Imapct of History on Japanese Culture Essay

The major periods that shaped Japan’s history and future were the Heian-era of Aristocracy and the Kamakura period of Samurai. The Heian-era and the Kamakura period are interesting because of their differences in social structure, tradition, and culture. In the Heian era, the aristocrat’s social class was sought by many because of their social and cultural status. When the warrior rise in the Kamakura age the social classes change dramatically between aristocrat and warrior. The Heian-era (794-1191) was an age of self development in Japan’s culture and tradition. Before the Heian-era, Japan

Japan is a collectivistic culture country, they put more emphasis on group members, group obligations, and group goals that on the individual (Hamilton, 2014, p.74). Their culture is more relationship oriented, valuing empathy, listening, preserving friendships and saving face for the individual and others (Hamilton, 2014, p.75). Japan consists of a high context culture, relying minimally on spoken words. This is a tightly bound culture by experiences, family, and tradition (Hamilton, 2014, p.76).

Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today

There is a vast difference between the courtly airs of the Heian Period and the overall feeling of the following Kamakura Period that makes the younger of the two periods more appealing. The changes in Japanese literature during the Kamakura Period can be readily observed in many works, including the innovation in poet devices found in the Shinkokinshu, as well as the subject matters of different stories. We have the introduction of another ancient Japanese classic in Heike Monogatari, where the reader is assaulted with battlefield stories and upfront political warfare not seen to that extent before. A significant feature, if not the most significant feature, of the Kamakura Period is the increased presence of Buddhist teachings and

The Japanese religions, including Shintosim and Buddhism, are rich and complex, and it contains many condradictory trends which may puzzle a Westerner. In the center of the tradition is Shinto, the "natural" religion of Japan. Also in the center is Buddhism, the Indian religion that was brought to Japan in the sixth century from Korea and China. Throughout the history of Japan, it has been these two religions that have contributed most to the Japanese understanding of themselves and their surroundings, and also to many important events.

There was once a time in Japan called the Edo period - this was a period where Japan was ruled under the Tokugawa Shogunates, a feudal military government. Japan had a stable population, and a popular enjoyment of art and culture. However, they had an uncompromising policy prohibiting any foreign contact, ultimately making it completely isolated from the western world. There was also a strict social order, where everyone knew their status. Emperors and high nobilities had invulnerable prestige, but were weak in power. The shogun and daimyō, on the other hand, were very powerful due to their relation to the Tokugawa. This period began in 1603 and ended in 1868, when Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned – this was the beginning of the Meiji Restoration, the name meaning the restoration of power to emperors.

Meiji Period, also known as Meiji restoration, was a turning point for Japan as it created equality amongst all Japanese people. The new Japanese government (after the failure of the Tokugawa government) successfully broke down the boundaries between the social classes, established human rights such as the religious freedom, and took all the land that belonged to the former feudal lords (daimyo) and returned it to the government. With an effort to expand to acquire Western skills in all fields of technology, legislation and science, Japan sought all aspects of western culture and education. While receiving the skills and knowledge, Japan also received its first European style constitution in 1889.

Introduction-In chapter 20 you will explore how Japan’s neighbors influenced Japanese culture from the sixth to the ninth centuries C.E. Many cultural ideas traveled to Japan by way of the korean peninsula. Some of these ideas had originally come from China and India. Japan learned about confucianism from a Chinese scholar who came to Japan from a Korean Kingdom.

Japan’s first historical periods, the Asuka and Nara periods (538-794), were named after the Japanese government’s location. These periods coincide with the introduction of Buddhism into the country. This new religion contained many ideas and images that were immensely different than the concepts of native Shinto. The art of these periods mainly consisted of Buddhist temples for worshiping.

Every country has their own set of cultures. But the most unique Japanese cultures have to be:

The island nation of Japan, according to Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts (2016), has a rich history that largely alternates between times of imperial and military control. The Jomon period, which started in 10,000 BC, is the earliest instance of culture in Japan. This period transitioned into the Yayoi period (300 BC), which, according to Columbia University’s Dr. Heinrich (2009), featured a more advanced agricultural society. Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts (2016) continues to describe the Kofu period (300-710 AD), during which ancestors of the current Japanese imperial family founded Japan’s first unified state under the Yamato Court, and Buddhism was introduced in 552 AD. Japan’s first capital was established in Nara during the Nara Period (710-794 AD), and moved to Kyoto during the Heian Period (794-1185 AD) when noble families started ruling in the emperor’s name. During this period, Japan’s then Chinese-dominated culture was replaced by an indigenous one (Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts, 2016) described as a “great flowering of classical Japanese culture” (Heinrich, 2009, para. 6) The Kamakura Period (1185-1333 AD) saw the imperial court overthrown by the the Minamoto family, who started the Kamakura Shogunate era of rule that resulted in a “vigorous, realistic” artistic style representative of the “warrior spirit” (Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts, 2016, para. 5). The following Muromachi Period (1333-1568) was a “period of ‘warring states’” during which

How do Japan and other countries differ in culture? Japan is regarded as a high-context society and on the other hand the United States is considered a low-context society. In high-context societies, people often value relationships more than partnership. The virtue of “harmony” is the main emphasis in high-context societies. In the United States students are often encouraged to know how to form an argument and debate with other people to prove their opinion and persuade other people to agree. On the contrary, Japanese students learn about teamwork through different task and recognize oneself as a member of the society. In Japan, people discourage competition and encourage cooperation. Unlike the United States where children are often praised for being unique and special, Japan tends to prefer conformity and children are advised to be just like everyone else in the group. Although it has changed throughout the past decade, before all most all female Japanese

The Japanese culture has developed many traditions dating back thousands of years and are still commonly used in modern times. Their historical monuments, cultural entertainment and unforgettable Japanese cuisine draws attention from all over the world. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 24.03 million travelers visited Japan in 2016 and is expected to achieve 29 million tourists in 2017. Although this country is a popular destination to visit,

The Tokugawa period also called the Edo Period is derived from the name of the ruling family in the period the Tokugawa family. Under this regime Japan saw a long period of peace and order that went on for almost two hundred and fifty years. This was a very incredible achievement taking into account this was an era that was full of upsetting ordeals. The Sengoku Jidai or what is known as the age of a nation at war was the Belligerent states era of Japan where there were many rival daimyos that had their armies who fought one another to enable them have a massive jurisdiction of control over the whole of Japan that was split into two hundred and sixty countries at the time. The Belligerent States Period was adopted including many other things from the Chinese. Even this word was

Japan is an East Asian Island country with a specific cultural identity. Samurai values, kimono clothing, Noh Theater, woodblock art, and sumo wrestling are among the many instantly identifiable aspects of Japan’s culture. Many of Japan’s cultures have developed through centuries of feudal rule and has benefited from the country’s geographic isolation.