The Rise of
Feudalism in Japan
Yamato Period
• 300-710.
• Chinese cultural influence.
• Aspects of China that were
adopted included:
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–
–
–
–
Confucianism.
Buddhism.
Art & architecture.
Government structure.
Language, especially kanji characters.
• Prince Shotoku, 573-621 AD
– Spread Chinese culture and Confucianism.
– Allowed Buddhist sects to grow and develop.
– Created a new governmental structure.
• Including a 17 Article Constitution in 604 AD.
A Divine Emperor
• Prior to 400 AD clans ruled separate areas of
Japan.
• Yamato Clan produced the first emperor
• Emperor considered descendant of Sun
Goddess and most important person in Shinto
– Japan’s native religion.
• Emperor respected for religious power, not
political power.
• Clans fought to be emperor’s advisors.
Nobles Gain Power
• Earned trust of Emperor, which gained them
•
control.
Married daughters of princes.
– Making sure grandsons were related to both families.
• Nobles received most of government’s high-ranking
•
posts.
Nobles dominated emperor.
– Emperor’s role became almost completely ceremonial
• Nobles advised Emperor to give shoen to nobles
and clans.
– Shoen is a grant of land.
– Similar to manor or fief in European Feudalism.
• By the end of the Yamato period, Japan was divided
into 5000 shoen and the government had almost no
land
Heian Period
• 764-1156.
• Characteristics of the period:
– Growth of large land estates.
– Chinese art and literature spread.
• Writing and artistic style.
• Personal diaries and novels
– The Tale of Genji.
– Etiquette and highly refined court life.
• Began to move away from Chinese models of
•
religion and government.
Buddhism evolved into Zen Buddhism.
– Japanese form of Buddhism that focuses on mental and
self discipline.
• Not influenced by Chinese civil service system.
Refined Court Life of the Nobles
• Maintained elegant appearance.
– Elaborate clothing & makeup.
• Practiced restrained behavior.
– Rude to laugh with one’s mouth open.
• Always maintained decorum.
– Letters had to be folded properly
• Devoted leisure time to pursuing pastimes.
– Modeled after influences from Chinese culture
Kamakura Period
• 1185-1333.
• Minamoto Yoritomo.
– Founded the Kamakura Shogunate.
• Considered the beginning of the Medieval
Japan.
– Chinese influence declined.
– Increased influence of court system.
• Development of Feudalism in Japan.
Japanese Feudalism
• What is Feudalism?
• Why did Japan need it?
Reason #1: Nobles vs. Nobles
• Isolated court life for court nobles.
• Provincial nobles were rugged,
independent, and led private armies
• Became more powerful as court nobles
isolated themselves
• Constantly battled with one another over
control of the provinces
Reason #2: Aftermath of Mongols
• Mongols attempt to invade Japan.
• Mongols are not successful.
• Sense of national unity develops.
– Belief in superior culture.
• War debt.
– Unpaid samurai terrorized peasants for money.
• Kamakura Shogunate driven from power by
dissatisfied samurai
Reason #3: Battle over
Governmental Control
• Taira & Minamoto clans fought for control.
– Minamoto drove Taira from power.
• Beginnings of Feudalism:
– Under Minamoto rule, samurai warriors
dominate Japanese society.
– Samurai took control of government.
– Created Bakufu.
• military government
– Emperor was only a religious leader of Japan
Japanese Feudalism
• What is Feudalism?
• Why did Japan need it?
• Feudalism is a political, economic, and social
•
•
system.
The system is based on loyalty, land holdings, and
military serve/protection.
The code of Bushido.
– Fidelity, politeness, virility, and simplicity.
• Seppuku.
– Ritual suicide
– Honored way for Samurai to die.
– Commonly called Hara-kiri.
Japanese Feudalism
Structure of Contact in
Japanese Feudalism
Shogun
Land - Shoen
Land - Shoen
Protection
Samurai
Peasant
Daimyo
Loyalty
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasant
Loyalty
Samurai
Peasant
Food
Peasant
Bakufu
• Shogun
– military & political leader
• Daimyo
– high-ranking samurai lord who provided
shogun with warriors in exchange for land
• Samurai
– lower-ranking warriors who served their
daimyo in exchange for small manors
• Peasants
– lowest class: worked land for their lord
European Feudalism
• Developed after the fall the Roman Empire.
• Based on the same principles as Japan.
• The code of Chivalry
– Justice, loyalty, defense, courage, faith, humility,
and nobility.
• Manorialism was only present in European
Feudalism, not Japanese Feudalism.
– What’s the difference between Manorialism and
Feudalism?
• Manorialism is the economy system of the fief.
• Feudalism is the economic, political, and social
structure of the country or region as a whole.
Structure of Contact in
European Feudalism
King
Land - Fief
Land - Fief
Protection
Knight
Peasant
Lord
Loyalty
Lord
Knight
Peasant
Loyalty
Knight
Peasant
Food
Peasant
Himeji Castle
The walls inside and outside of Himeji Castle.