chapter 12

• • For centuries the Japanese people described their country as the land of the rising sun, because amaterasu  – the sun goddess - rose over Japan, and all the rulers of Japan were considered her descendants
• Maps created from the Japanese perspective always portrayed Japan in the centre of the world. This was because they thought that they were more important than other places
• • Because Japan is an island  country, it is geographically isolated from its nearest neighbours, south korea, north korea and china
• • Most people in Japan live along the Coast (kanto Plain) because this is the only land that is habitable
• • Japan is also an archipelago consisting of four main islands and more than 3000 smaller islands
• • The rough waters surrounding Japan made it difficult for other countries to reach the country, and before the 1500’s, Europeans / explorers did not have the means to reach Japan
• The Japanese borrowed freely the elements of other cultures that they wanted to include in their
• •  Chinese system of writing (alphabet)  in characters, called Kanji 
• • The beauties of the natural landscape of Japan have always been a great source of pride to the Japanese people, and the religion of ancient japan (shinto) is based on nature and living in harmony with it
• • Celebrations and rituals or special ceremonies mark the change in seasons and have traditionally played an important part in all Japanese life
• • Cherry Blossoms are an important symbol of Japan. They represent three things:

  1.  Shortness of life

  2. Beauty

  3. New beginnings
• • nature plays a dominant role in the culture of the ainu , Japan’s indigenous people
• • Festivals called matsuri are held throughout the year to celebrate the kami
• • Shinto does not have a founder and there are no religious laws – so for these aspects of religion the Japanese turned to faiths from other cultures  in particular, buddhism and Confucianism
• • Japan’s worldview is shaped by dangerous weather and natural disasters . Name some examples:

  Tsunami, earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons
• • Japanese people become stoic and learn to adjust and adapt and after each disaster the start over and rebuild 
  • adaptation to sudden change is therefore an important theme in Japanese life
• • When a country is self-sufficient, it means it doesn’t depend on receiving things from other countries. One result of being an island and being self-sufficient is that Japan did not trade with other countries. But Japan had everything it needed to survive on its own
• • rice was the main food of Japan and was also used as the country’s currency . A person’s worth was determined by rice production.
• •  Even though travel in Japan was difficult, the people of Japan think of themselves as a homogeneous society – a great unified family with common values and beliefs  
• • The geographic factor that contributed to this aspect of Japanese society was the sea ,because it allowed them to communicate and trade ideas, beliefs and values as well as goods
• The word Ainu means human
• For centuries the Japanese people described their country as “The Land of the Rising Sun”. According to legend, Japan had a sun goddess (Amaterasu), and the rulers of Japan were considered her descendants. The emperor was therefore believed to be divine - that is – godlike as he was considered to be a representative of the gods on earth
• • Japan is a series of small islands
  • Forested mountains and steep valleys cover about 80% of Japan – therefore making most of the country uninhabitable
  • Only about 18% of the country is level enough to permit agriculture and settlement
  • The largest flat area in Japan is less than 200 kilometers across (the Kanto Plain)
  • The habitable areas of Japan with high population densities are therefore mainly along the coast
• • Because Japan is an island it is geographically isolated 
  • Japan is an archipelago consisting of four main islands
  • ocean between Japan and Asia is very rough, making sea travel very difficult
  • The western coast of Japan has fewer bays and inlets – logical places for harbors – than the eastern side 
  • , Europeans did not have the means to reach Japan by sailing either across the Pacific or around the southern tip of Africa and across the Indian Ocean. When they did develop the necessary navigational technology, it still took several months and was extremely dangerous to get to Japan.
• • Nature has a dominant role in the culture of the Ainu Japan’s indigenous people

  The Ainu regard things like fire, water, wind, thunder, animals and plants as gods called Kamuy  who visit the earthly world.
• • Shinto is the ancient religion of Japan
  • The love of nature and harmony with nature are the most important aspects of Shinto.
  • Shinto is based on the belief that sacred spirits called kami take the form of objects in nature such as mountains, trees and stones.
  • Human beings become kami when they die and are honored by their families.
  • Festivals called matsuri are held throughout the year to please and

       celebrate the kami.

  Shinto does not have a founder and there are no religious laws, so for these aspects of religion the Japanese turn to faiths from China: Buddhism and Confucianism.
• • Japan’s worldview is shaped by dangerous weather and natural disasters.
  • Japan is located in an area where several continental and oceanic tectonic plates meet. As a result, earthquakes and volcanoes plague Japan.
  • These cause devastating waves called tsunami’s .
  • In the late summer and fall, parts of Japan are also struck by typhoon’s – violent tropical storms like hurricanes – that can cause great damage.
• • people become stoic – they learn how to adjust and to adapt.
  • After each disaster they start over and rebuild.
  • Adaption to sudden change is an important theme in Japanese life.
• Rice was the main food of Japan, although the poorest Japanese could afford rice only occasionally, it was and still remains the food most associated with Japan and its culture.
• The emperor of Japan tends a few rice plants, symbolically nurturing the Japanese culture and its people.
• Rice crops failing due to lack of monsoons and drought would cause great disruption and turmoil in the country.
• When a country is self-sufficient it means that it doesn’t depend on receiving things from other countries.
• Even though people live in different areas of Japan and are divided by mountains and the rugged landscape which makes travel difficult,  the people of Japan think of themselves as a homogeneous society – a great unified family with common values and beliefs
• • A homogeneous society consists of people who see themselves as having a similar nature and character.
  • The geographic factor that contributed to this aspect of Japanese society was the sea.
  • Most of the population lived along the coast and the sea provided a communication and trading corridor for them.