FROM KAMAKURA TO TOKUGAWA: THE MILITARY GOVERNMENTS OF JAPAN

Objectives
 To know the Military Governments of Japan
 . The students will able to describe the government, religious and beliefs of
Japan
 To identify what are the activities done by the rulers of the Japan

The Kamakura period (1185-1333 CE)

The growing economic and military strength of the warrior aristocrats in the
provinces during the last part of the Heian period paved the way for changes in the
system of government.
12th Century CE- -Minamoto was the strongest family in power.
1156 CE- succession struggle between the Minamoto and Emperor Go-Shirikawa,
supported by Taira family.
1147-1199 CE- The Minamoto family led by Yoritomo, took advantage of the crises and
reclaimed power from the Taira.
Political
-despite his lack of natural skills as a general, Yorimoto was a skillfulpolitician and
organizer.
-he established his capital in Kamakura, which became the sensor of the Minamoto’s
military power.
-Bakufu (tenth government)- a term that aptly describes the source of Yoritomos
authority.
-the agreement was not written in paper but relied for the most part on the personal
loyalty of the warrior.
-1199 CE Yoritomo died, a bitter struggle for succession ensued.
-1294 CE during the Kamakura period, the Mongolian force led by Kublai Khan attacked
Japan
-1281 CE Kublai Khan sent a large force but like the first attack it failed because another
typhoon the Kamikaze or the Devine wind destroyed the Mongolian contingent.
BUSHIDO
Code of the Samurai
Bu- military, shi warrior and do- the way or rules that the warrior aristocrats followed in
their word and day to day activities.
SOCIO-CULTURAL
-Buddhism from India assumed a different from when it arrived in Japan.
-pure land and nichiren sects came into existence
-Kamakura government support behind Zen Buddhism.
-poetry and writings revolved are aware (melancholy), Yugen (mystery), Sabi (mood of
sadness and loneliness)
-Shincokinshu- major anthology on poetry, was compiled.
-this period also known as the time of the Ashikaga because of Ashikaga shogunate.
-as a result ofan alliance between the warrior Nita Yoshida (1301-1338 CE) and emperor
Go-Daigo, the Kemmu restoration, as it was called, brought an end to the Kamakura
shogunate in 1333 CE.
SOCIO-CULTURAL
-Noh theater flourished and became the classical form of drama in Japan.
-the artistic Zen Garden, which inspired by Zen philosophy, became popular because of
the influence of Zen temples.
ECONOMY
-Japan experience positive developments in agriculture because of reforms that were
made in the Kamakura period.
-additionally, continuing trade relations with countries such as China and Korea helped
the economy.
POLITICS
-the Ashikaga shoguns did not move their center of power and continue to rule from
Kyoto.
-signs of political witness begun to appear under the 5th shogun. But Yoshinori (1428-
1441 CE), the next shogun, manage to protect the wealth of the Ashikaga family.
-Orin war (1467-1477 CE) was a decade- long conflict that initially involved a
succession dispute Yoshimasaand his brother Yosimi.
-peasants, armed only with spears, were also used in wars and proved to be effective
against the more traditional, costly, arrogant horse riding warriors.
-1447 CE the omin war ended, the remaining Daimyo continue to fight, Japan plunged
into a civil war- a dark age-that ended only in 1568 CE.
Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603)
-this period of unification was named after the Azuchi Castle of Oda Nobunaga at Lake
Biwa and the Momoyama Castle of Toyotomi Hideyoshi near Kyoto.
-Japans’s finest castle was constructed in the early 17th Century CE in Himeji.
-after century of warfare, central authority returned to Japan under the leadership of
three unifier:
Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582 CE)
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598 CE)
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616 CE)
ECONOMY
-Nobunaga opened markets, removed monopolies, built roads and ship building yards,
and allowed trade.
-Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born a peasant but rose from the ranks to became one of
Nobunaga’s leading generals.
-he continued the previous strategies of Nobunaga including the forging of alliances with
daimyo to strengthen his base of support.
-before 1590 CE, Hideyoshi even demanded from the Spanish Governor General the
surrender of the Philippines but did not go further.
-when Hideyoshi died, Japan’s attempt to establish an overseas empire also ended.
ECONOMY
-Osaka, the site of Hideyoshi’s magnificent castle, soon over too Sakai as a trading
center.
-the Tougawa/Edo Period (1600-1868CE)
-Tokugawa Ieyasu considered the strongest and most powerful daimyo in Japan.
-after a few battles, Ieyasu became the ruler of Japan.
-after his victory, Ieyasu transferred the seat of administration in Japan to the Tokugawa
family estate in Edo, the present location of the city of Tokyo.
TOKUGAWA PEASANT
Ieyasu and his heirs continued to implement the policies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
-peasants-relatives and neighbors who violated the law were severe punished.
THE SUPPRESSION OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE CLOSING OF JAPAN
-St. Francis Xavier, one of the founding members of the society of Jesus, arrived in
Kyushnu in 1549 CE.
-in the meantime, Christianity-which is the priests also brought over was received well
becaused theJapanese treathed it as a philosophy lie Buddhism.
-European products became popular in 16th century CE Japan.
-in 1587 CE, the Spaniards arrived from the Philippines. They were followed in 1592CE
from Manila by Franciscan missionaries who wanted to spread the Christian gospel.
-in the end, the only Europeans left were the Dutch. Even so they had to stay on the
Island pf Dashima, near the port of Nogasaki, where they live like prisoners.
-overall the self-imposed isolation of the Japanese was neither total nor absolute.

Fornier, J.N, Banasihan, M. et’al (2006): ASIA, History, Civilization, and Culture, Anvil
Publishing Inc.
FROM KAMAKURA TO TOKUGAWA: THE MILITARY GOVERNMENTS OF JAPAN

Exercise 1
Write T if the statement is True and F if False.
1. The Kama Kura Period started at 1185 CE and ended at 1334.
2. Minamoto was the strongest family in power.
3. 1147-1199 CE- The Minamoto Family led by Yoritomo.
4. Yorimoto established his capital in city, which became the center of Minamoto’s
military power.
5. BAKURU means tent government.
6. The agreement was written on paper.
7. Kamakura government support behind Shintoism.
8. Kamakura period is also known as the time of the Ashikaga because of Ashikaga
shogunate
9. The artistic Zen Garden inspired Zen philosophy.
10. Japan experienced negative developments in agriculture.
Exercise 2
1-2. Poetry and writing revolved at Kamakura Period.
3-5. Meaning of Bushido
6-7. The two sects came into existence during Kamakura period
8-10 The three unifiers
Exercise 3
1. Discuss the socio cultural and economic changes in Japan from the Kamakura to
Tokugawa Periods.
 FROM KAMAKURA TO TOKUGAWA: THE MILITARY GOVERNMENTS OF JAPAN

Answer Key

Exercise 1
1. F
2. T
3. T
4. F
5.T
6. F
7. F
8. T
9. T
10.F

Exercise 2
1-2. aware
Yugen
Sabi
3-5. Bu- military
Shi- warrior
Do- the way or rules that the warrior aristocrats followed
6-7. pure land and nichiren
8-10. Oda Nobunaga
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Tokugawa Ieyasu