Structure of Structure of Feudal JapanFeudal Japan

EMPEROREMPEROREmperorEmperor Emperor and imperial family Emperor and imperial family

highest on social ladderhighest on social ladder Religious leaderReligious leader

Direct descendant of Amaturasu Direct descendant of Amaturasu OmikamiOmikami

Figurehead (leader in name only)Figurehead (leader in name only) No political PowerNo political Power

Under control of Shogun’s clanUnder control of Shogun’s clan ALL classes of society provided ALL classes of society provided

for Emperor and his court.for Emperor and his court. Emperor still exists todayEmperor still exists todayHis Imperial Majesty

AKIHITO125th Emperor of Japan

Figurehead

Emperor

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

ShogunShogunShogunShogun Miltary LeaderMiltary Leader

Highest in warrior classHighest in warrior class Clans fought to acquire this Clans fought to acquire this

statusstatus Political LeaderPolitical Leader Those of other classes under him Those of other classes under him

provided for his needsprovided for his needs Shogun gave protection and Shogun gave protection and

privilegesprivileges Portion of landPortion of land Produce on landProduce on land

Figurehead

Shogun

Emperor

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

DaimyoDaimyoDaimyoDaimyo Part of warrior classPart of warrior class

Means “Great Names”Means “Great Names” Shogun’s representativesShogun’s representatives Ran estates according to Ran estates according to

shogun’s rulesshogun’s rules Swords most valuable Swords most valuable

possessionspossessions Used often to demonstrate Used often to demonstrate

loyalty to Shogunloyalty to Shogun Lived in huge castles Lived in huge castles

surrounded by moatssurrounded by moats

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

SamuraiSamuraiSamuraiSamurai Professional warriorsProfessional warriors

Loyal to shogun and DaimyosLoyal to shogun and Daimyos Lived in Daimyos castlesLived in Daimyos castles Fairly high social status but Fairly high social status but

little political powerlittle political power Needs met by lower classes Needs met by lower classes

than themthan them

Satsuma Samurai

Figurehead

Shogun

Daimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

RoninRoninRoninRonin Wandering SamuraiWandering Samurai

Had no DaimyoHad no Daimyo Paid soldiers Paid soldiers Worked as Worked as

body guards for rich merchantsbody guards for rich merchants Paid soldiers during civil warsPaid soldiers during civil wars

Low social classLow social class No political powerNo political power Depended on others for Depended on others for

economic well-beingeconomic well-being

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

PeasantsPeasantsPeasantsPeasants Largest classLargest class

Included farmers and fishermenIncluded farmers and fishermen Low social statusLow social status No political powerNo political power VERY poorVERY poor Valued because they produced Valued because they produced

food for all other classesfood for all other classes Often made material for clothingOften made material for clothing Paid taxes with rice and workPaid taxes with rice and work

Had to pay 2/3 of year’s crop to upper Had to pay 2/3 of year’s crop to upper classesclasses

Often starvedOften starved

Figurehead

Shogun

Daimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Peasants

90% of population

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

ArtisansArtisansArtisansArtisans Craftspeople who made variety of Craftspeople who made variety of

productsproducts ArtArt Cooking potsCooking pots Fish hoodsFish hoods Farm toolsFarm tools Theatre Theatre Ship anchorsShip anchors swordsswords

Great sword makers highly respectedGreat sword makers highly respected On whole, however, artisans not as On whole, however, artisans not as

respected as peasants because they respected as peasants because they didn’t produce fooddidn’t produce food

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Peasants

90% of population

Artisans

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

MerchantsMerchantsMerchantsMerchants Sold goods and produce Sold goods and produce

made by othersmade by others Very low social statusVery low social status

Produced nothing of value and Produced nothing of value and lived off the efforts of others’ lived off the efforts of others’ workwork

Often made to live in Often made to live in separate locationsseparate locations

Not allowed to mix with other Not allowed to mix with other classes except to do businessclasses except to do business

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Peasants

90% of population

Artisans

Merchants

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

EtaEtaEtaEta Means “full of filthMeans “full of filth

Discrimination because of Discrimination because of Buddhist prohibitions against Buddhist prohibitions against killing and Shinto concepts of killing and Shinto concepts of pollution.pollution.

originally discriminated against originally discriminated against because they were butchers, because they were butchers, leather workers, grave-diggers, leather workers, grave-diggers, tanners, executioners tanners, executioners

Seen as hereditarySeen as hereditary Still discriminated against Still discriminated against

todaytoday

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Peasants

90% of population

Artisans

Merchants

Eta

Lowest Class

Structure of Feudal Structure of Feudal JapanJapan

HininHininHininHinin Means “Nonhuman”Means “Nonhuman”

Not hereditary, but punitive Not hereditary, but punitive (punishment)(punishment)

Was very extremely small Was very extremely small chance you could get out of chance you could get out of this class…if you were this class…if you were pardoned…but this is highly pardoned…but this is highly highly unlikely.highly unlikely.

Figurehead

ShogunDaimyos

Emperor

Samurai

Ronin

BushiWarrior Class

Peasants

90% of population

Artisans

Merchants

Eta

Lowest Class

Hinin