Japanese Social Life During and After the Isolation
Life in Japan During the Isolation
Life during the Isolation was split into six groups: the emperor, the shogun, the daimyo, the samurais, the peasants, and the merchants. The emperor's position in the image to the left is above the social pyramid because he held the highest rank in Japanese society. Despite this, he held no political power. Under the emperor is the shogun, who was the actual ruler of Japan during the Isolation. Next is the daimyo. The daimyo were wealthy landowners that were given land from the emperor. They were much like the feudal lords of Europe. The samurais were the soldiers of feudal Japan. They were loyal to the daimyo and the shogun. More information about the samurais is below. The next group were the peasants farmers. They made up 80 of the Japanese population. Despite being peasants, the farmers were considered ideal citizens because they were the center of Japan's economy. Towards the end of the Isolation, many peasants farmers left their agricultural lives for the cities. Below the farmers are the artisans. The artisans of the Isolation were skilled craftspeople, like blacksmiths, weavers, etc. The lowest group in Japan during the Isolation were the merchants. They traded goods and had a very low social status. Although they gradually gained influence in Japan, they were so low on the social pyramid because trade was not a big part of the economy during the Isolation. (1 and 2)
Japanese Life Today
Today, 16% of the Japanese people are below poverty line, compared to America's 15.1%. The unemployment rate is forty-third in the world, with 4.4% of the people unemployed. That is 3.8% lower than America's unemployment rate. Everyone over 20 has the right to vote. Japan does not have a military because of it's actions in World War II. The emperor today does not have any political power, just the like emperor during the Isolation. Importing and exporting goods is very important in Japan today, unlike during the Isolation. (3)
Samurai Life
During the Isolation
The samurais were warriors during the Isolation. The daimyo, or land owners during the Isolation, would pay samurai warriors to work as their personal military service. The samurais were expected to follow the Bushido, or the code of bravery and loyalty. Bushido means "way of the warrior." The Bushido is the code expects bravery and loyalty to one's lord. Instead of being conquered, samurais killed themselves in order to follow the Bushido. Samurais were fought with outdated weaponry for the time, like swords and bows. They wore armor made of wood, various metals, and animal skins that covered every inch of their body. There were many women samurais, all of which were expected to follow the same code the male samurais followed. Many samurais practiced Buddhism. Both the samurais and Buddhism encourage meditation and self-improvement, so one could see why they were a good match. (4)
The Fall of the Samurai
Saigo Takamori.
Once the Meiji era began, the Japanese discovered new weapons, one of them being guns. Now that the Japanese had these new weapons, they no longer needed the samurais, but instead needed a real army. Emperor Mutsuhito abolished the samurais, wanting to start a formal military. In 1877, more than 40,000 ex-samurais, led by Saigo Takamori (right), against Emperor Mutsuhito. In what is now called the Satsuma Rebellion, the ex-samurais fought the new forces of the Meiji emperor in the Battle of Shiroyama. In the end, the samurais lost to the modernly equipped forces, ending the samurai warriors permanently. (5)
The Samurai Today
Today, there are no more samurai warriors in the world but they left an unforgettable legacy in Japan. The traditions of the samurai such as martial arts and Bushido still have an influence today. (2) The samurai culture is also apparent in American culture. Children's television shows, like Samurai Jack and Power Rangers: Samurai include traditional samurai culture. The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise, also was about the topic of samurais. (5)
Japanese Women
Women During the Isolation
Japanese women during the Isolation were expected to do many things. They were forced to wear dress and footwear that did not show too much of their body, for the male figure in her life did not want her to stray from her place at home. During childhood, one must be obedient to their father. During marriage, one must be obedient to their husband. If a Japanese woman's husband died, she must be obedient to her son(s). Women during this time were expected to be housewives, not breadwinners. (6) Despite this, women could also be samurais, as you read above, and had to follow the same Bushido as the other samurais. (4)
Women in Japan Today
Women have the right to vote in Japan today, if they are over 20. (4) Their clothes are not restricted like they were during the Isolation. (7) Women can hold jobs in Japan but they do not rise through the ranks as quickly as men do. Today, more Japanese women hold part-time jobs because they are not hired for full-time positions because they have the ability of having children. Although Japanese women are guaranteed equality and protection against discrimination, unequal pay, sexual assault, and abuse still occur in Japan. Women in Japan often do not report sexual harassment or assault to the police because, in the case of a man being charged, they only have a light punishment, and they do not want to ruin their family's reputation. But, women's rights groups are currently forming in Japan to allowed equality between men and women. (8)
Sources
1. "Japan Limits Western Contacts." World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, n.d. 474-77. Print.
2. Ptak, Colin. "The Samurai of Japan." [The Samurai of Japan]. N.p., 1999. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
3. "Japan." CIA- The World Factbook. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
4. "Feudal Powers in Japan." World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, n.d. 306-07. Print.
5. Rousseau, Robert. "The History of the Samurai Warrior." About.com Martial Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
6. "Japan Modernizes." World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, n.d. 720-23. Print.
7. "Housing, Food, and Clothes." Kids Web Japan. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
8. Kinoti, Kathambi. "Economic Powerhouse Japan: What About Women's Rights?" Association for Women's Rights in Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
2. Ptak, Colin. "The Samurai of Japan." [The Samurai of Japan]. N.p., 1999. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
3. "Japan." CIA- The World Factbook. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
4. "Feudal Powers in Japan." World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, n.d. 306-07. Print.
5. Rousseau, Robert. "The History of the Samurai Warrior." About.com Martial Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
6. "Japan Modernizes." World History: Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, n.d. 720-23. Print.
7. "Housing, Food, and Clothes." Kids Web Japan. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
8. Kinoti, Kathambi. "Economic Powerhouse Japan: What About Women's Rights?" Association for Women's Rights in Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.