Edo period

In the period from the Tokugawa era to the post-WWII era, Japanese society saw a dramatic shift in the prevalence of Japanese militarism and the existence of the traditional Japanese war mentality. Deeply rooted in samurai culture, Japanese militarism served as a foundation for Japanese society throughout the Tokugawa era; the class system gave way to a ‘warrior-elite’ class that dominated the social hierarchy. This pervasive warrior-dominated culture persisted into the Meiji period. Japanese…

The origin of Japan’s long history about reverence for nature started with native religion. No one is quite sure how long religion has been practiced in Japan. The natives’ belief system was based on and in the worship of kami. Kami are the elements of the landscape or forces of nature (“Kami”). In the 6th century Shintoism was created to distinguish native religion from Buddhism and Confucianism (“Shintoism”). Shinto most literally means, “the way of kami” (Hirai). Shintoism became more popular…

The Meiji Restoration transformed and introduced Japan to an industrialised western culture which influenced Japan’s social structure and values. The Meji restoration brought tremendous social change as millions of people were suddenly able to choose their occupation and move without restriction. By providing a new financially secure environment, the government increased it’s investment in new industries and technologies. As Japan citizens began to live in cities that introduced them to abroad…

Japan’s transformation and expansion was preceded by the unequal treaties imposed by the American commodore. The emperor of Japan would modernize and adapt through education, military and local administration reform in order to create a strong national identity among Japan’s people. As the Meiji government established a constitution an economic transformation would occur, where great company’s like Mitsubishi would dictate the Japanese economy and create an impressive growth. The Japanese…

The history of music before the twentieth century revolved around musicians and their instrument makers. Events likely to have a significant effect on this particular period of time seemed consistent. Well-tempered tuning was perfected, and soon after J.S. Bach rewrote the musical book with his groundbreaking composition, The Well-Tempered Clavier. The creation of the pianoforte fostered Beethoven's playing and writing and opened up a new powerful responsiveness. Autonomy and self-determination…

The ancient Japanese culture can be traced back to 8000 BC during the Jomon Period in Japan, although most archaeologists agree that it could go as far back as 100,000 years (“Early Japanese History”). The ancient Japanese culture is one of the most studied and historic cultures in the world. The Jomon period is known for is their advanced pottery techniques for that time period -- hence the name Jomon, which means "patterns of plaited cord” (“Ancient Japan”). The ancient Japanese culture was…

When I signed up to take music appreciation, I knew it would be the perfect class for me. I myself take up being a musician as a hobby, I’ve played the guitar for years and have a basic understanding of music in the world. I knew that music had deep history within its roots, but I always had a curiosity to learn a slice of that history which is exactly what this class did. Besides playing an instrument and make music, I also became very fond of listening to music as a hobby. I began to have a…

“Sapokanikan” is the first single released from Joanna Newsom’s 2015 album Divers. Shorter than most of the songs on her last album Have One On Me, the song resembles a union of the styles she used on Have One On Me and her debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender. “Sapokanikan”, like much of Joanna’s music, relies heavily on obscure references to tell a greater tale. Newsom’s overall message is about death and being forgotten and her references, language, and imagery tie together to paint a picture of…

Ebola is a virus that is very deadly. Four out of five strains can make people sick. While inside of the body it is possible to do the following things: kills cells, full bleeding internally, wrecks the immune system, and harms every organ in the body. It is very infrequent to catch Ebola. The only way that people can get infected with the disease is from direct contact with fluids from those who are already infested with Ebola. Ebola was first recognized in 1976. “The name came from a river…

Lakia Andrews Professor Sloan English 110 18 November 2014 The Ebola Epidemic In a country where people are dying every day from different diseases, Ebola has become the talk of the year. Although this disease has been around for several years, it is now being acknowledged. A few Americans have been forced into quarantine because of the outbreak. The disease can only be spread through a transfer of bodily fluids, unlike diseases like the flu and the common cold. Government officials are trying…