JapanThe Shogun Era

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)