Defined cultures started to appear when Homo sapiens shed their role as hunter-gatherers and decided to settle in larger groups. The first signs of Homo sapiens on the landmass now referred to as Japan was thirty thousand years ago (Ancient Japan). These nomads were a blank slate for a culture to take root, because the land bridges closed and the natives were able to develop their own culture free from out-side influence. “Being isolated from the mainland for over ten thousand years allowed the inhabitants to hold onto stone-age life long after many countries had westernized” (Ancient Japan). The people progressed from an agricultural and metal-working society till 1869, when Japan rapidly became a revolutionized powerhouse in the world (N. Taylor). The Japanese culture has gone through many impressive changes.

The geography plays its own role in the development of a culture. Japan is comprised of four large islands, as well as the Ryukyu Islands and more than 1000 lesser adjacent islands (Japan). It is surrounded by the Sea of Okhotck, the Pacific Ocean, and the Korean Strait (Japan). Seafood from these surrounding waters is Japan’s largest natural resource. The Sakhalin Mountains run through Japan forming the Japanese Alps which create a lot of natural borders (Japan). It is estimated that only 11% of the land is arable (Japan). A low percentage of arable land is a set-back to large crops and agriculture. Japan is often subjected to natural disasters; such as tsunamis and earthquakes (Ancient Japan). Mt. Fujiyama may have once been an active volcano, but today it is dormant. Disasters demonstrate to humans the power of nature and often lead to the formation of gods. Understanding that land plays a role in the formation of a culture one can then better examine the peoples that grow from it.

The Jomon arose from the original inhabitants of the Japanese islands around 10000 years ago. The distinguishing feature of the Jomon was their pottery (Jomon & Yayoi). Pottery is a sign of Neolithic people yet the Jomon were Mesolithic, which means they were hunter-gathers (Jomon & Yayoi). Their pottery was special because of the corded design that was shown through dating techniques to have been developed before it appeared elsewhere in the world (Jomon & Yayoi). When the Earth reached a warm-point between 5000 and 2500 B.C., the Jomon people, totally isolated from other cultures at that time, began to settle and live in large villages (Jomon & Yayoi). Between 2500-1500 B.C. the Jomon developed proto-agriculture and their villages were growing even larger (Jomon & Yayoi). The Jomon started to produce a remarkable amount of female shaped figurines around this time (Jomon & Yayoi). This indicated that the Jomon had an idolized goddess based religion (Jomon & Yayoi). The Jomon thrived for around eight centuries but in 300 B.C. new cultural influence arrived in Japan.

Immigrants came from the mainland Asia in 300 B.C. and were called The Yayoi. Yayoi brought sedentary agriculture, metal working of bronze and iron, and a new religion that would later become Shinto (Jomon & Yayoi). Yayoi was the dawn of Japanese language, social structure, and religion (Jomon & Yayoi). The Yayoi lived in clans called uji and each uji worshipped its own Kami which were demigods (Jomon & Yayoi). The Kami represented forces in nature or of the unknown (Jomon & Yayoi). The different uji would become the basis for the aristocracies that would appear later. Clothing of the Yayoi was primitive, fashioned from hemp and bark (Jomon & Yayoi). In the Yayoi culture women were at equal status and had prominent roles (Jomon & Yayoi). This element was easily lost though with later influence from the main land.

The Kofun derived from the Yayoi in 300 A.D. and were unique because they built extremely large burial mounds for their kings (The Yamato State). Up until 500 A.D. the mounds were filled with prize possessions similar to the smaller Yayoi tombs, but with the next stream of influence from the main land in 500 A.D. armor and weapons started to appear in tombs signifying a new wave of culture passing over from Korea (The Yamato State). From the first written records of Japanese history, the Japanese Chronicles, the dawn of the Yamato state can be dated to 500 A.D. (The Yamato State). The Yamato kings located their capital in Naniwa (modern day Osaka) and ruled over the surrounding aristocracies (The Yamato State). The aristocratic families constantly struggled for who would maintain power in the Yamato court (The Yamato State). During the rule of the Yamato kings, the Yamato people had land in Korea and potters, artists, and metal workers were imported to the island (The Yamato State). The next place of cultural influence was China.

With its presence on Korean soil, Chinese cultures soon flowed across the sea into the Yamato state. Early in 500 A.D. Japan took on Chinese writing, Buddhist scriptures, and Confucian scholars (The Yamato State). Early in 600 A.D. Japan adopted a Chinese-style government that had an emperor that ruled with the degree of Heaven and also the Chinese calendar was adopted (The Yamato State). The Creation of the Seventeen Article Constitution, Kenpo Jushichijo, in 604 AD, set the basis for Japanese government up till modern history (The Yamato State). The constitution implied “Confucian virtues of harmony, regularity, and the importance of the moral development of government officials” (The Yamato State). The reforms of the Kenpo Jushichijo drastically changed Japanese history.

The next stage of evolution in Japanese history is the Nara Period. This period gets its name from the act of moving the capital in 710 A.D. north to Nara from Naniwa (The Nara Period). The Capital city of Nara was carefully planned and laid out on a grid similar to the Chinese capital of Chang-an (The Nara Period). This was meant to be a permanent place but the capital would move again only eight years after it took residence in Nara (The Nara Period). The important part of this period though was the true “blossoming of Buddhism” which had already been in Japan for almost two centuries (The Nara Period). “Buddhism was a phenomenon in the Nara court” and Buddhist teachings “gave Japanese Monarchs a moral basis for their rule, justification for adopting rules and laws to changing circumstances” (Nara Period). The amazing repercussions of Buddhism lasted into the Heian Period.

The Heian period marks a reign of peace in Japan. The period gets its name from the movement of the capital to Heian-kyo, meaning city of peace, which is now modern Kyoto (Heian Japan). The Heian and Nara Periods together are called “Classical Japan” (Heian Japan). The Nara period was full of struggles of the clans for the throne (Heian Japan). In the Heian period a single family, the Fujiwara, managed to take and hold the throne for three centuries which caused stability in the court (Heian Japan). The court began to develop independent of Chinese influence (Heian Japan). With a change in government a change in military was bound to happen.

During this Classical period a major shift in military occurred. “In the earliest periods of Japan, warfare was confined to battles between separate uji” (Heian Japan). In the Nara period a conscripted army was experimented with, in an attempt to unite the clans (Heian Japan). The

Heian Period fashioned local militias of mounted warriors, which were servants to the emperor and were called samurai (Heian Japan). These samurai are not yet the infamous warriors of legend seen on TV, instead they were farmers usually illiterate that would take up arms to fight other clan’s samurai when called on (Heian Japan). The government

started to heavily rely on these forces to the point where the “Genji clan controlled most of eastern Japan and the Heike clan controlled western Japan” (Heian Japan). When the emperor finally sided with the Genji in 1179 a massive civil war started bringing forth the feudal age of Japan (Heian Japan). The feudal period imposed the samurai as a way of life; Bushido was samurai code, a highly developed warrior ethic (Heian Japan). The Feudal era would continue until the Meji restoration in 1869, but a moderate stability returned in 1600.

A new step in government once again brought stability to Japan. In 1604, a feudal military dictatorship was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu which signified a new leaf for the Feudal era called the Edo period (Tokugawa Shogunate). The capital was moved to Edo (modern Tokyo) thus giving the period its name (Tokugawa Shogunate). The Shoguns of the Tokugawa family ruled through this period (Tokugawa Shogunate). The Shoguns implemented a strict class hierarchy; “the warrior-caste of samurai was at the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and traders” (Tokugawa Shogunate). The government was still a feudal system of vassals providing military service and homage to their lords (Tokugawa Shogunate). Japan was largely involved in trade until “1635 and the introduction of Seclusion laws, only inbound ships were allowed, from China and the Netherlands” (Tokugawa Shogunate). This trade and travel embargo would give rise to Japan’s revolutionist, Yoshido.

Greed and power took over the Edo capital and change was needed. Yoshido pushed the government out of feudal reign and the Edo period (N. Taylor). In 1853 American General Perry came to Japanese shores asking for a trade treaty and in 1854 he returned to force the treaty using blackmail (N. Taylor). Yoshido, a military strategist from young age, wanted to remove the trade embargo because he believed Japan to be threatened by its lack of modern knowledge (N. Taylor). Yoshido was quite radical and was jailed twice for trying to lead a revolution (N. Taylor). In 1869, ten years after Yoshido’s execution, the Sonjuko leaders lead Yoshido’s rebellion, and the Meiji Restoration was completed (N. Taylor). The Meiji Restoration marked the end of feudalism, made the samurai dress illegal, and opened the doors to western science, rail, telegraph, mail, and weapons (N. Taylor). Although the Feudal era had ended, traditional architecture and culture survived.

Japan’s societal structure in modern times has mostly westernized with the exception of religion. The government is a Parliamentary democracy; head of state is Emperor Akihito; head of government is Prem. Junichiro Koizuma; and there are 47 prefectures of state (Japan). Japans military has 239,900 active troops and a defense budget of $41.4 bill (Japan). Education is compulsory: ages 6-15 (Japan). Many Children are very consumed with school work and quite often start school as early as 3-4 years old (Kristof).

Shinto and Buddhism, observed together account for 84% of the populous, thus the chief religion is not of western origin (Japan). Extended family ties are strong, which are a cultural remnant of the uji clans (Kristof). Another feature of Japanese culture that has barely westernized is food.

Japanese food is a very unique, defining part of the culture. Their styles of food originated a long time ago because the peoples of Japan used the resources that were accessible. Rice has always been an important food source in Japan and was often a symbol of wealth (Food of Samurai Period). The growing of rice was a ritualistic act that took careful planning and yet need little attention till harvest time (Food of Samurai Period). Other foods common in the Feudal era: Abalone, shrimp, oyster, carp, kelp, dried sardines, sushi (raw fish), eel, beans, diakon radish, fermented soy, brown rice, ginkgo nuts, lotus root, dried bonito, chestnuts, cucumber, rice cakes, green onion, mushrooms, ginger, yams, bamboo shoot, tempura style (deep fried), wasabi (horse radish) , sota sauce (Food of Samurai Period). Similar to most cultures there was the presence of alcohol. In Japan the beverage was called sake which is a wine made from rice (Food of Samurai Period). Alcohol levels may have been low but Japanese diet tended to heighten the affects (Food of Samurai Period). Drunkenness was not considered odious (nor is it still) and quite often it was impolite not to get drunk at a drinking party (Food of Samurai Period). Traditional Japanese food has not changed nor has disappeared but new foods been imported.

Dining in modern Japan is very similar to how it was in Ancient Japan, but the main difference would probably be chairs. Many homes still have the custom of removing shoes before entering and some families still kneel at the table for dinner (N. Taylor). It is not surprising though that restaurants and households have adopted chairs and have brought them to the dining table (N. Taylor). Japan’s city streets are lined with many venders and markets. With their technological advancements, there are also unique and advanced vending machines. Originally, it was unfavorable to kill animals for food in Japan; it was only done in times of major need (N. Taylor). Now livestock are raised for meat and not just for their by products (Japan). There are many crops harvested and seafood is still a major food resource (Japan). There are imported food styles in Japan too; the Japanese Iron Chefs cook food from all over the world, and every major city in the world has a McDonalds.

During the feudal era it was custom to wear a specific style of clothing. The Kimono was the main form of dress (Samurai Clothing). Over time Different styles were fashioned: the Hitatare and the Kamishimo (Samurai Clothing). Kimonos were made of fine materials but colors were often neutral, only children wore flashy colors (Samurai Clothing). The only code on how to dress was to not look shabby (Samurai Clothing). A loincloth was worn under the kimono and resembled a diaper (Samurai Clothing). An obi, a robe belt, was worn around the waist; the katanas (Japanese swords) were hung from or

tucked through the obi (Samurai Clothing). Sandals were the main footwear; the wooden clogs often portrayed on TV were a sign of the lower class and were not common for the samurai (Samurai Clothing). Hair was worn in a topknot and facial hair was common prior to the Edo period (Samurai Clothing). The dress of the Japanese has changed greatly due to westernization.

Modern clothing in Japan is very westernized. There is a wide variety of clothing styles similar to American dress. Kimonos are rarely worn, yet, like katanas, they are still sold as a tourist novelty (N. Taylor). When women marry they wear a wedding kimono (Endo Hatsuko). Weddings are still a traditional ceremony with a “huge feast hosted at the groom’s house, into which the bride will be adopted (brides wear a white kimono to symbolize her “death” to her own family, and her intention to adopt the colors of her husband’s family)” (Endo Hatsuko). Endo Hatsuko, a female entrepreneur, westernized the women in Japan by introducing western makeup and commercializing the practice of purchasing bridal costumes (Endo Hatsuko). Today the traditional woman’s attire of painting their faces white and blacking their teeth is continued only by the geisha, a group of women entertainers skilled in song and dance (Endo Hatsuko). Traditionally, the role of women in Japanese culture is primarily to raise the family and this has only just begun to change.

The Japanese have one of the strongest family structures in the world but this doesn’t mean it is the happiest. Japanese family structure has only in the past few years started to westernize (Kristof). Marriages are normally arranged and often the couple is not compatible at all (Kristof). Present times have seen an increase in marriage by choice (Endo Hatsuko). Men are at work and away from home during the weekdays and rarely spend time with their children (Kristof). Women uphold the house and children (Kristof). Many women work in Japan but their family comes first (Kristof). Most women admit they would not be able to support their household with out their husbands (Kristof). Men having affairs is traditionally tolerated (Kristof).

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Divorce rate is low because it is shameful in society to do so, but the rate is slowly rising (Kristof). The Japanese family unit has been so strong because of “three ingredients: low expectations, patience, and shame” (Kristof). The Japanese family may be slowly westernizing but at this point it is still a remnant of their ancient culture.

Japan is a society that values hard work and modesty the most. Even since WWII military has held little prominence in Japanese culture. It is amazing to see what a country does when it doesn’t spend all of its money on a defense budget. The explosive scientific research they have accomplished will revolutionize the world. Maybe if more countries in the world would take note of this thriving country the world would be a more humble place.

Kofun, ancient burial mounds. Located in Gyoda, Japan

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Works Cited

“Ancient Japan”. World Civilizations. 1996. . 12/8-19/06

D. Kristof, Nicholas. “Who Needs Love! In Japan, Many Couples Don’t.” Annual Editions: Anthropology 03/04. Editor Elvio Angeloni. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Connecticut. 2003

“Food of the Samurai Period”. Samurai Archives Japanese History Page. . 12/18/06

Japan. FACTS.com. 1999. Facts On File News Services. 12/25/06.

Kuhlman, Erica Ann. “Endo Hatsuko.” A to Z of Women in World History, A to Z of Women. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. Facts On File, Inc. World History Online. . 12/25/06.

N. Taylor, Gregg. “Hagi Where Japan’s Revolution Began.” National Geographic. June 1984, vol. 165, No. 6, Pages 750-773.

“Samurai Clothing”. Samurai Archives Japanese History Page. . 12/18/06

“Tokugawa Shogunate”. Wikipedia. 1/9/07 .