The The Emergence Emergence of Japanof JapanJanuary 25, 2012World History

Geography of Geography of JapanJapano Located on an archipelago

o Chain of islands 100 miles off the Asian mainland

o Very mountainous region which makes it difficult to farmo People settled in the narrow

river valleyso Japan is close enough to

China to share ideas, but far enough to prevent being conquered

o Located in the Ring of Fireo An area in the Pacific that is

subject to earthquakes and volcanoes

Early Traditions of Early Traditions of JapanJapan

• The Yamato clan dominated the part of Honshu, the largest Japanese island, in 500 A.D.– They set up Japan’s first

and only dynasty, and claimed direct descent from gods and goddesses

• Many of the early peoples were Shinto– Shinto = the worship of

the forces of nature

• From early on, Japanese and Koreans were in constant contact with one another

Japan’s Relationship Japan’s Relationship with Chinawith China

In the 600s, Japanese scholars began studying in China

Japanese government was modeled after the Chinese government

The Japanese took many cultural traits from the Chinese

Japanese used selective borrowing to maintain their own identity

The Heian The Heian PeriodPeriod

A period in Japan from 794 – 1185 where are and literature flourished

It was a time of beauty and wealth

Women were among the most valued writers and artists, and many female works remain today