Tokugawa era
1603-1868 period following the Sengoku era. Power consolidated in the hands of the samurai shogunate
Sengoku era
1467-1603 a chaotic period of constant war among competing factions.
Daimyo
Local military lord in pre modern Japan
Samurai or bushi
A warrior who serves a daimyo
Wakazashi and Katana
Short sword and long sword. Only worn by samurai. Special permission to wear short by commoners
Yamato Family
The current and only dynasty of Japan, founded in 660 B.C.
Tennō
Translated to emperor in English. Head of the imperial family. Sometimes ceremonial, sometimes powerful.
Amaterasu Ōmikami
The Sun Goddess. All emperors of Japan are considered to be her direct descendant.
Heian
Present day Kyōto.
primogeniture
The law or custom whereby the first-born (often male) inherits the family estate.
Minamoto Yoritomo
The founder of the first shogunate 1192-99
Seii tai shōgun
Great Barbarian Subduing Field Marshall: Shōgun
Bakufu
Tent government: the shogunate.
Ōnin War
1467-1477 A civil war that would see Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu unite Japan.
The Three Unifiers
Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu
Battle of Sekigahara
1600 decisive battle that saw Tokugawa come out as the shogunate and led to the Tokugawa Era.
classes of daimyo
Shinpan, fudai, tozama
cadet families: descended from Ieyasu
house or allied: took field with Ieyasu at Sekigahara
outside: swore to house Tokugawa after 1600
Sankin Kōtai
Alternative attendance. Daimyo must spend every other year in Edo and leave principal family there all the time.
Edo
Tokyo, seat of power in the Tokugawa era
bushi
samurai. Bushido= way of the warrior
Stipend
samurai’s salary from his daimyo, paid in rice.
Yi Sun-sin
Korean naval commander famous for his victories against Japan during the Imjin War with Japan.
Turtle Ships
Korean warship used during the Joseon dynasty. Heavily fortified, like a turtle in its shell.
Shanks Mare
Novel by Jippensha Ikku around 1800
Yaji and Kita
the two main characters in Shanks Mare.
Kanji
Chinese ideographic characters
hiragana
syllabic characters for grammar and Japanese content
katakana
syllabic characters for transcribing foreign words from languages other than Chinese
Romaji
European characters
Chinese Confucian Class System
Officials, farmers, artisans, merchants
Japanese Tokugawa Class System
Samurai, farmers, artisans, merchants
Sword Hunts
Confiscating the weapons from enemies of the new ruling regime to prevent uprising.
Koku
A Japanese unit of volume: enough to feed an adult male for a year. The measure of land producing this amount of rice.
Edo
Largest city in the world by 1700 - over 1 million. Now called Tokyo.
Chōnin
Townspeople. A social class in Tokugawa Era. Mostly merchants, some craftsmen.
Nihonbashi
Japan Bridge. Central point in Edo. The bridge itself was completed in 1603 of wood. The current bridge was built of stone in 1911.
Genroku Period
1688-1703. Golden Age of the Edo period. Relative economic stability, arts and architecture flourish.
Kabuki
Theatre with live actors. The art of singing and dancing. Established 1603
Bunraku
Puppet theatre. Founded in 1684. Involves puppeteers, chanters, and muscians.
Chikamatsu Monazemon
Regarded as the greatest Japanese dramatist both in kabuki and bunraku.
geisha
Traditional Japanese entertainers who specialize in music, games, dance, and conversation.
Ginza
Silver Mint. Now the main shopping area of Tokyo