Anceint Japan

Geography

Japan is an archipelago (group of islands), off the coast of China and Korea

Japan has many mountains, about 106 of which are active Volcanoes

Government

Japan was ruled by a "divine" Emperor, who was worshiped as a god

For a short time, ancient japan also had a Shogun (a powerful military leader) that was sometimes more powerful than the emperor

Religion

Shinto and Buddhism are the two most important religions of Japan

Shinto

• Ethnic religion unique to Japan (combination of religion and culture)
• Focuses on nature, natural forces, and balance
• Ancestor veneration important feature

There are around 100,000 Shinto shrines found across the entire archipelago

Buddhism

• Arrived in Japan around 552 CE from Korea n Buddhist monks (through the Silk Road)
• Co-exists with Shinto religion

Culture

The Japanese adopt many of China's cultural traditions, such as...

WRITING (KANJI)

Actitecture

Religion (Buddhism)

and ruling style (Legalism)

Ancient Japan also had a strict social class structure

Samurai Warriors were very high in the social class structure, and were trusted body-guards for the nobility

The Samurai organize, and become so powerful, they will eventually take (real) control of ancient Japan for a few hundred years