1. Chapter 12
Shaping a Unique World

2. A Little Bit About Japan
• Kamikazee – a divine wind sent by the Gods to defend
the Japanese island
– These typhoons saved Japan from two Mongol invasions
– The Japanese believed that the Gods were protecting them, this
is why the typhoons were sent
• Japan is 60% the size of Alberta and has a larger
population
• Japan is geographically isolated from its neighbors:
Korea, China, and Russia
– There is 185 km of ocean between Japan and Asia
• The people of Japan think of themselves as a
homogenous society
– Homogenous society consists of people who see themselves as
having a similar nature and character
– They were mainly kept homogenous because of the sea

3. Japanese Writing
• The Japanese adapted their writing from
the Chinese characters
– These characters were referred to as Kanji,
but they later developed into their own
characters called Kano

4. Seasons and Nature
• There are celebrations and rituals for the
changing of seasons in Japan
• The cherry blossom represent many things
in Japanese culture
– New beginnings
– Beauty
– The shortness of beauty and life

5. Ainu
• The Ainu are the indigenous people of Japan
• They would be compared to the Aboriginal people of
Canada
– Many Aboriginal tribes in Canada have beliefs similar to that of
the Ainu
• Ainu lived in the northern part of Japan in the area called
Ezochi (land of the Ezo-Ainu)
• Ainu had their own society and territory, but eventually
the Japanese began to take it over
• The island where most of the Ainu lived was renamed
Hokkaido
• The same thing happed to the Ainu as what happened to
Canada’s Aboriginal people
– The government forced them to live on certain lands

6. Religions of Japan
• Shinto is the ancient religion of Japan
– The most important aspect of Shinto is the love of
nature
– Ancient spirits called Kami take the form of objects in
nature (the sun Goddess, Amaterasu, is the most
important Kami)
– Japanese believe that humans become Kami when
they die
– Festivals called Matsuri are held to celebrate the
Kami
• Japanese use Chinese faiths for rules
(Buddhism and Confucianism)

7. Tsunami
• Tsunami is a Japanese word that means
“harbour wave”

8. Natural Disaster Story
• The Japanese believe that a giant cat fish
named Namazu lives in the mud of the
earth, and his swimming causes
earthquakes

9. Trade and Commerce
• Before 1853 Japan had little trade with
other countries
• They did minor trade with China, but that
changed when the Portuguese arrived

10. Food
• Small amounts of arable land (land suitable for
farming) in Japan
– Nature makes this land very fertile
• Rice was the main food in Japan
• When monsoons don’t bring enough water, rice
suffers and famine ensues
• A persons worth was determined by how much
rice they could produce
• Fish was another main food source for the
Japanese