Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
31 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is the capital of Japan?
|
Tokyo
|
|
|
Introduction
|
Japan (known as Niddon) is popularly know for car brands (Nissan, Toyota), electronics (Sony), exotic food (sushi)
|
|
|
Tokyo
|
Roughly the size of Germany (US is 25% larger)
3,000 little island 128 million people Tokyo - largest city with 8M people Yokohama - second largest with 3.5M people |
|
|
Encountering Japan
|
A constantly changing landscape
Shinto shrines, but urban landscape dominates the scenery High-density living w/religious artifacts still present |
|
|
Taking a Longer View
|
Jomon hunters and gatherers are early inhabitants (13,000 BCE)
Written records of Japanese (Wei Dynasty) 300 CE Nara Period (710-1185 CE): First Japanses state Buddhism spread from China along with native animisn, Shinto Use of Chinese characters but pronounced through Japanese tones |
|
|
Notable Dates
|
1603-1868: Edo Period
1868-1912: Meiji Period -Meiji Restoration 1912-1926: Taisho Period -Japan in WWI 1926-1989: Showa Period -Japanese Militarism -Post-Occupation Japan 1989-Present: Heisei Period |
|
|
Edo Society, 1603-1868
|
Tokugawa Caste System
Edo (Tokyo) domains governed by feudal warlords Social classes based on inherited position rather than personal merits |
|
|
Edo Classes/Tokugawa Caste System
|
1. Emperors
2. Samurai (fought for warlords) started as warriors and became bureaucrats 3. Farmers: agriculture was seen as a great source of wealth (heavily taxed) 4. Craft-workers: seen as productive members of society 5. Merchants: not seen as important but were getting extremely wealthy |
|
|
Meiji Restoration, 1868-1912
|
Samurai seen as prestige w/merchant
Japan closed doors to foreigners in 1639 1854 Japan capitulated to American request to use its ports for trade (Perry's "Black Ships") |
|
|
Uniqueness of Meiji Restoration
|
Tokugawa shogun didn't agree to giving in to foreign forces
Civil unrest and new gov't took over and sought to restore power back to emperor Wanted to retain uniqueness of Japan |
|
|
Threats during Meiji Restoration
|
Two big factors: Modernization/Totalitarianism and War
West was seen as threat: the 19th century was a time of colonization and imperialism of German, French, and Americans Insistence on retaining uniqueness: cited invasions such Chinese language, Buddhism |
|
|
Transforming Japan
|
Post-Restoration Leadership:
Dismantled Tokugawa caste system, insisting that everyone share same national identity Went to England to study navy and merchant marines Germany for army and medicine France for government and law US for business methods Transformed school in 1871 into a ministry of education Instill restoration imperial and nationalistic ideals One of the best schooled countries in the world |
|
|
Success
|
Defeated China in the Sino-Japanese War in 1895
Defeated Russia in 1905 and colonized Taiwan |
|
|
Pearl Harbor
|
Poised to take over East Asia
1945 Japan attack Pearl Harbor Feared that America would cut off supplies |
|
|
Atomic Bombs
|
August 6, 1945: Hiroshima, 140K casualities
August 9, 1945: Nagasaki, 80K casualities |
|
|
Rebuilding
|
Economy outpaced America and Europe b/t 1955-1970
Took off again in 1980s, "Pax Japonica" Early 1990s: Economic bubble; said the imperial palace was worth more than California (1991) |
|
|
Space, Time, and Japanese Cities
|
Kyoto was imperial capital for most of Japanese history, still remains cultural capital (not bombed, still preserved)
Tokyo (Edo, capital), known as "Castle Town" b/c warlords resided there; well protected fortresses Street left crooked to confuse attackers Yokohama, Port City |
|
|
Japanese Housing
|
Traditional houses are a rarity but customs still remain:
remove shoes wash off before getting into bathtub |
|
|
Varieties of Japanese Housing
|
In urban areas, compressed, high density living
Merchant townhouses lined the street -Wooden houses were the norm |
|
|
Cultural Practices
|
Japanese bath and toilet
Separation of bathroom and toilet: should be clean when entering public tubs Senior members would get hottest and cleanest water |
|
|
Dress
|
Kimono, tradition woman's dress
used to be worn everyday but now everyday dress is western and kimono are worn for special occasions |
|
|
Traditions
|
Gift-giving
Two major gift-giving seasons: mid-year and end of year Also time of bonuses Beautiful wraps |
|
|
Other traditions
|
Food: focus on original taste, colors, texture-often raw
honored guests - back of room, lowest ranking - closest to the door meals: bowl of plain rice w/everything else (meats, vegetables) main dish: rice |
|
|
Religion
|
Shinto/animism:
spirits animate and control the world (world view indigenous to Japan) Buddhism: imported from China & Korea Shinto teaches life affirming; used to weddings Buddhism teaches detachment; used for funeral |
|
|
Language
|
Writing based on Chinese
Vocabulary based on Chinese and European loan words Syntax is subject-object-verb e.g.: "I ate lunch", Japanese says "I lunch ate" Your position to the person determines the verb and words you use more |
|
|
Social Life
|
Respect hierarchy
Family: man is torn between his wife to which he had obligations that must be fulfilled and mother which he could never repay Honor and obligation: they fight to the death because a captured soldier is considered dead |
|
|
Economic ups and downs
|
After the war in 1955, conditions were horrible
-lost 3M people, lost 20 yrs national wealth -food and energy in bad supply -housing shortage From 1955-1970, economy grew at shocking rate |
|
|
Nixon Shock
|
1971, Yen was no longer trading at 360 to 1 dollar.
Left to market forces, Yen drop dramatically 1973: OPEC raised oil prices Weakened job market 1980: saw resugence 1990s: saw economic bubble burst (stock and real estate markets) |
|
|
The Most inescapable fact
|
Population decreasing
many men died in WWII decline in births during War with China in 1938-39 Japan's defeat in 1945-46 |
|
|
From Idol to idiot: The Japanese Salarymen
|
Prestige of white collar workers, moving up the corporate ladder
By early 80s, it was more difficult to move up Too many baby boomers; trapped in mid-management |
|
|
Present
|
Japan's best and brightest students are recruited for bureaucratic jobs (University of Tokyo)
"Burning generations" - rebuilt Japan after WWII "New Breed" - consumers, younger generation |
