3. What do you know about Japan?
What do you want to know
about Japan?
4. A myth is a traditional story dealing with
supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that
is accepted as history
Myths serve to explain the worldview of a
people
Myths are stories that are important to the
culture of a people
Myths are not lies
A good definition of myth:
“Myths are stories told by people about people: where they come
from, how they handle major disasters, how they cope with what
they must and how everything will end” ~ Robert O’Connell
5. According to Japanese mythology, two divine
beings, the male Izanagi and the female
Izanami, stood on the bridge of heaven and
churned the ocean with a spear to make a small
island of curdled salt. From that mystical
beginning grew a string of islands – Japan.
6. Izanagi and Izanami looked at their creation
and said, “Why should we not produce
someone who shall be lord of what is below
Heaven?” So they went on to bear the deities
called kami who inhabited the land from that
time forward.
7. The story of Izanagi and Izanami forms part of
Shinto, Japan’s oldest religion
Along with many other tales, this story was
preserved by storytellers, who sang at religious
festivals
The stories were not written down until the 8th
century (the 700s)
For most of their history, the Japanese have
believed that their country is favoured and
protected by the gods called kami
Kami are believed to dwell in all natural creations
such as rocks, trees, animals, and the sky
8. In 1274, Mongol rulers sent a large fleet from
Asia that landed on Kyushu, the southern
island of Japan. However, a typhoon forced the
invaders to retreat. In 1281, the Mongols
returned with thousands of ships and more
than 100,000 men. The Japanese in their
smaller, swifter boats defended their island
well, but again a ferocious storm destroyed
most of the Mongol fleet. The Japanese called
the storm kamikaze, a divine wind sent by the
gods to defend their islands.
9. By 1281, Japan had twice been saved from
invasion by a typhoon. How might this
repeated experience influence the worldview of
the Japanese people? How might it influence
their view of people from other places?
10. Japan is a long, narrow
chain of volcanic islands
in the Pacific Ocean
Japan is actually made
up of thousands of
islands, but most of the
population lives on the
four main islands of
Honshu, Shikoku,
Kyushu, and Hokkaido
What do you notice
about Japan’s major
cities on the map?
11. Nearly 75% of Japan’s
land area is covered by
mountains; there is very
little flat land
Japan’s islands sit on a
fault line in the earth’s
crust, which makes it
vulnerable to
earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions
Earthquakes also cause
tsunamis, or giant
waves, that flood the
coasts
12. http://web-
japan.org/kidsweb/e
xplore/nature/q2.ht
ml
13. On March 11, 2011 the most powerful
earthquake since records began struck the
northeast coast of Japan, triggering a massive
tsunami
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44VapEk
O7uw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiYiD1f
gUz0
14. Thousands of years ago the
Chinese saw the sun rise
over the islands to the east
and called this country jih-
pen, meaning “the source
of the sun.”
The ancient Japanese called
their land Nippon,
meaning “land of the
rising sun,” because they
believed the sun rose over
their land before any other
part of the world.
15. The sun is an important
symbol for the Japanese and
is represented on their flag
One of the most important
kami is Amaterasu, goddess
of the sun, who brings light
and hope to the Japanese
people
16. Our Divine Land is where the sun
rises and where the primordial
[very beginning] energy
originates. The heirs of the Great
Sun [the Emperors] have occupied
the Imperial Throne from
generation to generation without
change from time immemorial.
Japan’s position at the vertex
[highest point] of the earth makes
it the standard for the nations of
the world. Indeed, it casts its light
over the world, and the distance
which the resplendent imperial
influence reaches knows no limit
(p. 263)
17. The beauty of Japan’s
landscape is a source of
pride to the Japanese
people
The changing of the
seasons are celebrated by
rituals, or special
ceremonies
Many of these ceremonies
are based in Japan’s
ancient religion Shinto,
which values a love of
nature
18. The ancient religion of Japan is Shinto
Love of nature is the most important aspect of
Shinto
Kami are sacred spirits (deities) that form
objects in nature (mountains, lakes, trees)
When humans die they become kami and are
honoured by their families
Shinto does not have a founder or religious
laws; for this reason, many people in Japan see
Shinto as cultural rather than religious practice
19. Japan borrowed faiths
from China and
adapted them as their
own: Buddhism and
Confucianism
Many Japanese people
celebrate elements
from more than one
religion
20. Festivals called matsuri are held to honour the
kami
One of the most important festivals for the
Japanese is known as Sakura Matsuri (Cherry
Blossom Festival)
Cherry blossoms only bloom for a very short time
every year
Hanami (“flower viewing”) is a very symbolic
ritual in Japan to celebrate the coming of the spring
season
Cherry blossoms represent: new beginnings,
beauty, and the shortness and beauty of life
21. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is held
every year in March and April – it’s happening
right now!
http://www.vcbf.ca/
Explore this website with a partner and take note
of something you find interesting to share with the
class OR try find other major festivals inspired by
the Japanese Sakura Matsuri
22. Like Canada, Japan has an Indigenous
population
The Ainu (Eye-noo) have a belief system that
centers around nature
The Ainu honour the 4 elements: earth, air, fire,
and water
Many First Nations peoples have similar beliefs
Fire, water, wind, thunder, animals, and plants
are thought of as gods called kamuy (kuh-moo-
ee) who visit the Earthly world
This is similar to the kami in Shintoism
P. 269 “Nature and Culture”
23. For several thousand years, the Ainu lived in the
northern part of Japan and had their own separate
society and territory
The Japanese began to take over Ainu lands eventually,
and although the Ainu tried to resist they were
defeated
The Japanese officially made the Ainu land part of
Japan, and renamed the island Hokkaido
The Japanese assimilated the Ainu people into the
dominant Japanese society
The Ainu were not allowed to speak their own
language or practice their own customs, and had to live
in specific areas provided by the government
Can you think of other examples where a dominant
culture has tried to assimilate a minority culture?
24. What does it mean to
be self-sufficient?
Do you think it is
possible to be self-
sufficient in today’s
world?
Do you think it is
desirable to be self-
sufficient?
25. Japan is geographically isolated from other nations
and they did not practice a lot of trading with
other countries before the 19th century (1800s)
Japan was still able to thrive because they were
self-sufficient
Farmers and fishers provided enough food to feed
the people; wood for building and fuel came from
the forests; silkworms and cotton provided
material for clothing
Even though Japan does not have a lot of arable
land (suitable for farming), they have very fertile
land that provides a longer growing season
26. Rice is very symbolic of Japan
and its culture
Growing rice is a complex
process and requires a lot of
moisture, which is brought by
the monsoon winds
For centuries, rice was the basis
of Japan’s economy and
monetary system Rice Art
At one time, the value of land
was determined by the amount
of rice that it could produce and
a person’s worth was based on
rice production
What other foods are important
in Japan?
Do you think Canada has a
“food” in the same way that
Japan does?
27. What does it mean to be a homogenous
society?
Canada is often referred to as a “cultural
mosaic” whereas the United States is
known as a “melting pot.” What does
this mean in terms of homogeneity?
A homogenous society consists of
people who see themselves as having a
similar nature and character
For the Japanese, this was attributed to
the sea, because most of the population
lived along the coast and the sea
provided a passage to communicate and
trade not only goods but also ideas,
beliefs, and values
28. Although the Japanese consider themselves a
homogenous society, they have borrowed
elements from other cultures to include in their
own
Can you think of an example from last class?
The Japanese borrowed the Chinese system of
writing in characters; they called the Chinese
characters kanji
Later they created a new system of writing
combining kanji with Japanese characters
called kana
