Japanese history
Terms
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- Amaterasu
- Born of Izanagi the Shinto goddess of the sun is considered to be the most important Shinto diety. Said to have started to sword, jewel, and mirror tradition that designates the emperor as divine.
- Amida Buddhism
- The Pure Land School of Buddhism, heavily influenced by the idea of mappo and devoted to Amida as expressed in the nenbutsu.
- Attempted Mongol invasion and effects it had
- The Mongol invasion was met with heavy resistance by the Kamakura shogunate and repelled successfully both times. This was the first time Japan had had an outside force attempting invasion, this left them strained on both military and financial costs. T
- Battle of Sekigahara
- Battle between the forces loyal to the Tokugawa and the forces loyal to the Toyotomi. This battle ultimately led to the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate
- Buddhism
- Founded by Gautama Siddhartha. Originally a set of teachings designed at satisfying the spiritual quest of a small group. Based around Buddhas Four Noble Truths and eventually broadened into a universal faith.
- Bushido
- Way of the Warrior, formed as a code of conduct and a way of life. Based off the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery and honor unto death.
- Confucianism
- An ancient Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the early Chinese philosopher Cofucius. Focuses on human morality and good deeds.
- Golden Pavillion
- Built to be the retirement villa of Shikaga Yoshimitsu. Was later converted into a Zen temple. Burnt down twice during the Onin wars but was later restored in modern times.
- Haiku
- A form of Japanese poetry that involves composing lines of five syllables, seven syllables, then five syllable lines.
- Ikebana
- The Japanese art of floral arrangements. The style can be described as having an aesthetic of very minimalistic, very Zen. Again, less is more.
- Insei
- The retired emperor. He held, in many cases, more power than the actual emperor due to the new emperor being for the most part tied up in religious duties and the like.
- Jomon
- Jomon The earliest period of Japanese history. This period was named after the various types of rope pattern pottery found dating back to this time. The people of this time were shown to be moving away from the roaming hunter-gatherer patterns.
- Kemmu Restoration
- Occurred in between the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate when Emperor Go-Daigo attempted to re-establish the Imperial control.
- Koan
- An illogical riddle associated with Zen meditation.
- Kofun
- The third period in Japans history, named after they many key-hole shaped tombs built around this period. Horses were imported into Japan and widely used around this time. Buddhism was introduced at the end of the period. Yamato clan was clearly in po
- Lotus Sutra
- One of the most popular and influential sutras in East Asia and the basis on which Nichiren is founded.
- Mappo
- The last of the three Buddhist ages, the degenerate age, in where people are so corrupted they are unable to save themselves via their own power.
- Minamoto Yoritomo
- Founder and first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, helped bring about the feudal age that would last for years to come.
- Minamoto Yoshitsune
- General of the Minamoto clan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Participated in the Genpei war on the Minamoto side but was eventually betrayed the Fujiwara.
- Mono no Aware
- A Japanese term used to describe the awareness of the transience of things
- Nenbutsu
- Invoking the name of Amida as a means of salvation
- No Theater
- Japanese classical musical drama. Heavily influenced by Zeami into the form it is now, it would later influence various other forms of Japanese theatrics.
- Nobunaga Oda
- One of the major daimyo during the Sengoku period. Unified most of Japan via conquest and political power.
- North and South Courts
- During the Muromachi period as a result of the dispute between the new Ashikaga shogunate and Emperor Go-Daigo on how to govern the country two separate parties were formed. This resulted in the Northern court, those in favor of Komyo and Ashikaga; and t
- Onin War
- A large scale civil war during the Muromachi period that lead to the downfall of the Ashikaga bakufu and initiated the events of the Sengoku period.
- Prince Shotoku
- Regent of the early Asuka period. Was a devout Buddhist and heavily influenced by Confucian principles. Implemented a Confucian style system of rank and etiquette as well as wrote a 17 article constitution in an attempt to bring harmony to a chaotic soc
- Regents
- People in a position of power over the current emperor due to the emperors age
- Rise and Expansion of Yamato Clan
- The rise of the Yamato clan began primarily in the Kofun period with the sharp increase of large tombs filled with grave goods gives the idea that a clan that was largely in power and had influence enough to control resources to construct these tombs as w
- Rise and fall of Ashikaga shogunate
- The Ashikaga assisted in the downfall of the Kamakura shogunate which left the path clear for them to set up their own bakufu in Kyoto. A dispute between Go-Daigo and Ashikaga Takauji lead to placing Komyo on the throne further solidifying his position.
- Rise and fall of Kamakura shogunate
- With the defeat of the Taira during the Genpei war the Minamoto clan gained considerable power, both political and otherwise. Due to their newly found power Minamoto no Yoritomo was able to establish the Kamakura shogunate. The decline of the Kamakura s
- Rise and fall of Soga Clan
- This clan of primarily Korean decent rose to power in the early Asuka period through religious and political skill as opposed to taking the throne by force. The heads of each generation would engineer a marriage to nobility thus securing an advantageous
- Rise of the warrior class in Heian Period
- With the conscription system abolished the central government no longer had the means of raising their own army. As such, this position was passed off the provincial governments and the larger families. Being a Warrior by profession was still considered
- Sen no Rikyu
- Founder of the three main schools of tea ceremony as well as had a immense influence on the tradition of wabi-cha.
- Shingon
- A major school of Japanese Buddhism formed by a monk named Kukai on his return from a chip to China.
- Shoen
- Privately held estates outside of government control.
- Taira Kiyomori
- Assumed control of clan from deceased father, allied with Yoshitomo to suppress the Hogen Rebellion. Made numerous political plays and successfully gained immense political control by arranging a marriage of his daughter. Died of illness during the Genp
- Tea Ceremony
- Very refined ceremony, in which tea is made, highly ritualized with heavy influences from Zen Buddhism. Less is more.
- Tendai
- A fork of the Lotus Sutra style of Buddhism in which it blends several styles other Buddhist elements from various other sects. Developed by a monk in China but was popularized in Japan by a Japanese monk named Saicho upon return from China.
- Toyotome Hideyoshi
- Common born, one of Nobunagas closest allies. Succeeded Nobunaga and went on to finish the unification of Japan through military and political power. Launched two invasions of Korea, failing both times as well as dying during the second one.
- Unification of Japan and major 17th century figures
- The unification of Japan was started early in Azuchi-Momoyama period by Nobunaga but he was unable to completely unify Japan by the time of his assassination. The death of Nobunaga set the stage for his closest ally Hideyoshi to take the lead and though
- Wabi-sabi
- A set of aesthetic values in which the imperfect and unrefined look or overall feel is desired.
- Zazen
- The core of Zen Buddhist practice. Practicing meditation meant to calm to body and mind as a way of reaching Enlightenment.
- Zeami
- Was an actor and playwright. Was a major factor in establishing the No theater.
- Zen
- A sect of Buddhism that focuses more on the present and nature of self as a means of enlightenment instead of theoretical knowledge, judgmental thinking and the study of religious texts.