INTRODUCTION

TO JAPAN:
A HISTORY
What comes to your
mind when you hear
the word Japan?
LET’S HAVE A
SHORT GAME!
_______
N I H O N G O
_K _A _B _
U _
K _
I
I
_H _A _I K_ _U _T _A _
and N _ _
K A
_S _A _
M _
U _
R _
A _
I
I
_S _
U _ _ I_
S H
CONTENT
HISTORY RELIGION AND LITERATURE
CULTURE
● POETRY
● HEIAN AGE Choka
● SHINTOISM Tanka
Renga
● FEUDAL AGE Hokka
● ZEN BUDDHISM
Haikyu
● TOKUGAWA ● DRAMA
SHOGUNATE No
Kabuki
Jorori
Kyogen
THE
HEIAN
AGE
The period from 794 to 1185 was named
for the location of the imperial capital,
which was moved from Nara to Heian-
kyō (Kyotō) in 1794.

It was one of the great periods of artistic

development in Japan.
On Genpei War (1180-1185)

The Taira and Minamoto clans were

rival powers behind the throne. They
sought to control the emperors by
having their own favorite candidates
take the throne.

The Taira, led by Taira no Kiyomori,

eventually swept away all rivals and
dominated government for two decades.
Literature

The Tale of The Pillow Izumi

Genji by Book by Shikibu
Murasaki Sei Diary
Shikibu Shonagon
THE
FEUDAL
AGE
 The Rise of Feudalism

Under Yoritomo’s rule, samurai

warriors dominate Japanese society.

Samurai warriors took control of

Japan’s Government.

He created a Bakufu (military

government)

Emperor aced only as religious leader

of Japan.
It was established from the beginning
of the Kamakura Period in the late 12th
century CE when shoguns or military
dictators replaced the emperor and
imperial court as the country’s main
source of government.

It was a time when powerful families

(daimyo) and the military power of
warlords (shogun), and their warriors,
the samurai ruled Japan.
The Mongol Invasion of Japan,
1274

Leader, Kublai Khan, wanted to

subjugate Korea and Japan.

He sent 450 ships and 15,000

troops to Japan, but they were
destroyed by typhoon.
Seven years later, he sent
another 150,000 troops but
they were destroyed.
The Ōnin War (1467-77)

A civil war between leading families

over who should be in power.

Most Kyoto was destroyed during the

fighting

The power of emperor and shogun

greatly reduced.

Ended rule off Ashikaga Shogunate.

 PERIOD OF
UNIFICATION
(1560-1600)
 ODA
NOBUNA
• Brutal tyrant for he eliminated
Buddhist rivals and others who
refused the emperor

GA
• The first to use guns effectively

1568-1582
• Controlled 32 out of 62
provinces
“Seppuku” 切腹
Japanese ritual suicide

h! !
l as
BL
O OD BL
O OD
S
TOYOTOMI
HIDEYOSHI
1582-1598
 YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF
HIDEYOSHI HOUSE OF TOYOTOMI, FIRST
OF HIS NAME, THE UNIFIER, CHANCELLOR
OF THE REALM, THE PACIFIER OF JAPAN,
BREAKER OF RUTHLESSNESS.

Brought all 66 provinces into

feudal agreement.
Tried to conquer Korea but
unsuccessful.
Secured centralized authority.
Segregated warrior class .
 TOKUGA
Completed WA
Japan’s IEYASU
Appointed
unification shogun in
in 1600 1603
Succession
TOKU
GAWA
AGE
NIJO CASTLE
 SHOGUNATE
• Established at Edo
• Secluded for over 200 years
until 1850s
• “Closed Country Policy”-1639
• Ieyasu fought and shrewd
negotiations

SAMURAI PEASANTS ARTISANS MERCHANTS

ARTISANS
CASTLETOWN MERCHANTS

PEASANTS SAMURAI

FEUDAL CASTLE
 PERSECUTION OF
CHRISTIANS (1612)
Christian Japanese were persecuted.
Forced Japanese to be a Buddhist.
By the early 1840s, the samurai and
daimyo were indebted to the
merchant class. Thus virtually
collapsing the old socioeconomic
system.

When US Commodore Matthew C.

Perry forced Japan to abandon its
seclusion policy in 1854, it resulted
in the Tokugawa regime’s collapse
and led to Meiji Restoration in 1868.
The Tokugawa Shogunate
was overthrown.

Emperor Meiji was

restored.

Empire of Japan was

established.
Today, Japan has one of the largest
economies in the world.
However, we should not forget that it was
an isolated and secluded country just a
few hundred years ago, which required
many painful years of war, transition, and
adaptation to get to where it is today.
SHINTOISM
ORIGIN OF SHINTOISM
The peoples of ancient Japan had long held
animistic beliefs, worshipped divine
ancestors and communicated with the
spirit world via shamans.

Began in the period of Yayoi culture (300

B.C.E. - 300 C.E.) This is where Japan was
good.

During the early period, Shinto was

without a name and had no fixed dogma,
moral precepts, or sacred writings.
In the late 6th Century AD, the name Shinto
was created for the native religion to
distinguish it from Buddhism and
Confucianism, which had been introduced
from China.

Beginning in the 18th century, Shinto was

revived as an important national religion
through the writings and teachings of a
succession of notable scholars.
NATURE OF SHINTOISM
The followers of Shintoism
believe that spiritual powers
exist in the natural world.
They believe that spirits
called “Kami” live in natural
places such as in animals,
plants, stones, mountains,
rivers, islands, people and
even the dead.
SHINTO PRACTICES
HARAI 0R HARAE
(PURIFICATION)

A ritual performed to rid a person

or an object of impurity.
Purification rituals can take many
forms, it can be done through a
prayer from a priest, cleansing by
water or salt, or even mass
purification.
Omairi (Visiting Shrines)

Shinto Shrines (Jinji) are public

places constructed to house kami.
Anyone is welcome to visit public
shrines, though there are certain
practices that should be observed
by all visitors, including quiet
reverence and purification by
water before entering the shrine
itself.
Ceremonies and Rituals

Participating in Shinto rituals

strengthens interpersonal
relationships and relationships with
the kami and can bring health,
security, and fortune to a person or
group of people. There are various
rites of life for worshippers. These
are: Hatsumiyamairi, Shichigosan,
Seijin Shiki, Marriage, and Death
Prayers and Offerings

Prayers and offerings to the

kami are often complex and
play an important role in
communicating with the kami.
There are different types of
prayers and offerings. They
differ in form and purpose.
TYPE OF FORM CONTENT PURPOSE
PRAYER
NORITO COMPLICATED WORDS OF PRAISE VARIOUS REQUESTS
PROSE AND LIST OF
OFFERINGS

EMA SMALL WOODEN SMALL DRAWINGS AND REQUEST FOR

PLAQUES DESIGN SUCCESS IN EXAM,
BUSINESS, MARRIAGE,
AND CHILDREN
OFUDA AMULET INSCRIBED NAME OF REQUEST FOR LUCK
THE KAMI AND SAFETY

OMIKUII SMALL SLIPS OF WRITTEN FORTUNES FORTUNE

PAPER
Shintoism Core Beliefs
PURITY

Human beings are born

pure. Therefore, keep
oneself purified is the
most important thing
one has to do in Shinto.
LOVE FOR NATURE

Since kami is everywhere,

nature is kami itself.
Seeking harmony with kami,
taking care of the
environment is a basic belief
in Shinto.
MATSURI

Worshiping and honoring gods

and ancestral spirits are
important to Shintoism. It binds
a community together, a grand
form of “Tama-Furi”, entertain
kami and people at the same
time. Shinto can’t be complete
without Matsuri.
FOCUS ON THE PRESENT

Shinto is strictly focused on the

present. In Shinto, life is about a
celebration of what we know and
what we have right now. Although
they don’t believe in the afterlife,
once a person dies, he becomes
ancestral Kami which keeps an eye
on his offspring, sort of a guardian
angel.
ZEN
BUDDHISM
ORIGIN
When BUDDHISM reached China, it
merged with the native Taoist
Philosophy that resulted to ZEN
BUDDHISM, which flourished and
spread to Korea and Japan.

Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of

the Chinese word, ch'an, which comes
from a Sanskrit root “dhyāna”
meaning "meditation."
ORIGIN
Ensō ( 円 相 ) is a Japanese word
meaning “circle” and a concept
strongly associated with Zen.
It symbolizes the absolute
enlightenment, strength, elegance,
the universe, and the void.
NATURE
Zen is a school of Buddhism which
emphasizes the practice of meditation
as the key ingredient to awakening
one’s inner BUDDHA-NATURE. Zen
approached Buddhism in the most
direct, simple and practical way. Takes
no interest in relying on scriptures and
doctrines.
PRACTICES
ZAZEN
Zazen refers to sitting meditation.
It’s a meditative practice that’s
meant to give insight into your true
nature of being.
Meditation is the practice of seeing
things as they really are and being
aware that everything is temporary.
It allows you to do this by focusing
on the present moment.
 KO
A
AN or question used as
succinct
statement
paradoxical

S particularly in the
a meditation discipline for
novices,
Rinzai sect. The effort to
“solve” a koan is intended to
exhaust the analytic intellect
and the egoistic will.
IMAGINE THE
SOUND
OF ONE HAND
CLAPPING.
How can you
differentiate
Buddhism from
Zen Buddhism?
LITERA
TURE
FORMS
POETRY
CHOKA(
長歌 )
 ORI
GIN
The choka ( 長歌 long poem) was the
epic, storytelling form of Japanese
poetry from the 1st to the 13th century,
known as the Waka period.

Originally chokas were sung, but not in

the Western sense of being sung. The
oral tradition of the choka was to recite
the words in a high pitch.

structure
This syllablic poem may take the form
of 5/7/7/5/7/7 . . ., etc., or
5/7/5/5/7/5. . ., etc. These structures
are called katuata. An alternative is
alternating 5 and 7 syllable lines with
an extra 7-syllable line at the end. The
poem may contain any number of
stanzas, so the total length of the
poem is indefinite.
The Moth
there is no freedom
escaping from my cocoon
I must seek you once again
I am drawn to you
like a moth to a candle
circling nearer and nearer
the deadly flame calls
now my wings are scorched
why must my nature be so?
Teagan
TANKA ( 短
歌)
ORI
GIN
Originally, in the time of the Man'yōshū
(latter half of the eighth century AD), the
term tanka was used to distinguish "short
poems" from the longer chōka ( 長 歌 ,
"long poems"). It quickly became the
preferred verse form not only in the
Japanese Imperial Court, where nobles
competed in tanka contests, but for
women and men engaged in courtship.
structure
Emperor Tenji

In the autumn rice

Tanka consist of five units usually field
with the following pattern of: Sheltering at the
5-7-5-7-7. temporary harvest-
The 5-7-5 is called the kami-no-ku hutCo
( 上の句 , "upper phrase"), and the 7- arse the rush-mat roof
7 is called the shimo-no-ku ( 下の句 ,
"lower phrase"). My sleeves get wet

With the raindrops

- Katsushika
RENGA
( 連歌 )
ORI
GIN
Renga, meaning "linked poem," began over
seven hundred years ago in Japan to
encourage the collaborative composition of
poems. Poets worked in pairs or small
groups, taking turns composing the
alternating three-line and two-line stanzas.
Linked together, renga were often hundreds
of lines long, though the favored length was
a 36-line form called a kasen.
 The Minase Sangin Hyakuin by Sogi, Shohaku, and Socho

structure
As it snows the base In a foggy night (Shohaku)

of the mountain is misty 霜おく Frost on the field

this evening (Sogi) autumn at its end (Socho)

One poet writes the first three
Far in the way the water goes
lines in 5-7-5 syllables.
a plum-blossom-smelling hamlet (Shohaku)
Second poet writes the next
The wind from the river
two lines in 7-7 syllables in a
sways weeping willows
way that communicates with
the first three lines. now it’s spring (Socho)

The pole of a boat makes

a clear sound at dawn (Sogi)

The moon must be

visible even
HOKKU
発句
ORI
GIN
Hokku ( 発 句 , lit. "starting verse") is the
opening stanza of a Japanese orthodox
collaborative linked poem, renga. From the
time of Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694), the
hokku began to appear as an independent
poem, and was also incorporated in haibun
(in combination with prose). The term hokku
continues to be used in its original sense, as
the opening verse of a linked poem.
 structure Hokku from the book
Typically, a hokku is 17 moras (or on) in “SARUMINO” Edited by
length, composed of three metrical units of Kyorai MUKAI and
Boncho NOZAWA
5, 7 and 5 moras respectively. Alone
among the verses of a poem, the hokku First winter showe
includes a kireji or "cutting-word" that
appears at the end of one of its three the monkey also seems to want
metrical units. Like all of the other stanzas,
a small raincoat
a Japanese hokku is traditionally written in
a single vertical line.
HAIKU (
俳句)
ORI
GIN
Haiku, unrhymed poetic form. The haiku
first emerged in Japanese literature during
the 17th century, as a terse reaction to
elaborate poetic traditions, though it did
not become known by the name haiku until
the 19th century. Haiku originated as an
opening part of a larger Japanese poem
called renga.
 An old silent pond...

A frog jumps into the pond,

structure splash! Silence again.

Autumn moonlight-

a worm digs silently

Consists of 17 syllables arranged in
three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables into the chestnut.
respectively.
In the twilight rain

these brilliant-hued hibiscus -

A lovely sunset.

- MATSUO BASHO
TYPES OF
DRAMA
KAB
UKI
ORIGIN
Kabuki is sometimes translated as
"the art of singing and dancing.“
The word kabuki is believed to
derive from the verb kabuku,
meaning "to lean" or "to be out of
the ordinary", kabuki can be
interpreted as "avant-garde" or
"bizarre" theatre.
Movem
eKabuki
n t acting
s styles are
evocative, featuring rapid
energetic vertical
movements and jumps.
 MUSI
Geza-ongaku:
(Off-stage music)
C Shosa-ongaku:
(Music Onstage)
It usually uses little or no Debayashi is music played
vocals, and is generally onstage by the shamisen and
more percussion-related Hayashi flute and percussion
(as "background music, ensemble, visibly
additional sound accompanying the acting and
effects").
dancing.
COSTUMES
AND PROPS

Odachi Gohon- Tenugui Sensu Janome-gassa

kuruma-bin

Wakizas Nio-dasuki Hachimaki

M A K E-
UP
N O H
ORIGIN
Noh—its name derived from nō,
meaning “talent” or “skill”— is unlike
Western narrative drama.

Noh performers are simply storytellers

who use their visual appearances and
their movements to suggest the
essence of their tale rather than to
enact it.
 MOVEM
ENT
Kamae: Basic posture for the noh performer. In the lower
body, the knees are slightly bent, lowering the center of
gravity of the performer. In the upper body, the arms are
slightly bent, elbows out, making a kind of circle shape with
the arms and in the right hand a fan is held.

Hakobi: While maintaining the same center of gravity as in

kamae, the feet are slid across the floor one after the other,
without lifting them..
Shiori: the head is slightly bent down and with either one or
two hands (depending on the severity of the grief) the eyes are
covered indicating the shedding or stifling of tears.
 MUSIC

The music of Noh is played by the hayashi.

COSTUMES
AND PROPS

Jō (Elders masks)
These masks are often used in
the first half of first or second
category noh when the shite is
portraying a spirit.
n o h MAS
KS
Onna-men (Woman masks)
Examples of beautiful young women masks
are the: ko-omote, wakaonna, zō and
magojirō. The ōmiona mask also portrays a
young woman, but with more of a working
class background.
Okina (Old man masks)
This type of mask originated from
sarugaku, the predecessor of noh,
in the latter part of the Heian
period. This is the oldest type of
noh mask.

Otoko-men (Man masks)
Heida, chūjō, jūroku, hatachi-
amari, dōji, kasshiki, and yase-
otoko are all examples of masks in
this category which are classified
according to social class and
character.
Kishin (Demons)
These masks were developed early in noh’s
history and are used for portraying demons,
goblins or other worldly creatures. This
category is divided into two main parts,
tobide (fierce gods or demonic spirits) and
beshimi (goblins and other creatures).
Onryō
(Ghosts and Spirits)
These masks are used for spirits of
the dead who have regrets of some
kind. In this category there are both
male and female masks.
PROPS
( “tsukurimono”)

Dōjō-ji bell has about It is the responsibility of the shite to

80kg of lead weight prepare the interior of the bell.
attached to the bottom. Because of its special nature as
being one of the “right of passage”
noh, preparing the interior is a
secret.
Ningyō jō
ruri
( 人形浄瑠璃 )
O R I G
I N
Bunraku ( 文楽 ) is the traditional
puppet theater of Japan. It started
of as popular entertainment for the
commoners during the Edo Period
in Osaka and evolved into artistic
theater during the late 17th century.

Tokyo and Osaka, the birthplace of

ningyo joruri.
Bunraku is also called
Ningyo Joruri, a name that
points to its origins and
essence. Ningyo means
“doll” or “puppet,” and joruri
is the name of a style of
dramatic narrative chanting
accompanied by the three
stringed shamisen.
MOVEMEN
T
T he main puppeteer, the omozukai,
controls the right hand of the puppet, and
uses his left hand to control the puppet's
head.

The left puppeteer, known as the

hidarizukai or sashizukai, manipulates the
left hand of the puppet.

A third puppeteer, the ashizukai,

operates the feet and legs.
MUSI
C chanter/singer (tayu) and the
The
shamisen player provide the
essential music of the traditional
Japanese puppet theater.

Shamisen player
 PUPPET HEAD
S

The heads (kashira) of the Bunraku puppets are divided into male and female, and then
classified into categories according to the age, rank (social class), and distinguishing
personality traits of the role they portray, and all of them have special names reflecting their
special characteristics.
Bunraku puppets are made of wood and
are anywhere between one to four feet in
height. The puppets don’t actually have full
bodies; only the head, hands, legs, and feet
are crafted. These are connected with
string while the torso is simulated using a
kimono. Male dolls have legs and feet, but
the female dolls don’t because traditionally
their clothing completely covered their
bottom halves. Most of the body as well as
the clothing are made by the puppeteers
themselves.
K Y O G E N(狂
言)
Kyogen plays are typically
performed between breaks
during a Noh performance.

Unlike the high-brow,

sophisticated performances of
Noh, Kyogen plays are light
comedies about ordinary
people.
Movemen
telements
s of laughter, with
Kyogen has strong

human weaknesses and

foolishness described
cheerfully and openly. It is
characterized by the use of
clearly articulate spoken
speech and exaggerated
movements.
MUSI
C Kyōgen is performed to the
accompaniment of music,
especially the flute, drums,
and gong. However, the
emphasis of kyōgen is on
dialogue and action, rather
than on music or dance.
COSTUMES
AND PROPS
Kyogen is principally performed without wearing
masks. Compared to Noh, there are fewer types of
masks. Because daily events are often depicted
comically, many masks have familiar expressions
that exaggerate the features of the face and draw
laughter from the audience, indicating characters
such as an old man or woman, ogre, and animal.
Kyogen costumes are generally simple and mostly
made of hemp. They are determined based on the
role. For example, Taro Kaja, a role that appears
frequently in Kyogen, wears a kind of vest or jacket
called “kataginu,” paired with hakama trousers that
come down to the ankles. The back of a kataginu
displays fun patterns with bold designs of an
animal, plant, personal belonging, or other themes.
 ACTIVITY TIME!
Task 1: Timeline (Group work)
Instruction: Identify the significant events during the Heian Age, Feudal Age, and
Tokugawa Age by creating a timeline.
Note: Your timeline should be in JPEG/PNG format.

Task 2: Create your own haiku (By Pair)

Instruction: Create a Haiku about a topic of your own choice.

SUBMISSION of both activities are through Google Classroom. RUBRICS will be posted also in
the googleclassroom.
https://classroom.google.com/c/MzExMTk4NzAxMTQ3?cjc=ticjkmf