Japan Vs. Europe

This exhibit will include: tools, weapons, armor, and defense systems of both European and Japanese feudal systems.

Reasons Why Feudalism Developed in Both Europe and Japan

1. First a powerful nation, like in the European’s case, the roman empire falls.
2. Next, the governors and some warlords will take over villages and other chunks of land.
3. The king will assign lords/daimyos to help protect his country and collect taxes and pay them by giving them a piece of his land.
4. The lords/daimyos will give a small piece of their land to kights/bushis to help him help the king.
5. Farmers/chanin work the land and pay taxes to help support the system and get little to no money/crops for themselves, just enough to live off of.

Stirrups

Stirrups were invented in both Europe and Japan, but the styles were very different. Both allowed the king’s warriors to ride horses without as much of a hassle with being bounced around. Also, it allowed warriors to lean from side to side to attack with their swords without the risk of falling off. Japanese stirrups were in the shape of almost a sideways “u” and you slipped you foot inside, but European stirrups where more ring-shaped, and you slid your foot through it. Japanese proved to be better in the sense of stability. European

Japanese

Shields

When warriors had helmets on, no-one could tell who was who, so they got the idea to put symbols on the shields, because most Europeans were illiterate, they didn’t just put their name on the shields. The same idea came to mind in Japan, though most people were literate at the time, symbols were still used.

European and Japanese

King/Shogun

They were the leaders of the feudal system. They controlled all the land, they had all the money, and the controlled the Lords/Daimyo they made agreements with. With all that money and power, they built castles, some out of wood, and some, over time, out of stone. Obviously, the stone castles we more expensive, sturdier, and resistant to fire, unlike the wooden castles, but they were by far more expensive.

Warriors

The Europe, they were called lords, and in Japan, Daimyo. They swore to protect the king when he was at war and to collect taxes, and most importantly to remain faithful to him. In return, they were given small pieces of the king’s land to live on and get money from the farmers/chanin farming there. Also, just like the king, the Lords/Daimyo hired warriors to fight with them when they fight for the king, and they were called Knights/Bushi.