Japan
By: Tailyn,Kiera,And Maddie
Natural Disasters and Climate
- Japan is located were many continental plates meet, so Japan experiences frequent earthquakes.
- Famous volcano/tallest mountain is Mt. Fuji
- Experienced a lot of Typhoons that cost Japan a lot of lives and money.
- In the North, they experience mild summers and cold winters with a lot of snow fall.
- In the South, they experience mild winters with little or no snowfall and mild summers.
- Japan had a sufficient amount of rainfall helping farmer with fertile soil for what little land they had to farm on.
- In the middle, they experience mild winters and humid summers.
- Typhoons usually hit in the late summer.
- Live in a region called The Ring of Fire.
Protection of the Sea's
- Surrounding by water and having over a thousand islands, which is an Archipelago.
- Closest land is the Asian Mainland which was about 100 miles away.
- The Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan and Japan's Mountains were its main protection system.
- About the size of Montana. Most, 4/5 , of Japan is mountainous. As a result it is hard to farm and most people settled in the narrow river valley and on coastal plains.
- Farming consisted of wheat, barley, rice and some soybeans.
- Fishing still today is very popular.
Japan Society
Fuedal Society
Feudal Society, (ranks)
Emperor-held highest rank in society but had no political power.
Shogun- Actual ruler
Daimyo- Large landowners
Samurai-Warriors loyal to daimyo
Peasants- ¾ of the population
Artisans- Made swords and armor for the samurai
Merchants- Lower status gained influenceJapan Culture
Zen Buddhism
-Zen Buddhism, During Japan's Feudal age,a Buddhist sect from china won widespread acceptance among samurai.
- Showed self reliance,meditation,and devotion to duty
-Changed Culture
-Everyone wanted Happiness and peace
Japanese Language and Writing
- 99% Speak Japanese
- Borrowed heavily from Chinese(49%) and English(9%)
- 3 major writing systems
- Hiragana, verbs
- Katakana, non-Japanese words
- Kanji, Chinese loan-words
Civil War (1868)
- Tokugawa Family and Emperor Meiji
- Caused by overthrow of Tokugawa
- Traditional Feudal Social System and Political, Social, and Economical framework
Religion in Japan
- 95% Blend of Shintoism and Buddhism
- Minorities are Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs (all 1% or less)
- Native Religion: Shinto
- Polytheistic, emphasize the natural world, no holy book or founder
Samurai Warriors
- Class of highly skilled warriors
- Called Shoguns
- Governmental Power(1185-1868)
- Overthrown by Go-Daigo
Works Cited
Facts to Know About Japan. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/p/ProfileJapan.htm
Feudal Japan: The Age of the Warrior. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://www.ushistory.org/civ/10c.asp
Japan's Civil War. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from https://www.onwar.com/aced/chrono/c1800s/yr60/fjapan1863.htm
Geography. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2015, from http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1000.html