598)

Japan: 1400-1800 Rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate

  Nobunaga was assassinated by one of his vassals in 1582   Hideyoshi succeeded him and completed his unification plan by subduing the south He died in 1598, leaving an infant son as his heir in the care of a council of regents Tokugawa Ieyasu   The most influential regent, daimyo of a vast territory surrounding modern Tokyo (then called Edo) Ieyasu eventually turned on Hideyoshi’s son and defeated an army of daimyo defending his claim  After his victory, he had the emperor declare him Shogun, establishing a dynasty that would last until 1867 Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) Edo (now Tokyo)

Japan: 1400-1800 Japan and the West

  Europeans arrived in Japan in the 16 th century, led by the Portuguese   Japanese took great interest in their technologies especially firearms But they found European culture generally revolting Christianity    Jesuit missionaries experienced some success, especially in the South Ieyasu Tokugawa found Christianity disruptive and banned the religion in 1614 Campaigns were launched against Christian daimyo and the religion driven underground  Shimbara Rebellion (1637-38): Christian peasants revolt and are ruthlessly repressed Japanese depiction of Portuguese traders

Japan: 1400-1800 Tokugawa Society (1)

  The Tokugawa period shows the influence of Confucian philosophy on Japanese society  They organized Japan to put a premium on harmony and stablity   The Tokugawa froze people into four groups: imperial court nobility, samurai, peasants, and merchants Each group was strictly regulated in what they could and could not do, and no movement between the groups was permitted Other restrictions   Foreigners banned from Japan, except for tightly controlled Dutch traders in Nagasaki  Useful middlemen in obtaining Chinese silk Japanese banned from traveling abroad Isolated trading compound of the Dutch in Nagasaki Harbor

Japan: 1400-1800 Tokugawa Society (2)

   Peasants were highly regarded in Japanese society as it was recognized they provided its sustenance  This did not prevent them from being overtaxed leading to recurrent peasant rebellions  Still, the prosperity of peasants gradually rose during this period Merchants were looked down upon, consistent with the Confucian view that they were non-productive and parasitic The 200-year period of peace dulled the samurai  Their forced residence in Edo part of the year and the lack of war forced many into debt