Ruling family in Heian Japan; regents gained permanent custody over imperial family; gave nobles pieces of land - they didn't have to have to pay taxe...
Fujiwara Clan
Military member (like samurai or knight) who received land in return for service and loyalty
vassal
4 Main Islands of Japan
Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
"Way of the Kami"; Japan's oldest religion (form of animism) whose followers believe that all things in the natural world are filled with divine spiri...
Shinto
Code of conduct ("Way of the Warrior") that the samurai followed; demanded warriors be loyal to their masters, as well as courageous and honorable; di...
Bushido
"Divine wind" which the Japanese credited with blowing Mongol invaders away; later, during WW2, would be the name for Japanese pilots who deliberately...
kamikaze
Geography of Japan
Archipelago composed of about 4,000 islands; mountainous; frequent volcanic/earthquake activity; only about 20% of land is farmable; sea provided mean...
Legendary first emperor of Japan (660-585 BCE) ; Yamato leader who took the title "emperor of heaven"; line of rulers in Japan has never been broken (...
Emperor Jimmu
A Japanese feudal lord who pledged loyalty to the emperor and shogun; ruled lands as independent kingdoms; to protect land, they created private armie...
daimyo
The belief that bodies of water, animals, trees, and other natural objects have spirits
animism
Any sacred being worshipped in Shinto including nature spirits and ancestors
Kami
Commander of all emperor's military forces and the actual rulers of Japan for many centuries (Emperor was a powerless spiritual figure)
shogun
A person who rules a country for someone who is unable to rule alone (too young or sick); during the 800s, Japan was ruled by a number of weak or chil...
regent
Religion that came from Korea to Japan in the 500s CE, and spread rapidly during the 600s and 700s CE; played an important role in government and soci...
Buddhism
A social system where a king or emperor provides lands to lords (wealthy nobles, etc.) for military support, and peasants worked the land in exchange...
feudalism
Original Japanese writing that used Chinese characters
Kanji
(574-622 CE) Leader who brought Chinese-style constitution, or plan of government, to Japan (emperor was helped by trained officials, who were hired b...
Prince Shotoku
In 1274 and 1281 China's Mongol emperor Kublai Khan sent out ships and warriors to invade Japan - the Mongols were defeated twice due to violent Pacif...
Mongol attack on Japan
Holy place where people worship
shrine
A large group of families related by blood or marriage; by 300 CE, Japan was ruled by clans
clan
Sect of Buddhism that emphasizes enlightenment through self-control and discipline; studied martial arts; practiced meditation to find inner peace
Zen Buddhism
Sect of Buddhism that taught that believers would be reborn into a blissful "pure land," or paradise
Pure Land Buddhism
Leader of the Minamoto Clan who was given first title of shogun - founder of the first shogunate: the Kamakura Shogunate (based in the town of Kamakur...
Minamoto Yoritomo
Class of warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a noble in return for land; fought on horseback with swords, daggers, and bows and arrows; wo...
samurai
Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.